GT #66: Nets (33-30) @ Wizards (34-31) 7 PM CSN

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Great to see Gooden performing. He sounds like he really wants his nba career to be ressurected. He can really shoot and fight for a rebound. When Nene gets back I don't see Trevor Booker getting any minutes at all which is great

I'm loving how our signed Vets are playing. Gooden, Miller and Harrington have brought much needed guidance and stability to this team and will be great for us in the playoffs!! Bring on whoever!!

Agreed.

Putting my EG hate on hold, I like the chemistry of this team a lot. I was wrong objecting to giving up a pick for Miller and for thinking Vesely was anything but a bad player. The Wizards have gotten rid of EG misses, Maynor and Vesely, and replaced them with heart and soul oldies but "good'uns". It also helps that Nene knows Harrington and Andre Miller from some strong playoff teams at Denver.

Jangle, I like the stability and guidance from the experienced bench.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

So for those of us who have been keeping tabs of John Wall, his "breakout" game came about a dozen or so games ago. I refer to that as the game that said to us that he's arrived. I think other players know this as well. Refs dont yet give him the respect. The majority of fans for other teams dont yet think he's arrived. I think all that changes today. He did enough to show that he is a factor. He can turn a game.
I remember way way back when I noticed that Jordan arrived. Before that, there was talk that Jordan was a selfish player and would never be more than a Drexler type player. Refs werent giving him the calls, fans hadnt yet noticed him so much... Then with the addition of a few sidekicks like Pip, Oakley, Paxon, Grant, who knew their roles in a system, they became a team.
I am not saying Wall is Jordan. Far from it. Very far from it. But he can turn a game, like Jordan. We are still a few sidekicks away, a good system away, and a good coach away. But we have some good pieces. What I am saying is that this Wizards team reminds me of 86-87 Bulls and where they were at that point of their storied history. Still a ways to go, but things were looking up for them, as it should be for us as well.

Well, I'd be happy to have a player who only reaches Drexler level - including Wall.

Seconded.

Once, for comparison, I pulled up head-to-head Jordan vs Drexler on basketball-reference.

Clyde could really play.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think Wall was the definitive player of the game. He has that rare quality, to really take over the game and will his team to win. He could be having a poor shooting game but still turn it on "when it matters most", on offense and defense.

We went from having one of the worst second units in the NBA, to having an effective, heady 2nd unit.
Miller, Harrington, Gooden, vs JanVes, Maynor, Seraphin/Booker

Night and Day.

A few posts up, tontoz IIRC called Wall the biggest positive of the year.

I think the bench makeover has also brought a lot of joy to what was looking like a mundane season 10-15 games back.

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[AFM]

Our bench is awesome now. I love watching these old guys play. Al "I Get Buckets" Harrington, Andre "Big Booty" Miller, Drew "3 Pt Specialist" Gooden.

[Youheardme90]

Without reading much, if any of the other team forums on here, I can still stay this is without a doubt one of the best forums on Real GM.

[LyricalRico]

Our bench is awesome now. I love watching these old guys play. Al "I Get Buckets" Harrington, Andre "Big Booty" Miller, Drew "3 Pt Specialist" Gooden.

+1

[GhostsOfGil]

[dobrojim]

Wow. Kinda surprised to only see a 16 pg game thread for this one.

I was there. Packed house, playoff like atmosphere, playoff like game
with serious implications at least for being a month away from actual
playoffs.

The team is clearly on the upswing when we can win games without
major contributions from Gortat and Ariza. Freakin Gooden was fantastic
not just scoring efficiently but boarding as well.

And like I've said, this was another example of a game in which Wall
was the best player on the court and he carried us, with 4thQ help
from Gooden to a much needed win with a western road trip coming up.
Early in the game DWilliams went off and had outscored John 10-0.
John took care of that.

edit to add - nice to get to 35 wins and 4 over .500 too

GREAT CROWD.

[dlts20]

Wow. Kinda surprised to only see a 16 pg game thread for this one.

I was there. Packed house, playoff like atmosphere, playoff like game
with serious implications at least for being a month away from actual
playoffs.

The team is clearly on the upswing when we can win games without
major contributions from Gortat and Ariza. Freakin Gooden was fantastic
not just scoring efficiently but boarding as well.

And like I've said, this was another example of a game in which Wall
was the best player on the court and he carried us, with 4thQ help
from Gooden to a much needed win with a western road trip coming up.
Early in the game DWilliams went off and had outscored John 10-0.
John took care of that.

edit to add - nice to get to 35 wins and 4 over .500 too

GREAT CROWD.

but see this is what Ive been talking about. Im sure it was a solid crowd vs the Bobcats but nothing like this and the Bobcats didnt bring any fans like BK did. Thats why I say we never look good at home anymore unless its either a pack crowd or has a halfway road game type feel to it. Hopefully we wouldve done this anyways after the way we finished the Magic game and how Wall ended it but Im not sure. We will see when we play at home against the Suns who I doubt will have many fans there.

Hopefully the fans show since its now late season and near playoffs but if they dont then I hope we dont look flat again. Its that simple. If we play with energy and tempo like we do on the road then we win. If not then we will most likely lose unless we play someone terrible. It starts with Wall. If he plays with the energy & tempo then we win but he also plays flat at home in normal games. Either way, great win and I hope the building & energy keeps getting better but even if it doesnt, our guys have to be pros and find that motivation anyways