We're gonna kick some tail from now on (Optimism thread)

[doclinkin]

EDIT for REMINDER: This is the "Say Nice Things About The Wizards" thread. These are all the reasons we are going to kick ass, get better, improve, and ultimately dominate. Or at least be fun to watch. Happy that we have made the playoffs, been a long time coming, and you never know we could get feisty and surprise some people. I love that we are rebuilding our relationship with our squad, our home court starting to sound loud rowdy and proud to out shout the transplants and antifans. Love that the team sis tarting to understand what it could mean to play here with a winning squad and how ready this City is to claim them and talk smack on their behalf. Personally I'm excited for the playoffs and am willing to drop the gimlet-eyed realism and rational thought about the teams future until after we see how this squad performs when we hit the post season. Ultimately its not all that complex, not too tough, the only thing you want to your team to do is to make the playoffs, and then win the final game they play. That's not impossible right? You never know.







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In a developmental year (or era) might as well have a place to retreat to for looking on the bright side of things. The most successful people fail more often than they succeed, as a Wiz fan that clearly means we are poised for eternal success. At some point. Eventually. The trick is to pop up like a weeble wobble and keep looking for wins within the losses. Work on your EQ, your emotional intelligence here. If life gives you shiznit become an organic gardener and sell fertilizer.

[doclinkin]

Defense. I'm watching JaVale inch a few notches closer to better every game. Every now and again he'll make the right read and rotate to fill the empty space instead of charging the three point shooter to jump on his head. But more than anything I'm enjoying watching the instant competence of Chris Singleton, defending multiple players on a single play, filling the empty spot in the rotation, boxing out, guarding the point, making that zone hum. As always I'm encouraged by the consistently tough play of Trevor Booker. John Wall too has shown better ability to crowd the dribble and get steals by stopping penetration on ballhandler (vs hawking the passing lanes, which leads to bad defense). There are some foundational pieces to build a pretty fierce and frustrating defense here.

Ideally we'd pair them with a coach who had a reputation for developing players into defensive standouts (Dave Joerger) but that's a rant for another thread. This one is only for HAPPY THOUGHTS!

[Zonkerbl]

This is going to be a short thread.

I mean, it's going to be a BRIEF and CONCISE thread! Yay!

[doclinkin]

This is going to be a short thread.

I mean, it's going to be a BRIEF and CONCISE thread! Yay!

Well as they say 'Brevity is the Soul of Wit'. Therefore this thread will be Soulful and Witty, embettering all and sundry. Bask in the goodness.

[B-easy]

Wall had a career high 4 offensive rebounds.

[verbal8]

I think Singleton looked pretty good in the first game. It didn't show up a ton in the box score, but he was all over the place.

Turiaf also played hard and was fairly effective.

[Zonkerbl]

In all the minutes of actual NBA games that I've watched him play in, Vesely doesn't suck!

[w dumseld]

I was very impressed with Flip. This was not an easy game to lose, especially the way we were moving the ball in the 1Q. New Jersey is a terrible team, so helping them get a W could really pay off in ping pong balls. Only giving Nick 18 minutes and playing Shard so much, plus putting out some groups of five with no offense really helped too. Using Crawford as the starting SG and not back-up PG was also key.

The tank is strong in Flip. I've got a good feeling about this. Now if Ted just fires him at the end of the season along with Grunfeld then we can get a competent coach in here and a good GM with a great pick in a great draft and a lot of talent that doesn't make any sense together, but could be used for quantity for quality trades to build a real team. If that isn't Ted's master plan, then we are one of the worst jokes in the NBA and will remain so, but I continue to be optimistic that Ted has a plan.

[fishercob]

Paging dandridge10. Paging dandridge10.

This is where it would be useful to hear from a lifelong Detroit Lions fan about how after years of embarrassing futility, things can turn around.

[keynote]

Here's the happiest song I could find. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adi5cjPujz0[/youtube]

Now that I'm smiling:

- the uniforms are fun
- Singleton's a *keeper*
- the NBA's back!
- the court looks nice

[dandridge 10]

Paging dandridge10. Paging dandridge10.

This is where it would be useful to hear from a lifelong Detroit Lions fan about how after years of embarrassing futility, things can turn around.

Ha, ha. As a lifelong Lions fans, things certainly can turn around. Let's just hope the Wiz can get some star players in the draft like the Lions did with getting Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Suh. Right now, we only have Wall, and even he is a question mark.

[Black Eyed Sooz]

Defense. I'm watching JaVale inch a few notches closer to better every game. Every now and again he'll make the right read and rotate to fill the empty space instead of charging the three point shooter to jump on his head.

I saw some things I liked from JaVale as well. That pump fake he made towards the end of the first half, for one, was a big step for him. I mean, he never EVER did that last year. But not only did he try it, he actually succeeded in getting the entire Nets front court up in the air, after which he proceeded to make the layup, draw contact, and get to the line.

Now if he can just relax a bit and get his FT% above the Mendoza line, we might really have something.

Other than that, I thought the bench played well. I loved Singleton at FSU and I thought he looked good out there even when matched up with D-Will. Turiaf and Booker (especially Turiaf) looked solid- I would love to see one of those two guys start and put Blatche's behind on the bench, if not D-league, waivers, the outer Mongolian league, or whatever other basketball purgatory we can exile him to. Every time those guys came in, we rebounded and made up ground, every time Blatche came in, we lost it.

Nick Young I thought really responded well to all the chaos that was going on around him and his contract. He just came in all business and made plays- even after hurting his ankle. I was about ready to write him off, but he showed some heart.

Jan Vesely looked sharp in his suit, and seemed not to be in too much pain when he helped carry Young off the court. That would suggest his hip injury is not one of those Bo Jackson-style career wreckers.

Finally, Blatche's comments after the game basically flipping off his coach after the first game of the year, have to be getting management closer to shipping his butt out of town. It just doesn't make sense anymore to have him on the team, and not only that as one of the veteran guys and alpha dogs by seniority (and/or default).

[GhostsOfGil]

via mike lee

Mo Evans had his knee drained yesterday, said he "maybe" available vs ATL. Nick Young moved well on left foot, running sprints in practice

[Hoopalotta]

Best Wizards news today: A wiretap headline almost said "Blatche wants more touches down low." It was "in the post", but we were knocking at the door there.

[closg00]

Glad we have Singleton, he has a Battier- type career ahead of him.

[tsherkin]

Blatche's Wiretap comments are encouraging. Wanting touches down low instead of jumpers out of the pick and pop is an encouraging sign. Recognizing that he's been doing this and it's not working, also an encouraging sign.

[fishercob]

Glad we have Singleton, he has a Battier- type career ahead of him.

closg00 in the optimism thread!!!!

If SIngleton gets that jumper right, he;s got Bob Horry/Battier/Prime James Posey potential.

Yay.

[pancakes3]

i was thinking that this thread would end up being the singleton appreciation thread. that kid is going to make an all-d team or two when it's all said and done. to be as aggressive as he was last night, as a rookie, and walking away with 2 steals and only 1 foul is very impressive. the 3 pointer was decent, but i think he's got more to offer than just 3 and d.

with his length, his athleticism, and his hustle, there's no reason why he has to stand in the corner and be passive on offense. he can set picks, make cuts, go for offensive rebounds, etc. and on defense he can be more than just a lock down iso defender. he can play the passing lanes. he can help with long rebounds. he can mitigate mistakes on defensive rotations. i just think he's got the tools, ability, and mindset of obtaining really great things in this league.

all in all i think we've got a player with a ceiling higher than posey, horry, battier, prince, ariza, etc. i'm shooting for a poor man shawn marion.

[Zonkerbl]

I'll be disappointed if Singleton does not have a Dennis Rodman type career. He looks amazing to me. And he sunk a three pointer!

[dlts20]

forget that rebuild crap. We're good enough to win right now if Flip starts NY, gives Dray the ball in the post, and shortends the rotations. Its that simple. Do those 3 things and we look night & day