Um... isn't there a Zards/magic game today?

[Zonkerbl]

Ugh... Does this mean I have to do the next game thread?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I wanted us to lose this game.

I think the Wizards made two very solid moves bringing Mack and Temple up from the D-League.

I think they are in a real good place with Nene mad and motivated to play sufficient minutes each game.

truwizfan4evr, I thought they might have been ready to compete wihen both Price and Ariza were healthy. Now, I think barring injury, the team is balanced now with GOOD ENERGY. Seraphin is playing through mistakes but showing energy on defense (after being called out IMO). Vesely is getting token minutes. They did right by Shelvin. I don't care how he looked this game. Okafor is competing and when he's with Nene the Wizards can't be but so bad. Crawford is playing like a big balls player--which is okay when others bring the offense, too. Temple played great.

This is one of the best box scores in terms of assists, turnovers, field goal percentage, and hustle stats I've seen.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2012122827

If they can put together a couple more like this we are in for seeing pretty good games most nights.

[hands11]

Now that was more fun to watch.

Crawford is a bad man. King of Swag

34 mins 11-16, 3-5 from 3, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 TO, 27 pts.

Sorry, but Beal can't hold his Big Balls Jock Strap.

And Nene is a BEAST. He logged 29 mins 11 rebounds 4 assists 23 pts.

And while Okafor was off with this shot, 11 rebounds 3 blocks helps for the lack of pts.

And lastly, Temple is looking like a great pick up. They should start him. He is way better then Mack. Mack can't defend. Temple is a 6-6 PG that is a good defender. Really nice find. No problem having this kid back up at PG. I think they may have actually finally gotten that worked out. And he is 26 and a good looking kid.

Mack will stick around until Wall or Price return and then he is going to probably get cut. Price is a better defender then Mack. I will already give the back up to Wall job to Temple. Kid is ready. He is mature. He has bounnced around enough. He wants to stay.

Martin is proving to be a bust. He just doesn't have what it takes mentally. Shows up once in a while for a few games and then disappears.

I see the makings of a team. They need to clean out the dead wood. They don't need Mack, Martin or Singleton. Trade or cut them and bring in the next player.

This team really really needs some outside shooters. Call Orlando now and ask what they want for JJ. He is exactly what we need.

[nate33]

I wanted us to lose this game.

I think the Wizards made two very solid moves bring Mack and Temple up from the D-League.

I think they are in a real good place with Nene mad and motivated to play sufficient minutes each game.

truwizfan4evr, I thought they might have been ready to compete wihen both Price and Ariza were healthy. Now, I think barring injury, the team is balanced now with GOOD ENERGY. Seraphin is playing through mistakes but showing energy on defense (after being called out IMO). Vesely is getting token minutes. They did right by Shelvin. I don't care how he looked this game. Okafor is competing and when he's with Nene the Wizards can't be but so bad. Crawford is playing like a big balls player--which is okay when others bring the offense, too. Temple played great.

This is one of the best box scores in terms of assists, turnovers, field goal percentage, and hustle stats I've seen.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2012122827

If they can put together a couple more like this we are in for seeing pretty good games most nights.

Let's not forget that Orlando sucks.

The Wizards with a healthy Nene aren't 3-22 bad, but they're still not that good. Nene remains the only good player on the team. Webster, Okafor and Crawford are serviceable. Everyone else sucks and would not play a single minute for a .500 team.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Yeah, that was the reason the Wizards were favored tonight by the line I saw. Orlando sucks.

Still, I think they've got some good juju now, nate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juju

Juju has acquired some karmic attributes in more recent times. Good juju can stem from almost any good deed: saving a kitten, or returning a lost book.

Playing Ves token minutes is better than ostracizing. Mack is not a world beater but he is a positive, uplifting guy. Morale means a lot to all the players. Having Nene go off reminds me of having a good bowel movement. Not pretty but it sure feels better to get it out of your system. A less graphic description would be to say it is cathartic to vent. Nene backs it up by playing, which is the only thing I question about him. I know he's good. He's very, very good. Will he play through the pain (and hopefully not tear his feet up doing so)!

Best of all, I think Temple seems to be just what this team has been missing. He is much more of a guard than Ariza and a tough defender. He's been around and plays defense well enough to earn a Thabo role on just about any team.

The Wizards are WORKING through adversity. I am impressed. Wins will follow. "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

[dangermouse]

Tomorrow's headline: "Temple answers Wizards' prayers"

[Zonkerbl]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

[TheKingOfVa360]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

Whoa that's insane. Time to start Temple and Crawford.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

Last game: Mack was +7, Crawford -8 (Also, Seraphin was -15 vs Detroit

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2012122627


Mack's presence is something I think says to YOUNG PLAYERS, that MANAGEMENT HAS THEIR BACK. It's not that Shelvin is so great. OTOH, I know what Mack did all last season. He was much better than given credit for all of last season, and that was with no training camp.

[Zonkerbl]

Why would you start Crawford when he's so successful coming off the bench?

[hands11]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

Whoa that's insane. Time to start Temple and Crawford.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailyleaders

[hands11]

Why would you start Crawford when he's so successful coming off the bench?

Because the team digs a hole every game with Beal starting.

[hands11]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

Last game: Mack was +7, Crawford -8 (Also, Seraphin was -15 vs Detroit

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2012122627


Mack's presence is something I think says to YOUNG PLAYERS, that MANAGEMENT HAS THEIR BACK. It's not that Shelvin is so great. OTOH, I know what Mack did all last season. He was much better than given credit for all of last season, and that was with no training camp.

Come on CJJ. Look at the other plus minus of the people out there with Crawford. He pulled the entire line up with this scoring. Beal was plus 5 and 0-5 only because he was out there with Nene +25

Nene was -3 with 23 points. Ves was plus 10 with 0 pts. Plus minus can tell you something but you have to look at who they were out there with and how much they person scored. Clearly Nene was awesome tonight. Way better then Ves or Kevin who both had higher plus/minus.

As for what means something. I think Randy playing Temple the minutes he has says more. Temple a DL call up that never played for the team played 35 mins in his second game and started the second half. Now that says something.

Temple was awesome. He shut down Nelson who torched Mack.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Tomorrow's headline: "Temple answers Wizards' prayers"

You're good, dangermouse.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Temple was +22...

Mack was -16...

Last game: Mack was +7, Crawford -8 (Also, Seraphin was -15 vs Detroit

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2012122627


Mack's presence is something I think says to YOUNG PLAYERS, that MANAGEMENT HAS THEIR BACK. It's not that Shelvin is so great. OTOH, I know what Mack did all last season. He was much better than given credit for all of last season, and that was with no training camp.

Come on CJJ. Look at the other plus minus of the people out there with Crawford. He pulled the entire line up with this scoring. Beal was plus 5 and 0-5 only because he was out there with Nene +25

Nene was -3 with 23 points. Ves was plus 10 with 0 pts. Plus minus can tell you something but you have to look at who they were out there with and how much they person scored. Clearly Nene was awesome tonight. Way better then Ves or Kevin who both had higher plus/minus.

As for what means something. I think Randy playing Temple the minutes he has says more. Temple a DL call up that never played for the team played 35 mins in his second game and started the second half. Now that says something.

Temple was awesome. He shut down Nelson who torched Mack.

I think plus/minus after one game is meaningless or inconclusive most of the time.

I didn't post the first post about Mack having a minus tonight. I only posted that he had a plus his first game back. Last season, Mack and Vesely both were net plus FWIW.

hands, FWIW, in the ever-shifting roster collection right now I agree with you that Crawford and Temple might be the best. If Randy finishes games and doesn't get in a hole starting Mack/Beal, I am fine with things as they are because those guys get to play against starters. They are the duo I wanted at draft time because Shelvin consistently manages a game with few turnovers. Beal will pass the ball.

The reality right now is Crawford has been in the league three years and he is a full four years older than Beal. Yep, this season's Jordan Crawford is BETTER than Beal. If the objective is to start the best guy, he starts. I am not sure, however, I think he's better starting at PG than Mack.

It's hard for me to justify it, because Crawford generally is getting it done and sometimes in big ways this season.

[hands11]

I get the impression Crawford is frustrated by the lack of respect he gets from Randy. Randy has pretty much given everyone a chance he could to start before Crawford and yet Crawford just keeps bringing it. And he hasn't said a negative word the entire time. Just plays the good solder.

But I almost read his post game interviews and single minded focus as him biting his tongue and just doing what he has control over. Bring me off the bench. I'm going to ball. Start Price over me. I'm balln. Start a rookie over me. I'm bring out my big balls. Start me at PG. Same. Bench me for a 2nd round pick DL call us that you cut. I'm balling anyway.

Triple double ballin.

Like I said early in the game thread, Crawford is playing with a chip like FU Randy, you can't stop me. Jerk me around if you want. I'm balln and making a name for myself. Your going to deal with me one way or another.

And if the day comes that Crawford holds the cards, I think he remembers this.

[hands11]

Yeah, that was the reason the Wizards were favored tonight by the line I saw. Orlando sucks.

Still, I think they've got some good juju now, nate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juju

Juju has acquired some karmic attributes in more recent times. Good juju can stem from almost any good deed: saving a kitten, or returning a lost book.

Playing Ves token minutes is better than ostracizing. Mack is not a world beater but he is a positive, uplifting guy. Morale means a lot to all the players. Having Nene go off reminds me of having a good bowel movement. Not pretty but it sure feels better to get it out of your system. A less graphic description would be to say it is cathartic to vent. Nene backs it up by playing, which is the only thing I question about him. I know he's good. He's very, very good. Will he play through the pain (and hopefully not tear his feet up doing so)!

Best of all, I think Temple seems to be just what this team has been missing. He is much more of a guard than Ariza and a tough defender. He's been around and plays defense well enough to earn a Thabo role on just about any team.

The Wizards are WORKING through adversity. I am impressed. Wins will follow. "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Bring it CCJ. Let it out. Give a shout.

[montestewart]

Why would you start Crawford when he's so successful coming off the bench?

Because the team digs a hole every game with Beal starting.

I'll go with that. Crawford was on tonight, and the Wizards just can't afford not to start their best scorers right now. Three scorers should start, Nene, Crawford, and Webster. Get their bench points from Beal and Srraphin when they're on and are finding their games. If Crawford doesn't get too chuck happy as a starter and Beal can chill and find his shot as a reserve, works fine. At 4-23, it's not like the season's at stake.

POG: Crawford. Nene had big boards, nifty scoring moves, and made some nice passes (especially bounce to slicing Webster) but even with his nice line, he looked tired. Crawford was all energy, all the time. That guy is wound really tight and totally loose at the same time.

[AFM]

Crawford with the Pluto Sized Balls tonight.

[hands11]

Crawford with the Pluto Sized Balls tonight.