Wizards @ Celtics Game Thread 11/07/12

[GhostsOfGil]

★ Probable Wizards (0-2) Starters:
A.J. Price
Bradley Beal
Trevor Ariza
Trevor Booker
Emeka Okafor

♣ Probable Celtics (1-2) Starters:
Rajon Rondo
Courtney Lee
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Jared Sullinger


Notable Quotes and Pre-Game Links:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/wp/2012/11/06/wizards-face-must-win-game/
http://www.nba.com/games/20121107/WASBOS/gameinfo.html

To make matters worse, Jordan Crawford, who had a team-high 21 points against the Celtics, hurt his left ankle in the second half and is a game-time decision Wednesday.
"It's sore," Crawford said. "I'm just taking it day-by-day."

"Our execution has got to continue to get better," coach Randy Wittman said. "We have a lot of new faces and we're doing a lot of new things, even with the guys who have been here."

This game should be a good test for Kevin. I'm sure defending Seraphin will be a big part of Boston's adjustments so it will be interesting to see how he responds to the added defensive pressure.

Over and under?

Jordan Crawford shooting 40% from the floor
Bradley Beal attempting more than 8 shots
Emeka Okafor grabbing more than 5 rebounds
Kevin Seraphin getting 20 points
Trevor Ariza making 1 FG

[miller31time]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

[GhostsOfGil]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

I don't disagree but based off Wittmans comments, it looks like he may stick with the same starting lineup.

“You want guys to understand their roles, what’s expected of them. You’ve got to give that time,” Wittman said. “If I’m going to sit here on the third day and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to start five new players or three new players,’ I don’t know if I’m sending them the right message. Now, if it doesn’t improve, now that’s a decision I’ve got to go with, but right now I want to have trust in them that they’re going to try to fight through and do the right things.”

[nuposse04]

Our best case scenario is that those continue to suck but the other players somehow manage to overcome their awfulness and still manage to win. I'm hoping if we do win some games...Randy doesn't exactly credit them with it unless they actually play worth a damn.

[closg00]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

I don't disagree but based off Wittmans comments, it looks like he may stick with the same starting lineup.

“You want guys to understand their roles, what’s expected of them. You’ve got to give that time,” Wittman said. “If I’m going to sit here on the third day and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to start five new players or three new players,’ I don’t know if I’m sending them the right message. Now, if it doesn’t improve, now that’s a decision I’ve got to go with, but right now I want to have trust in them that they’re going to try to fight through and do the right things.”

Yup, Witt won't dare replace Ariza as a starter.....yet.

[hands11]

I have a low level of confidence that will be the starting line up.

Kevin will most likely start. I have a high level of guessitude for that one.
I also think there will be more changes.

I could come up with a ton better then what they have have start. I think we all could. Question is, how much change will Randy do after only 2 games ? Sadly, where he started kind of puts him in a little bit more of a box. I just hope he is bigger then that and does what needs to get done regardless.

Just coach to win. Don't worry about anything else. Line them up Randy. Get creative.

Crawford/Beal/C Singleton/Kevin/Okafor
Crawford/Webster/Booker/Ves/Barron

I say Crawford needs to be out there max minutes since he is the only one that can drive and he has the best handles. Spot duty for Price and or Pargo. Bench Trevor A for now. Bring him in if Singleton or Booker isn't getting it done. You can try swinging in a Price or Pargo and push it all down.


Crawford/Beal/C Singleton/Kevin/Okafor
Price or Pargo /Crawford or Martin/Webster/Booker/Ves or Barron

I would rather they go for the win and play less Price or Pargo with more Crawford at PG.

[hands11]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

I don't disagree but based off Wittmans comments, it looks like he may stick with the same starting lineup.

“You want guys to understand their roles, what’s expected of them. You’ve got to give that time,” Wittman said. “If I’m going to sit here on the third day and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to start five new players or three new players,’ I don’t know if I’m sending them the right message. Now, if it doesn’t improve, now that’s a decision I’ve got to go with, but right now I want to have trust in them that they’re going to try to fight through and do the right things.”

Thats what I was afraid of but I get it from a coaching stand point. Sounds like he is giving them one more try. Maybe with a short hook. Problem is, they started with a crap line up so there would need to be lots of change and that is tougher for a coach to pull off after only two games. But he can get away with starting Kevin since he wasn't available to start the season. Easy to communicate that one. Plus all the player can see Kevin was seriously balling. Its not a marginal decision.

[AFM]

I want to see Beal chug a Monster energy drink, hop off the bench fired up ready to rip Rondo's head off, and start stoppin and poppin
Pop that clip ALL DAY Lamborghini Mercy Brad Beal Shot So Thirsty

[montestewart]

I want to see Beal chug a Monster energy drink, hop off the bench fired up ready to rip Rondo's head off, and start stoppin and poppin
Pop that clip ALL DAY Lamborghini Mercy Brad Beal Shot So Thirsty

Even if I don't know what it means, I hope it's true. Great post, AFM.

[AFM]

You see Waiters drop 28 on the clippers? 7 3-pointers? I want to see a Beal performance like that. Just cold blooded like a Predator Drone

[dobrojim]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

agree that changes in the starting lineup need to happen but Booker is the one guy
that deserves to stay a little longer. I'm a little surprised that Witt hasn't yet changed
the lineup even though it's only 2 games.

[dandridge 10]

Seraphin needs to be starting tomorrow. Our starting lineup just doesn't work well together and it's rather obvious.

I know Witt is going to start Emeka but for god sake, start Kevin in place of Booker.

Webster or Martin should also start in place of Ariza but I'm sure Ted and EG have a sniper pointed towards Randy Wittman if he follows through with that change.

agree that changes in the starting lineup need to happen but Booker is the one guy
that deserves to stay a little longer. I'm a little surprised that Witt hasn't yet changed
the lineup even though it's only 2 games.

+1. Witt doesn't have to completely revise the starting lineup. If he doesn't want to make wholesale changes, fine, but at least substitute Webster for Ariza. The starting line-up clearly needs more offensive weapons and its not like Ariza has not had plenty of opportunities through preseason and the first 2 games to prove himself.

[Tyrone Messby]

I can't stand Ariza. I really can't. Everything about him angers me. He seems like a drain on our team.

[pancakes3]

Webster went 4-6 in the debut but he only went 1-6 in the 2nd game. Booker debuted with a 2-9 showing and followed it up with a 5-10 night. I don't think either are significant upgrades to Ariza's 3-8 and 0-4.

The real problem is that Webster is 1-6 from downtown and Booker is 0-2. Ariza is... 2-5.

[GhostsOfGil]

After a poor shooting night, I have more confidence Webster and not Ariza will bounce back with a strong showing.

[Ed Wood]

In Booker's case my concern is more that he's even taking a three point shot a game, though I think both have been desperation shots.

Anyway, my expectations have been thoroughly reset. A good game out of Seraphin, Vesely, Beal and maybe one of Booker and Singleton is entirely sufficient for me to be satisfied;, a win is neither necessary nor sufficient. Yep, that's me, A Bad Fan.

[tontoz]

The starting lineup needs to change not just because of the first two games. The starting lineup was wrong on opening night.

If you want to say that Beal deserved to start because he outplayed Crawford in the preseason then why is Ariza starting? He was garbage in preseason.

[nate33]

Our best offensive players are currently Seraphin and Webster. One of them should be in the starting lineup. If you consider Crawford to be one of our better offensive players as well, then we have our three best offensive players coming off the bench. It makes no sense.

In general, I'd try to pair Beal with Seraphin because Beal is unselfish and a better shooter to spread the floor and create space for Seraphin. I'd play Crawford with Okafor because Crawford is a gunner and Okafor is the better rebounder.

[Ed Wood]

I don't disagree that minutes and rotations could be more effectively orchestrated I'm loathe to make too much of an issue of it because doing so seems to some extent to obscure or detract from the fundamental reality that the roster is still well bellow par and that better distribution of playing time would simply be mitigating that issue, not solving anything otherwise holding back a team that should be excelling.

[GhostsOfGil]

Crawford is still questionable for tonight's game. Also love this quote from KG:

Kevin Garnett on #wizards riding Kevin Seraphin (19 pts) in last game: "I was a bit shocked they were going to him."

Can't wait to see them match up again.