GT: Kings @ Wizards 1-28-13 7:00pm

[dobrojim]

Okafor and Nene only have one chi that they have to share. So when Okafor advances, Nene must recede.

Seems that way.

more to keynote than CCJ

in the immortal words of Stevie Wonder

When you believe in things you don't understand you suffer...

[dobrojim]

A minor irrelevant point of irritation, Webster was clearly fouled on his tying shot, but did not get the +1. The refs really hate us.

Re: Nene, hey!! That is his game now. Sometimes he can get the better of his match-ups, other times he looks like what he is, an aging center in decline with zero lift.

we didn't deserve to win what with all the TOs. SAC played pretty solid D against us
after the first Q. All that said, the refs also didn't do us any big favors. And we lost
on a last second shot. Disappointing to be sure. Not the end of the world. It's what
happens btw now and the AS break that I'm looking at.

[Mickstix]

Hopefully they'll take it as a gut check, and get back to sound b-ball next game.. Unfortunately, there still in position where any single injury could plummet them back to the basement of the league..

I really hope they dont push their luck playing nicked up (potential star) players, hoping for some miracle that'll be over in the 1st round, regardless.. Next year should be the year they look to do some damage..

[Kanyewest]

Well yeah, it "can." Apparently it just did. But it shouldn't if that team has genuine playoff aspirations. Their margin for error is gone. They can't afford any more bad losses, which means there should be no complacency. IF their goals are what they say their goals are. If they're just talking, then letting "success" (defined in this instance as three good weeks) go to their heads is to be expected.

Maybe they genuinely want to make the playoffs but they are probably not that good to make up the hole that they have dug for themselves. The aspirations of making the playoffs or them talking is trying to create that belief but it seems like they have to play as well as OKC did in the 1st half of the season- I'm not sure they have that kind of focus especially for a young team to do it. But at least for now they are much more watchable in any point in the last few years.

Hopefully the Wizards learn not to take opponents like Sacramento lightly because while they can at time stinks, they certainly have a lot of talent and letting them hang around can snowball into them into playing much better.

[Kanyewest]

Okafor is really building that trade value. We should cash in now.

For a team that's just a rebounding big away from contender status, he's looking like he might be a significant addition. He might actually get the Wizards a decent return if they play it right. Oh, wait a minute...

The best bet is to give Okafor to a team who doesn't think they are far away but are probably a borderline playoff team. The Wizards got a significant return for Hinrich- (Jordan Crawford and a mid 1st rounder). I would have said the Celtics if they still had Rondo.

Still, Okafor is playing well - especially on the boards and the defensive end- I wonder if the Wizards envision keeping him even after his contract expires.

[hands11]

Well yeah, it "can." Apparently it just did. But it shouldn't if that team has genuine playoff aspirations. Their margin for error is gone. They can't afford any more bad losses, which means there should be no complacency. IF their goals are what they say their goals are. If they're just talking, then letting "success" (defined in this instance as three good weeks) go to their heads is to be expected.

Maybe they genuinely want to make the playoffs but they are probably not that good to make up the hole that they have dug for themselves. The aspirations of making the playoffs or them talking is trying to create that belief but it seems like they have to play as well as OKC did in the 1st half of the season- I'm not sure they have that kind of focus especially for a young team to do it. But at least for now they are much more watchable in any point in the last few years.

Hopefully the Wizards learn not to take opponents like Sacramento lightly because while they can at time stinks, they certainly have a lot of talent and letting them hang around can snowball into them into playing much better.

It shouldn't be lost that the very idea they are having to work through this mental part of the game is the important thing. This is how young player grow. They need to be exposed to that situation.

Having any chance at the playoff right now and losing a game like they did last night is a "gut check." And how they grow or don't grow in response to it is what we need to see.

Just like what happened with the Skins. They were evaluating who to keep or not by how they responded. Including the coach. In the Skins case, lots of players responded and the coach blinked when he needed to lead the most. The Skins were not ready to win it all. But what they saw was what they had to build around to get to the next step. And I think they learned some valuable lessons.

For me, its still touch and go with this Wizards team. I could see them keep the base of vets or cashing in to do a mid level reset around adding a player like Cousins instead of Nene.

We will see what happens. Its up to them to prove to management what they should do.

For me, the biggest question on the team is still what it was when the season started. Its Kevin S. If he can round out his game with more drives and strong rebounding and do it consistently, that changes the rebuild trajectory.

Against a team like SAC, if Kevin was all he can be, I would have rather he started and the injured Nene, that can't jump, come off the bench. When Kevin has it going, he is actually a better offensive player then Nene is. That would allow Nene to school back ups. It would also allow them to pair Nene with Ves with is a good combination.

If it was me, I would give some consideration to

Wall/Price
Beal/Crawford
Trevor A/Webster
Kevin/Nene/Booker
Okafor/Ves

and if Beal is really to hurt to be effective,

Wall/Price
Webster/Crawford
Trevor A/Webster/Singleton
Kevin/Nene/Booker
Okafor/Ves

I know Webster is playing well and Wall needs 3 pts shooter, but I'm a defense first person. If Beal can is healthy enough to hit the 3 ball again, fine. If not, put Web in at SG.

[dobrojim]

Most players, when they have it going, are better than a given player X
on average. That's the chaos of statistics.

Kev ain't ready to displace Nene although I could see them
limiting Nene's minutes a bit more than they have. That said,
it might not make a whole lot of difference as far as Nene returning
to full health. It'll probably be next year.

[Nivek]

Nene with a missing foot might be a better player than Seraphin. Or, at least no worse. Seraphin isn't good. He hasn't shown signs of improving this season. This season, he typically follows up a decent game with a bad one. In fact, he typically follows up a bad game with another bad game.

The Wizards need to play someone because Nene clearly can't go 36-38 minutes a night. But, if Seraphin can't manage a significant turnaround in his production, the Wizards need to look elsewhere. Maybe to the D-League.

[jivelikenice]

Yesterday was another chance for Randy to play small. The lane was too packed in and there was no spacing for much of the second half. Randy should have considered putting Okafor in at the 5 and maybe putting Ariza at the 4. He's doing 'ok', but I don't consider him a good game day coach at all.

[dlts20]

I posted this yesterday in the Witt thread


Ive been saying it all along. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him. I hate his Offense. Its basically just like Flips and it doesnt blend well with our Franchise guy. All he does is dribble side to side around a pick and is mostly forced to swing it back or take a jump shot. You can talk about Wall's J all you want but Im telling you there are Offenses where it would be easier for him to get the shot that he wants.

Then you come to this game. The guards have to take some blame on D but at the end of the day Witt is the coach. I was screaming at the TV all game long for Wall, Prince, & Temple to stay on IT's left side. He's a lefty so make him go right. He still might do something but it would be 10x harder. If you let him just have the left then the D is dead and we never adjusted all night. How can you guard him straight up like Price did? How can you stay on his left at times like Wall did but still allow him to go left?

Then Temple late just let him easily go left again right in the lane for an easy floater. You tell the PG to stay on his left, force him right, and send all the help that way. Dont let him do the easiest thing it is for him to do. I hate Witt. He had to tell his guys that in the TO. Again, to me its about winning a title and if you dont think he's the guy to win a title then why are we wasting our time? Passing up great coaches on the way. It makes no sense

[hands11]

Yesterday was another chance for Randy to play small. The lane was too packed in and there was no spacing for much of the second half. Randy should have considered putting Okafor in at the 5 and maybe putting Ariza at the 4. He's doing 'ok', but I don't consider him a good game day coach at all.

Doesn't appear he is. He is kind of like Kevin S. One good game followed by several not so good to bad games.

I would suggest to him that he better start getting better and being more consistently better or he may find his two year contract becoming a one year contract.

He is being giving a great opportunity to prove himself and become part of the good ol boys club where you can get passed around as a HC for years to come and make a ton of money.

He shouldn't waste this opportunity.

[dlts20]

Here is what I wrote ib response to those giving Witt praise

You guys give Witt way way way too much credit. So what he has the guys playing hard. They are suppose to. Its not like we still have Blatche, Young, and McGee. We have all stand up vets or good character young guys. They are going to play hard anyways. It has nothing to do with Witt.

Furthermore, you guys give him credit for the wins. Why? We are winning now because we have talent. Any coach in the league couldve had this exact same record. I think even I couldve. I bet 95% of the coaches though wouldnt have been 4-28 or whatever he was with these guys. Wall is good but he shouldnt make that much of a differnce unless you are a terrible coach who's system sucks.

We still shouldve had more than 4 wins with the talent we had. Thats bad coaching, period. He's not good and he never will be. 90% of the time if we win it wont be because of him but if we lose, it could very well be because of him. His sub patters suck and the Ofensive system is terrible. There is a reason why the fans hate him everywhere he's been

[hands11]

Here is what I wrote ib response to those giving Witt praise

You guys give Witt way way way too much credit. So what he has the guys playing hard. They are suppose to. Its not like we still have Blatche, Young, and McGee. We have all stand up vets or good character young guys. They are going to play hard anyways. It has nothing to do with Witt.

Furthermore, you guys give him credit for the wins. Why? We are winning now because we have talent. Any coach in the league couldve had this exact same record. I think even I couldve. I bet 95% of the coaches though wouldnt have been 4-28 or whatever he was with these guys. Wall is good but he shouldnt make that much of a differnce unless you are a terrible coach who's system sucks.

We still shouldve had more than 4 wins with the talent we had. Thats bad coaching, period. He's not good and he never will be. 90% of the time if we win it wont be because of him but if we lose, it could very well be because of him. His sub patters suck and the Ofensive system is terrible. There is a reason why the fans hate him everywhere he's been

You should post this in the fire EG thread.