Game Thread - Wiz vs Raps in DC Tue, Jan 10, 7PM

[dobrojim]

And three cheers for Mack!!!! I LOVED that shot at the end of the game - totally brought back college memories. Better yet, Crawford plays so much better when he's at SG.

QFT

I think Flip made essentially perfect player rotations.
Book/Sing start.
Dray backup C
Mack in for Wall
And VESELY, our new SECRET WEAPON to spark a run and break the game open!
Minimal time for Crawford at the 1. Voila, we look
like a professional team.

[cwb3]

Yea the Wizards won a game!

Now we on this board can:
1) Figure out that 1st round draft pick for next year that will put our lineup over-the-top.
and
2) Scan the schedule for win/loss scenarios that get us into the 8th seed for the playoffs!

Good times. . .

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Jan is the most unselfish player in the team and has great basketball IQ,he is moving well on the floor...He needs to attack...

while we're still in the realm of small sample size, one has to be impressed
with simply how he moves around on the court. He is very fluid and obviously
long. Even with his reported lack of shooting, he looks like a steal wrt draft position.
He could have scored more but on several times after he had started a break with an
excellent defensive play, the Gs failed to reward him with the finish.

Playing him with Sing and Book (and Wall duh) is really entertaining for the fans.
Don't blink or you'll miss a run-out and throw-down.

And I hope everyone caught that charismatic wink on TV during a timeout.
This guy could be, heck I'd say he already is, a fan favorite right off the bat.

On draft night Jan showed he had serious swagger. I knew once I saw his GF this guy is going to be real popular with fans. Jan is boss, jim. That has been obvious. But then again, Stewie Pecherov had some game, too.

My questions about Vesely were about his shooting and his toughness on defense. I worried brothers in particular would dunk on him. Thought he might not be quick enough to defend SFs or robust enough to cover PFs. Hated his FT percentage from Euroleague ball and just wondered it Vesely wouldn't come to the NBA and end up leaving like Pecherov.

The things I have already noted about Vesely are the guy moves exceptionally well without the ball, he's a great passer, and he's also a ball-hawking defender. I believe ball overseas is starting to eclipse NBA ball. Rubio has stepped in and is tearing it up. Jan Vesely got 5 steals in a game.

Right now I'm already prepared to give Grunfeld kudos on Vesely, because in the NBA game that guy will get a lot of dunks off steals and lobs and he's also going to set his teammates up.

[dobrojim]

Stuff I liked from last night's game:

- the way loose balls kept finding their way to Vesely
- how teams cannot make long passes when Singleton is in the game- the energy from Booker and Singleton seemed to energize Wall, especially on defense
- that Blatche -- for the most part -- seemed to accept his bench role and play with enthusiasm
- unselfish, "know your limits play" from Booker, Singleton and Vesely

Yeah, Singleton and Vesely are a real pain in the ass for the opposition. Those guys are everywhere!

The court really shrinks with Ves, Sing and McGee on the floor.
Heck, after last night, throw in Wall too. Nice blocks.

[dobrojim]

jim, did you catch that it was ted's bday too? i think buck said it was his 55th.

I heard that when I watched on TV but I think Buck said his BD was
a couple days ago. Still cool. Turns out I'm 55 now too. Just wish
my bank acct looked more like Ted's


I gotta send him BD wishes while I'm thinking of it.

[dobrojim]

Jan is the most unselfish player in the team and has great basketball IQ,he is moving well on the floor...He needs to attack...

while we're still in the realm of small sample size, one has to be impressed
with simply how he moves around on the court. He is very fluid and obviously
long. Even with his reported lack of shooting, he looks like a steal wrt draft position.
He could have scored more but on several times after he had started a break with an
excellent defensive play, the Gs failed to reward him with the finish.

Playing him with Sing and Book (and Wall duh) is really entertaining for the fans.
Don't blink or you'll miss a run-out and throw-down.

And I hope everyone caught that charismatic wink on TV during a timeout.
This guy could be, heck I'd say he already is, a fan favorite right off the bat.

On draft night Jan showed he had serious swagger. I knew once I saw his GF this guy is going to be real popular with fans. Jan is boss, jim. That has been obvious. But then again, Stewie Pecherov had some game, too.

My questions about Vesely were about his shooting and his toughness on defense. I worried brothers in particular would dunk on him. Thought he might not be quick enough to defend SFs or robust enough to cover PFs. Hated his FT percentage from Euroleague ball and just wondered it Vesely wouldn't come to the NBA and end up leaving like Pecherov.

The things I have already noted about Vesely are the guy moves exceptionally well without the ball, he's a great passer, and he's also a ball-hawking defender. I believe ball overseas is starting to eclipse NBA ball. Rubio has stepped in and is tearing it up. Jan Vesely got 5 steals in a game.

Right now I'm already prepared to give Grunfeld kudos on Vesely, because in the NBA game that guy will get a lot of dunks off steals and lobs and he's also going to set his teammates up.

Jan is already hugely popular. You move up and sit on the edge of
your seat when he's on the floor.

I've been thinking about this lately and while again, it's still early
times, it's possible we have TWO guys who remind me of one of
my all-time fav players, Bobby Jones, who played on the 83 sixers.
Great D, long, unselfish and when you think of him, what comes
to mind is a solid defensive play (bl or steal) leading to a transition dunk.
Love me some Singleton, love me the Czech Bounce.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I remember him, well. He was with Dr. J and the Sixers, and IIRC before that Jones was a Denver Nugget in the ABA. I know he was a Tar Heel but I don't remember back that far.

Bobby Jones was one of my favorite players when I was a kid, jim! That guy had serious bounce and was a very unselfish player. I use to love his dunks.

Yes, the Wizards have two guys like that now, it seems.

[WizarDynasty]

I think we need to limit Nick's playing time until we can sign him longterm. I really don't like the idea of overpaying nick especially if it endangers our ability to keep mcgee but i want Young longterm here in DC.

[dobrojim]

Bobby Jones was an all-time defensive great nearly on
the level of Russell. Yeah he played in DEN but I don't
remember him from those times either, just the Philly days
when he was key player for them. Also love that he
was fine coming off the bench as 6th man. He probably
won at least one 6MOY award (I think they had those back then).

[dobrojim]

I think we need to limit Nick's playing time until we can sign him longterm. I really don't like the idea of overpaying nick especially if it endangers our ability to keep mcgee but i want Young longterm here in DC.

The problem with that is that you'd have to give those min to Crawford
unless you want them to go to RMJr. I'd just as soon roll with N1 and let
the cards fall where they may wrt to signing him. He's replaceable as long as we have
ONE player who can get his own with some semblance of efficiency.

[DallasShalDune]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/745 ... ds-raptors

Lol this is depressing.

[queridiculo]

I just don't see Nick Young being back. He'll sign a MLE type deal for a contender before considering doing the same thing for the Wizards who, in his mind more than likely, don't appreciate him. Anything above a MLE is a waste for what he brings to the team.

Young will be 27 by the time he signs his next deal. At this point, how much is his game really going to change?

I'd rather let him walk, or do some sort of sign and trade deal than have him back with this team.

He's a nice guy, but he's been a big part of that losing Wizards culture for quite some time. It's probably better for both parties to just cut their ties.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7450625/rafe-bartholomew-suffers-fate-worse-death-#8212-watching-wizards-raptors

Lol this is depressing.

In the second quarter, Raptors analyst Jack Armstrong went in on Blatche. It started late in the first, actually, when Blatche threw the ball to Nick Young. "He passed the ball," Armstrong said. "Wow." I don't think I'd ever made myself watch a full Blatche game before Tuesday night. If you're like me, you probably wondered if all the things people wrote about his shot selection and near-total refusal to pass were exaggerated. Well, they weren't. Within minutes, I had scribbled "Blatche hole?" in my notebook, and not once in the game did I feel the need to revise or amend that description.

But why single him out? When Armstrong told viewers, "I have a hard time watching Blatche play," he could have said the same thing about almost any other Wizards player. I'll see your Blatche and raise you Nick Young and Jordan Crawford, two unconscionable gunners who shoot as badly and pass as reluctantly as Blatche does. Who would want to watch any of them?

Over the years, several players have been called "coach killers" for feuding with and eventually getting their coaches fired. McGee, with his talent, his boundless but frequently wanton enthusiasm, and his apparent disconnect with reality, may literally kill a coach someday by attempting some foolish play at the worst possible moment that leads to a sideline stroke or heart attack.

[queridiculo]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7450625/rafe-bartholomew-suffers-fate-worse-death-#8212-watching-wizards-raptors

Lol this is depressing.

Certainly puts our collective ranting and raving about the players on this team in perspective.

[DallasShalDune]

God I love Grantland. Even when they make me want to kill myself, I keep returning to their articles. With Klosterman and Simmons in fold, they are certainly an entertaining bunch of writers.

[MDStar]

It's funny but I believe that the team as a whole feels very similiar in regards to the Blatche situation. I think that for the most part they realize that he's pretty skilled for a big man but his team game sucks. It almost felt to me watching yesterday's game, that the team felt as though a wieght had been lifted. That win, lose or draw, the game would be decided by players who wanted to win and not be out for self. Especially with Wall, for the past few games he was playing angry, like "why the hell am i gonna play hard and give it all i got, when others out her wont do the same?" Yesterday, he seemed more at ease. Now I may be wrong but that was my observation. I guess we'll see tonight.

Marcus

[DallasShalDune]

I responded to the Bartholomew Grantland column with my own amateur best:

http://dallasshaldune.blogspot.com/2012 ... s-won.html

[GhostsOfGil]

Hands, new game thread beckons

[dobrojim]

what he^ said