Game Thread - Wizard vs Toronto in DC 7PM Fri, Jan 3

[Illmatic21]

^Huevos!!



<3


I've never felt good before a Wiz-Raptors game.. too many bad memories (the Ruffin incident, Bosh gamewinner, etc)

They're playing really well since getting rid of Rudy Gay, it seems like the team chemistry is much improved and they are finally taking the reigns off Valanciunas.

Wall has to bring it 100% against Lowry, he's one of those uber-competitive guys who will get into opposing PGs heads if he senses a weakness. Actually I remember reading a quote from Wall about how people think the only the big name pgs are tough, but that players like Lowry are actually some of the hardest to go against.



Edit: found it

John Wall: This is the hardest position in the league to me. Every night somebody is coming at you. Seriously. You get no breaks. People can look at the schedule and you see Kyle Lowry or Jose Calderon and those guys aren’t always talked about, but some of the toughest challenges I have is against guys like that. Because you have to show them the same respect you do a Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook."

[Illmatic21]

Also, Amir Johnson is going to kill us. 20/10 guaranteed.

Nene and Gortat always get shown up by younger, more energetic players.

[cammac]

Raptor Fan
Think this game will be a street fight with both teams having chips on there shoulders.
The Raptors have a 8 & 2 record and finally got to.500
Washington just under .500 and both going for 3rd. place in the East.
Great match-ups Wall & Lowry both playing at all star levels.
Beal against Ross.....Beal can put up points but Ross is great defensively shut down George & Durant plus has been shooting 47% on 3pt. shots and both in the same draft class.
DD likely against Ariza will be very interesting since either can get hot.
Amir is a guy who is into team basketball can go 20 & 10 one game or 8 & 8 the next he does all the things that don't show up on stats sheets will be tough match-up for Nene.
Jonas has played Hibbert, Noah and Chandler in 4 of the last 10 games and at worst was even to but on a biased view out played all 3. Gortat is a nice C but must bring A game to compete.
Think the Raptors have better depth.
Good luck on your season hope you get 4th nice for both teams not being the trash of the league.
But hope the Raptors come out with a win.

Note: The Washington posters who rated Jonas 30th best C will be in for a shock!

[WizardsWorld]

Don't see the Raps staying atop their division for too long. I know the division sucks... but the raps main goal this year was to tank for Wiggins. We are gonna beat them tomorrow night and then they'll lose a few more games and unload their players before the deadline. Lowry is as good as gone. DeRozan will prob be gone as well. They wanna do everything possible to tank and get their hometown guy Wiggins.

So we'll start their tank tomorrow nite with a win.

[DUNPHY]

Its nice to see a game thread involving the Raps where people are actually nice to each other.. and respect each others teams lol! I was on board the tWo all season but it looks nearly impossible now.. and for the first time this season, besides the first 5 games or so, im actually EXCITED for a game again! Excited for the potential.. were going to regret it but its out of my hands so im just going to try and be excited for the team.. and I feel like this is going to be the BEST test to find out if the Raps are legit.. or just really hot right now. This is a classic trap game for the Raps.. im sure they feel like they can take this game easily at this point.. but hopefully they dont underestimate how good you guys actually are! Its a good test for both teams I guess!

[nate33]

Its nice to see a game thread involving the Raps where people are actually nice to each other.. and respect each others teams lol!

Screw the Raptors and screw you!

[mirrornick]

Its nice to see a game thread involving the Raps where people are actually nice to each other.. and respect each others teams lol!

Screw the Raptors and screw you!

Don't be talking to my boy like that

[pancakes3]

Its nice to see a game thread involving the Raps where people are actually nice to each other.. and respect each others teams lol!

It got easier to respect your team after you picked up Ujiri, dumped Rudy Gay, and signed General Greivis. Speaking of which, he's a great backup guard to target in free agency.

[dlts20]

the only thing that worriies me about this game is that we shot horrible last game for the 1st time in forever so I hope that doesnt put us into a funk where it takes us a few games to find our Offensive groove again. I dont envision that happening. I think this team is hungry to get over .500 and they will have no more setbacks. I think we win this against a very good team and then comeback Sunday to beat GS with Wall having a mega game against Curry-Thompson to try to say he's the 2nd best PG in the league right now and get us over that final hump. Then we play at Charlotte after that and I have a feeling he will go off again in his hometown

[dlts20]

on a side note, do you guys realize that we are 12-4 in the last 16 games that either Nene or Beal have played in? Not both but either. If you want to go even further, you could make that 12-3 because we lost that one game without Beal and that is the game Nene went out halfway through with us leading

[queridiculo]

Really poor matchup for the Wizards front court.

We need monster games from our wings to win this one, not real confident after the way they played against Dallas.

[pancakes3]

That's what many thought about Detroit and we came out on top of that one.

[Kanyewest]

That's what many thought about Detroit and we came out on top of that one.

Toronto has better perimeter players than especially since Lowry has been better than Jennings.

[dobrojim]

like Nate said, important barometer game tonight. And it won't get
any easier on Sunday vs GSW. Better just win tonight.

No reason not to bounce back from the bad shooting of Wed.

I'll tempt fate and say I don't fear Amir. There I said it.
TOR does have balance and we could get hurt by several
different players though.

[Left Side Drive]

If Toronto gets the 4th seed and we get the 5th but have a better record, who gets home court advantage?

The team with the better record gets home court. So it would be the Wizards in this example.

What is the point of having seeds if we are just going with absolute winning percentage? I'm pretty sure regardless of record the 4th seed will have the home court advantage over the 5th seed.

[hands11]

I'm starting to gain confidence that Wall is taking another step in his maturity. A win tonight will add more confidence to that feeling.

He simply has to be able to do everything and know when to do it. He has to show not only that skill, but that wisdom. He has to show he is a leader of a winning team. That is the task on the plate for this team.

Drive when you need to drive. Anything less then 6 FTA is not getting it done.
Get players the ball that need it. He needs to manage who is hot and who need a shot.
Top level D every game.
Assists
Scoring and prop shot selection.

A great PG has the skills to do it all and knows when the team needs any part of what they have to offer. The fill in when that is needed. They lead and take over when that is needed. That's who Wall needs to be on this team.

That is the potential of a John Wall. Something I never felt Gil could offer. That is where my faith in this teams future lies. Wall is the asset that needs to be developed the most. Cuz once that happens, the team has an anchor. It has a foundation that can be expanded. When that happens, all the other opportunities will open up from wins, to new coaches, to new GMs, to FAs.

At the end of the day, he is the single most important player to this franchise. And that is why he got the max next year. Its really all starts with how is Wall progressing. This team was build for him to take the next step.

The Booker story is fun to watch, but its a side note. Its about Wall.

[First Step]

If Toronto gets the 4th seed and we get the 5th but have a better record, who gets home court advantage?

The team with the better record gets home court. So it would be the Wizards in this example.

What is the point of having seeds if we are just going with absolute winning percentage? I'm pretty sure regardless of record the 4th seed will have the home court advantage over the 5th seed.

No seeds determine who you play, not home court.

[queridiculo]

Can't say I'm looking forward to this game thread.

[Left Side Drive]

The team with the better record gets home court. So it would be the Wizards in this example.

What is the point of having seeds if we are just going with absolute winning percentage? I'm pretty sure regardless of record the 4th seed will have the home court advantage over the 5th seed.

No seeds determine who you play, not home court.

Yea, ok nvm. That's correct as in record is the deciding factor.

[queridiculo]

If Toronto gets the 4th seed and we get the 5th but have a better record, who gets home court advantage?

The team with the better record gets home court. So it would be the Wizards in this example.

What is the point of having seeds if we are just going with absolute winning percentage? I'm pretty sure regardless of record the 4th seed will have the home court advantage over the 5th seed.

The rules were altered back in 2006, the top four seeds are given to the three division winners and the remaining team with the best record.

Those 4 teams are seeded according to their record.

However, in a 4th vs 5th matchup the division winner is NOT automatically awarded home court. If the 5th seeded team ends up with better record than the division winner in 4th, home court will go to the 5th seed.