GT #12: Wizards @ Bucks 8:30 PM (CSN/99.1 FM)

[FAH1223]

YOUR Washington Bullets are 8-3 and riding high after beating The King and his Cavs at the Verizon Center. It was a gritty defensive performance to shutdown one of the league's top offenses. The Wiz need to shore up turnovers and avoid the offensive lulls that are becoming too common.

The Bucks got throttled in Toronto by the Raptors. Then again, a lot of teams including our Wizards are getting beat badly up there (save for the Bulls who beat them and the Grizzlies who narrowly lost with half their players sick). They return home with an above. 500 record and boast one of the top defenses in the entire league. The Wizards won the first matchup at Verizon Center 97-108.



-------------------------AT-------------------------


Last game:
CAVS vs. Wizards - (W) 78-91
Bucks vs. Raptors - (L) 83-124


Lineups:











Bench:

[AFM]

Glad to see Mayo still looks young and supple at 40.

[nuposse04]

Plz recall Rice and send Temple to the D-League :/

[JWizmentality]

God please no more Temple. Beal looks fine...I'll cry if he starts. Butler has played too well to be treated like this. He has earned the backup 2 spot.

[The Fax]

Could be a trap game. Really need our starters to come out with energy from the get-go.

We should pull it out though. Looking for Beal to have a breakout game.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[stevemcqueen1]

The Bucks have a winning record. They're currently the 5 seed. They've beaten Memphis and Miami. And they played us fairly tough earlier. We do not need to be overlooking this team.

But we absolutely should expect to win. It'd be a bad loss to take. Our front court needs to go out and handle theirs again. And Wall needs to bring the intensity again.

[dlts20]

this is another game to see if we are the same ole Wiz or not because the old Wiz would definitely lose this one. Have we grown? Hopefully 2 things happened and that Giannis sits while Beal starts. A game like this is a trap and it can be natural for our guys to come down off that high so to supplement that, you give the team another boost of energy by starting Beal. That will make everyone a lil pumped. Also, Beal still will be helped alot by playing with Wall and the starters while Wall will also be helped a ton having Beal to kick it to instead of Temple

[Hypnotizer]

Last time vs Bucks 3 weeks ago:
http://www.nba.com/video/games/wizards/2014/11/01/0021400031-mil-was-recap.nba/

[hands11]

The Bucks have a winning record. They're currently the 5 seed. They've beaten Memphis and Miami. And they played us fairly tough earlier. We do not need to be overlooking this team.

But we absolutely should expect to win. It'd be a bad loss to take. Our front court needs to go out and handle theirs again. And Wall needs to bring the intensity again.

So far we have the exact record I projected us to have at this point when I did my before the season so happy to see they got it done. I had a couple wins that were loses and loses that were wins but it all worked out in the wash. I expected a MIA win but we made it up by beating DET which I had as a lose. That DAL close lose though set things up nicely to beat CLE which made up for me wronging thinking we would beat TOR in TOR. Figure Paul would help them bring it for that game but we laid an egg.

This MIL game. I have it as a win. But I actually feel less comfortable about projecting that now after us beating CLE last game. MIL is over achieving this year. They are young and talented and we beat them last time. They will bring it and get up to play the Wizards. Specially after the beating they took last night.

And while we won last night, I'm not comfortable with how we won. Kev isn't going to feast like that every night. Wall had a huge 3rd quarter. They looked terrible in the 4th but poor CLE play and good Wiz defense got them through it.

And they still have to make the Beal transition to starting SG and adjust the rotations for that. That going to effect the bench which has been playing well. So lots to worry about there. I don't like the set up.

Kind of nervous about this one. I expect it to be a challenge for them to win it.

Starting Beal seems like the no brainer move but not sure Randy will or should do it just yet. If its not broke, don't fix it. They won kind of ugly last night but they did win. Might want to wait a few days until ATL to start Beal. As is, they can always bring him in early like they did yesterday.

[hands11]

this is another game to see if we are the same ole Wiz or not because the old Wiz would definitely lose this one. Have we grown? Hopefully 2 things happened and that Giannis sits while Beal starts. A game like this is a trap and it can be natural for our guys to come down off that high so to supplement that, you give the team another boost of energy by starting Beal. That will make everyone a lil pumped. Also, Beal still will be helped alot by playing with Wall and the starters while Wall will also be helped a ton having Beal to kick it to instead of Temple

I like the thinking but not sure that gets it done. I think the pump about Beal was him returning. Not sure starting him gets you much pump. Not sure any min pump from that over comes what you lose in the 2nd unit and team chemistry of rotations.

I think we just have to grunt this one out. Just stick to what working and go with sound fundamentals. Temple hasn't been getting it done on offense and honestly, Beal even looks like a better defender, but Beal is on a back to back and still on a minute restriction after only two games. Any minutes Temple buys you are good minutes. And they can always bring in Beal early.

The adjustment I would like to see is for them to go to Rasual when they rotate though the 2nd time.

And if Kevin gets out of wack, don't forget about Gooden and Blair.

Again, I think Beal with the starters can happen after they have a few days off to practice before ATL. I expect to hear Beals minute restriction lifted by then as well. Though he played 32 min last night. I really don't want to see him play much more then that anyway.

[cammac]

The Bucks have a winning record. They're currently the 5 seed. They've beaten Memphis and Miami. And they played us fairly tough earlier. We do not need to be overlooking this team.

But we absolutely should expect to win. It'd be a bad loss to take. Our front court needs to go out and handle theirs again. And Wall needs to bring the intensity again.

So far we have the exact record I projected us to have at this point when I did my before the season projection so happy to see they got it done. I had a couple wins that were loses and loses that were wins but it all worked out in the wash. I expected a lose at DAL but glad we made it close. That set things up nicely to beat CLE at home while they still don't have it together.

This MIL game. I have it as a win. But I actually feel less comfortable about projecting that now after us beating CLE last game. MIL is over achieving this year. They are young and talented. They will bring it and get up to play the Wizards. Specially after the beating they took last night.

While we won last night, I'm not comfortable with how we won. Kev isn't going to feast like that every night. Wall had a huge 3rd quarter. They looked terrible in the 4th but poor CLE play and good Wiz defense got them through it.

And they still have to make the Beal transition to starting SG and adjust the rotations for that. That going to effect the bench which has been playing well.

Kind of nervous about this one. I expect it to be a challenge for them to win it.

MIL got embarrassed last night by TOR. They will lightly want to bring it to get that bad taste out of their mouth. We just won an emotion game against an old rival.

The set up for this game is not ideal at all. I would project a hard fought close win or a lose. Just not comfortable about this game at all.

Starting Beal seems like the no brainer move but not sure Randy will or should do it just yet. If it not broke, don't fix it. They won kind of ugly last night but they did win. Might want to wait a few days until ATL to start Beal. As is, they can always bring him in early like they did yesterday.

Milwaukee has had 2 tough games a triple overtime win with the Nets and very bad beating by the Raptors the end of the bench of Toronto played the last quarter. They still lost by 41 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo injured himself in the game so he is unlikely to play which is a bonus for the Wiz. If any of you get the chance too see the last quarter of the game is the 1st minutes our rookies Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo have gotten all year and they didn't embarrass themselves.

Good luck on your game tomorrow think the Bucks are still in a daze.

[diaboliQ_Mo]

Now, the Bucks are a winning team, whereas the Cavs are below .500.
If we win in Milwaukee, will it count toward us being a legit top Eastern team?

Having said that it would suck even mo, if we lose to the Bucks so...

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Is it just me or did Humpty Hump look kind of off last night.

He was wearing that funky brace/tape around his knee and hamstring.

Did seem to have any lift and his mobility seemed limited.

Is he carrying an injury that anyone knows of?

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Posting from my phone, so I can't find either of the Randy W threads, so excuse me for posting in this one.

I gotta say, I find myself cursing Randy through the TV less this year, how about you all?

Perhaps it's just that we are winning, but he seems to be having way fewer brain lapses... And occassionally does something pretty innovative -- like having our guards get into Dirk's grill when he faced up.

With the exception of GRJR, he's also seems less knee jerk.

Thoughts?

[stevemcqueen1]

...
Kind of nervous about this one. I expect it to be a challenge for them to win it.

Starting Beal seems like the no brainer move but not sure Randy will or should do it just yet. If its not broke, don't fix it. They won kind of ugly last night but they did win. Might want to wait a few days until ATL to start Beal. As is, they can always bring him in early like they did yesterday.

This does have the feeling of a trap game. Last night was an emotional home game against a rival that we really got up for. I could see them coming out flat and emotionless tonight. I hope they don't though. That's why I think this is an important game to win. It's important to develop consistently good habits and expect to win against the teams you're better than.

But you're right, Milwaukee is overachieving and they are talented. They've responded well to Jason Kidd and they are hungry. They could catch napping.

I think starting Beal is necessary. Our worst basketball last night were the minutes Temple played. We've been playing 4 on 5 when he's on the floor. His confidence is shot and he's clearly not healthy. We can't afford to play him right now. We need to be starting Beal and bringing Butler off the bench at the 2. Temple needs to go back to the deep end of the bench for a little while and get his hand right and clear his head.

[paulpressey25]

The Bucks team you face tonight is a lot different than the one you faced a few weeks back. Kidd has his rotations down somewhat, but most importantly, Giannis is emerging as a seven-foot Scottie Pippen. He's really been the key guy.

That said, Giannis sprained his ankle against NJ, didn't start last night against Toronto but later tried to play and really couldn't. He's got to be 100% for the Bucks to have a shot. He won't be.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Milwaukee has played well at home, this is far from a gimme.

[pineappleheadindc]

The Bucks team you face tonight is a lot different than the one you faced a few weeks back. Kidd has his rotations down somewhat, but most importantly, Giannis is emerging as a seven-foot Scottie Pippen. He's really been the key guy.

That said, Giannis sprained his ankle against NJ, didn't start last night against Toronto but later tried to play and really couldn't. He's got to be 100% for the Bucks to have a shot. He won't be.

Speaking of Kidd:

I thoroughly enjoyed his attitude when he walked in Brooklyn. He got out totally down. "Yeah, ain't none of you bother me, I got a better gig, and I still own this joint."

The win must have been sweet for him.

[tontoz]

The Bucks team you face tonight is a lot different than the one you faced a few weeks back. Kidd has his rotations down somewhat, but most importantly, Giannis is emerging as a seven-foot Scottie Pippen. He's really been the key guy.

That said, Giannis sprained his ankle against NJ, didn't start last night against Toronto but later tried to play and really couldn't. He's got to be 100% for the Bucks to have a shot. He won't be.

I saw that. Another fail by Knight. If he makes the layup Giannis doesnt get hurt. Knight seems like he is cursed.

[jeffsays]

Posting from my phone, so I can't find either of the Randy W threads, so excuse me for posting in this one.

I gotta say, I find myself cursing Randy through the TV less this year, how about you all?

Perhaps it's just that we are winning, but he seems to be having way fewer brain lapses... And occassionally does something pretty innovative -- like having our guards get into Dirk's grill when he faced up.

With the exception of GRJR, he's also seems less knee jerk.

Thoughts?

I couldn't believe it when he called a timeout so quickly in the third. I thought for sure he would let our lead evaporate before calling one.