Official Thread -- Wizards vs Blazers (1/16/17 2PM)

[stevemcqueen1]

Gotta admit that Washington is good. They are 19-11 (52-win pace) since starting 2-8.

This is the best the Wizards have been in years.

This team is BETTER than the Arenas-led teams.

I agreed with everything you said. This was a great one to watch because basically every single thing went right. The execution was as perfect as you're ever going to get in an NBA game.

I highlighted this part of your post because it's a good point. This is the team I expected to see going into the season, and I actually did predict 52 wins. I didn't allow for that adjustment period in November where everything was going wrong. In hindsight, I should have seen it coming. New coach and 2/3rds of the roster was new. But my point is that I think we should acknowledge November for what it was--an adjustment period. The way the team has played since the start of December is much closer to their true ability.

They still have a lot of room for improvement too. They're playing like a great team at home. The next step is to start playing better on the road. Because they've got a huge challenge in front of them with a very road-heavy March and April. How much of an improvement they make in their level of execution in road games is going to determine whether or not they make the playoffs, and what seed they can get.

[tontoz]

The hot takes are pretty amusing. Have people suddenly forgotten all the other games we played? We just lost to Boston even though they were missing two starters. We needed a last second shot by Wall to beat a Chicago team that was missing Butler and Wade.

Good teams can win games when things are going wrong. Then can win when their shots are off or when key players are out.

It was nice to get an easy win but let's not get carried away.

[queridiculo]

When you're a Wizards fan the highs are so high, you forget that you're not a bird.

We'll see how big of a stain we leave after the Grizzlies game.

[Rafael122]

The hot takes are pretty amusing. Have people suddenly forgotten all the other games we played? We just lost to Boston even though they were missing two starters. We needed a last second shot by Wall to beat a Chicago team that was missing Butler and Wade.

Good teams can win games when things are going wrong. Then can win when their shots are off or when key players are out.

It was nice to get an easy win but let's not get carried away.

There's also a handful of games we lost down the stretch. It evens out eventually. We should probably have Atlanta's record right now.

[tontoz]

The hot takes are pretty amusing. Have people suddenly forgotten all the other games we played? We just lost to Boston even though they were missing two starters. We needed a last second shot by Wall to beat a Chicago team that was missing Butler and Wade.

Good teams can win games when things are going wrong. Then can win when their shots are off or when key players are out.

It was nice to get an easy win but let's not get carried away.

There's also a handful of games we lost down the stretch. It evens out eventually. We should probably have Atlanta's record right now.

Every team has close games. Not every team gets to play a series of games where the opposing teams best players are out and that isn't factored into the strength of schedule. We have also had a bunch of wins coming back from double digit deficits.

Every win we have had this month was either against a bad team or a team missing it's best players.

[Illmatic12]

The hot takes are pretty amusing. Have people suddenly forgotten all the other games we played? We just lost to Boston even though they were missing two starters. We needed a last second shot by Wall to beat a Chicago team that was missing Butler and Wade.

Good teams can win games when things are going wrong. Then can win when their shots are off or when key players are out.

It was nice to get an easy win but let's not get carried away.

There's also a handful of games we lost down the stretch. It evens out eventually. We should probably have Atlanta's record right now.

Every team has close games. Not every team gets to play a series of games where the opposing teams best players are out and that isn't factored into the strength of schedule. We have also had a bunch of wins coming back from double digit deficits.

Every win we have had this month was either against a bad team or a team missing it's best players.

So what? Didn't Bulls beat us earlier in the season with Wall and Beal sitting? So we owed them that loss..

Sixers got us earlier in the season when Beal was out with the hamstring, and Thornton played 40min.

We played the Bucks without Giannis, but we also beat them with Giannis earlier in the season (and the past few seasons the Bucks usually can't matchup with us anyways).

Our highest paid FA hasn't played all season, when Mahinmi gets back do we get do-overs of all the games we lost too?

They are developing the identity of protecting homecourt which is the first step towards being a team with postseason aspirations. This is the NBA, a win is a win. Your whole argument is junk.

[tontoz]

There's also a handful of games we lost down the stretch. It evens out eventually. We should probably have Atlanta's record right now.

Every team has close games. Not every team gets to play a series of games where the opposing teams best players are out and that isn't factored into the strength of schedule. We have also had a bunch of wins coming back from double digit deficits.

Every win we have had this month was either against a bad team or a team missing it's best players.

So what? Didn't Bulls beat us earlier in the season with Wall and Beal sitting? So we owed them that loss..

Sixers got us earlier in the season when Beal was out with the hamstring, and Thornton played 40min.

We played the Bucks without Giannis, but we also beat them with Giannis earlier in the season (and the past few seasons the Bucks usually can't matchup with us anyways).

Our highest paid FA hasn't played all season, when Mahinmi gets back do we get do-overs of all the games we lost too?

They are developing the identity of protecting homecourt which is the first step towards being a team with postseason aspirations. This is the NBA, a win is a win. Your whole argument is junk.

What is my argument exactly? That they are an average team. That is all.

If you think this is a good team then by all means explain how you come to that conclusion. Our biggest free agent acquisition wouldn't play more than 20 minutes per game even if he was healthy. It doesn't matter how much he is paid. Our starters have missed only a combined total of 7 games all season. Try comparing that to the Bucks or Celtics.

Our point differential is .2 with a weaker than average schedule. they are the definition of average.

[Illmatic12]

Every team has close games. Not every team gets to play a series of games where the opposing teams best players are out and that isn't factored into the strength of schedule. We have also had a bunch of wins coming back from double digit deficits.

Every win we have had this month was either against a bad team or a team missing it's best players.

So what? Didn't Bulls beat us earlier in the season with Wall and Beal sitting? So we owed them that loss..

Sixers got us earlier in the season when Beal was out with the hamstring, and Thornton played 40min.

We played the Bucks without Giannis, but we also beat them with Giannis earlier in the season (and the past few seasons the Bucks usually can't matchup with us anyways).

Our highest paid FA hasn't played all season, when Mahinmi gets back do we get do-overs of all the games we lost too?

They are developing the identity of protecting homecourt which is the first step towards being a team with postseason aspirations. This is the NBA, a win is a win. Your whole argument is junk.

What is my argument exactly? That they are an average team. That is all.

If you think this is a good team then by all means explain how you come to that conclusion. Our biggest free agent acquisition wouldn't play more than 20 minutes per game even if he was healthy. It doesn't matter how much he is paid. Our starters have missed only a combined total of 7 games all season. Try comparing that to the Bucks or Celtics.

Our point differential is .2 with a weaker than average schedule. they are the definition of average.

Are the Wizards not doing what they need to do to establish themselves as a playoff team?

[J-Ves]

I'll believe the team has turned the corner when the bench can preform like they did vs Portland on a semi regular basis.

[tontoz]

Are the Wizards not doing what they need to do to establish themselves as a playoff team?

Whether or not they make the playoffs wouldn't change that they are an average team. More teams make the playoffs than miss them so by definition there are some average teams that will make the playoffs.

Do you think making the playoffs makes a team good?

[TheBabyMaker]

If they play better on the road than I would be happy. They let a few games slip out of their hands due to poor execution late. Given that bench they're at least better than I thought they would be. Lets see if they can hold off Memphis on Wednesday. Not going to be easy.

[NatP4]

They also haven't had Mahinmi all year, and they haven't used Satoransky correctly until now, they also have played Marcus Thornton all year until now. Like illmatic said, we had Wall and Beal sitting out games early in the year, do we get a do over on those games? Oubre also continues to get better and better.

They are playing like a 2 seed now and have plenty of room for improvement

[NatP4]

If they make the playoffs, the only scary team is Cleveland. I have no doubt in my mind that a healthy wizards team could demolish the Raptors again.

Unless you think drew gooden and Ramon sessions were the missing pieces

[tontoz]

They also haven't had Mahinmi all year, and they haven't used Satoransky correctly until now, they also have played Marcus Thornton all year until now. Like illmatic said, we had Wall and Beal sitting out games early in the year, do we get a do over on those games? Oubre also continues to get better and better.

They are playing like a 2 seed now and have plenty of room for improvement

Our starters have missed a total of 7 games all season. Paul George has missed that many just by himself. Middleton averaged 18 ppg last season and hasn't played at all this season. Bostons starters have missed nearly 30 games.

If we were playing like a 2nd seed we would have beaten Boston since they were missing 2 starters. We have had luck on our side with injuries.

When was our last win against a team that didn't suck or didn't have their best player out? Had to be almost a month ago.

[NatP4]

They also haven't had Mahinmi all year, and they haven't used Satoransky correctly until now, they also have played Marcus Thornton all year until now. Like illmatic said, we had Wall and Beal sitting out games early in the year, do we get a do over on those games? Oubre also continues to get better and better.

They are playing like a 2 seed now and have plenty of room for improvement

Our starters have missed a total of 7 games all season. Paul George has missed that many just by himself. Middleton averaged 18 ppg last season and hasn't played at all this season. Bostons starters have missed nearly 30 games.

If we were playing like a 2nd seed we would have beaten Boston since they were missing 2 starters. We have had luck on our side with injuries.

When was our last win against a team that didn't suck or didn't have their best player out? Had to be almost a month ago.

Paul George is not John Wall, neither is Middleton. We wouldn't even struggle to replace Keef, it's different. We SHOULDVE beat Boston, John Wall sabotaged that game, it happens sometimes. We just beat the clippers not too long ago, they were healthy. We still don't have Mahinmi, and we're just now using the bench correctly.

[Illmatic12]

Are the Wizards not doing what they need to do to establish themselves as a playoff team?

Whether or not they make the playoffs wouldn't change that they are an average team. More teams make the playoffs than miss them so by definition there are some average teams that will make the playoffs.

Do you think making the playoffs makes a team good?

I think a top 4-5 seeded team is generally a good team, and Washington has a chance to be that. And a good team should be able to compete in the playoffs and advance, which I also think Washington can potentially do.

[tontoz]

They also haven't had Mahinmi all year, and they haven't used Satoransky correctly until now, they also have played Marcus Thornton all year until now. Like illmatic said, we had Wall and Beal sitting out games early in the year, do we get a do over on those games? Oubre also continues to get better and better.

They are playing like a 2 seed now and have plenty of room for improvement

Our starters have missed a total of 7 games all season. Paul George has missed that many just by himself. Middleton averaged 18 ppg last season and hasn't played at all this season. Bostons starters have missed nearly 30 games.

If we were playing like a 2nd seed we would have beaten Boston since they were missing 2 starters. We have had luck on our side with injuries.

When was our last win against a team that didn't suck or didn't have their best player out? Had to be almost a month ago.

Paul George is not John Wall, neither is Middleton. We wouldn't even struggle to replace Keef, it's different. We SHOULDVE beat Boston, John Wall sabotaged that game, it happens sometimes. We just beat the clippers not too long ago, they were healthy. We still don't have Mahinmi, and we're just now using the bench correctly.

Wall has missed 2 games all season, and the Clippers game was a month ago. The last road trip we went on resulted in 2 L's, one to lowly Dallas.

It is nice to get wins over bad teams at home but this team has a long way to go to show they are anything other than average.

[payitforward]

The hot takes are pretty amusing. Have people suddenly forgotten all the other games we played? We just lost to Boston even though they were missing two starters. We needed a last second shot by Wall to beat a Chicago team that was missing Butler and Wade.

Good teams can win games when things are going wrong. Then can win when their shots are off or when key players are out.

It was nice to get an easy win but let's not get carried away.

There's also a handful of games we lost down the stretch. It evens out eventually. We should probably have Atlanta's record right now.

No. We've lost a few close games & won a few close games. Already evened out.

The fans of every single team thinks their team should really have a little bit better record. But, of course, for every better record there has to be a worse record somewhere else. If anything, our record looks better than it is -- we've played 23 games at home & only 17 on the road. That's 35% more home games.

[DCZards]

No. We've lost a few close games & won a few close games. Already evened out.

The fans of every single team thinks their team should really have a little bit better record. But, of course, for every better record there has to be a worse record somewhere else. If anything, our record looks better than it is -- we've played 23 games at home & only 17 on the road. That's 35% more home games.

That statement confounds me coming from you PIF. Aren't you the one that's always saying that numbers don't lie and that Ws are what really matter at the end of the day? So if the Zard's are 21-19 one has to conclude that that's what the record is and that's what it looks like. No better, no worse.

If John Wall averages 12 assists against the bottom-tier teams and 8 assists against the better teams, do we say that his assist numbers "look better than they really are." It is what it is.