GT #44: Raptors @ Wizards 1 PM

[Kanyewest]

Don’t know why Oubre and rivers are still getting brought up in here. Rivers is thriving in Houston atm while Kelly just turned 23 and had a 26-11-3 game yesterday to help phx beat the Nuggets, while Ariza’s corpse is shooting 36% from the field on the year.

Anyway good tank loss. Liking Thomas Bryant more each day. Gonna suck seeing him make an all star team somewhere else.

You are right Ariza needs to improve his shooting percentages. That being said, Ariza was one rebound away from a triple double yesterday- he did have 5 turnovers and a couple missed free throws but overall had a very good game going against Kawhi.

[dobrojim]

I grow fatigued of fans and media when they point to valiant comebacks that fall short
as some kind of moral victory while ignoring the wretched play that created the huge hole
that faced them. The whole game counts.

[DCZards]

I grow fatigued of fans and media when they point to valiant comebacks that fall short
as some kind of moral victory while ignoring the wretched play that created the huge hole
that faced them. The whole game counts.

The Zards getting into that huge hole had more to do with the team and players they were up against than their own wretched play. It's alright to give our guys props for not mailing it in when they were down by 23 to the team with the best record in the NBA.

I don't believe in moral victories but I do believe in recognizing effort and hard play.

[dobrojim]

I'd say the huge hole they dug was as stated, due to their own wretched play.
TOR is currently the best team in the league but finding yourself in a hole
can happen against virtually any NBA team when you yourself play badly.

Re Sato - there are games I really like him but what scares me is he
doesn't seem to have much alpha dog in him. While it's smart to know
your limitations it's also not helpful to wear them on your sleeve.
He seems tentative and reluctant to do things, like take shots or drives,
that other players show no hesitancy on. Yes there needs to be balance
between tentative and confident but too often he stays far to the tentative
side of that divide.

[Ruzious]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

[DCZards]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

C’mon give the youngsters a break. You ever watch Curry and Durant give each other enthusiastic hi-fives when the Warriors go on a run…or Steph do his shimmy when he makes a big shot.

The Zards were coming back from being down the entire game…it’s alright to have a little fun/celebrating along the way. Pretty much every NBA team does it, especially when they are at home and feeling the energy and enthusiasm of their fans.

You picked the two most stoic guys in the NBA as examples to follow—Leonard and Duncan.

[Ruzious]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

C’mon give the youngsters a break. You ever watch Curry and Durant give each other enthusiastic hi-fives when the Warriors go on a run…or Steph do his shimmy when he makes a big shot.

The Zards were coming back from being down the entire game…it’s alright to have a little fun/celebrating along the way. Pretty much every NBA team does it, especially when they are at home and feeling the energy and enthusiasm of their fans.

You picked the two most stoic guys in the NBA as examples to follow—Leonard and Duncan.

I can't argue with anything you said, but that's the way I like it. And Riggins was one of the most entertaining players in sports - and didn't celebrate. That's part of what entertained me about him - him acting like he expected it.

[dobrojim]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

Like Barry Sanders was taught by his dad. Son, (after a TD) go hand the ball to the ref like you expect to be
doing it again.

[Ruzious]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

Like Barry Sanders was taught by his dad. Son, (after a TD) go hand the ball to the ref like you expect to be
doing it again.

Maybe I'm old, but to me - that's so cool.

[nate33]

I admit to be thoroughly entertained by the loss, but... I started watching the game at the end of the 3rd quarter. Maybe that's the best way to watch the Zards. One thing I didn't care for - all the celebrating going on during the 4th quarter. On one hand, I like the enthusiam, but otoh - act like you expect to make good plays. Kawhi Leonard (and Tim Duncan and really all the great Spurs) is my idea of the perfect pro on the basketball court - he's always lazer focused on the current play - rather than celebrating what just happened. John Riggins was like that as a player.

I agree to some extent. I love it when guys are stoic in the face of awesome play.

However, let's face it, Bradley Beal hasn't had that much success in clutch moments so far in his career. I think this has been a big season for him because he really is carrying the team on his back to a much greater and more effective degree than ever before. He's starting to grasp the extent of his powers and it's really exciting for him. It'll be interesting to see how his demeanor changes as he gets used to doing this. Beal is actually pretty stoic on the court under most circumstances. He doesn't get techs. He doesn't yell at himself or others after bad plays. Maybe he'll tone down the celebration after good play if he continues to do it a bit more.

[payitforward]

It's just criminal that Beal is something like 9th place in All-Star voting. In reality, he should honestly get starter consideration.

I just caught a recent Bill Simmons podcast and he thinks Kyrie and Kemba are the All-Star guards in the East. ...Here is a comparison:


...Basically, they're posting the same per game numbers, but with Beal being a little more efficient and Kemba doing slightly better on a per-minute basis.

Their per-game numbers, overall, are almost exactly equal. If anything, Brad has just the slightest edge.

But, Brad is producing those per game numbers in 8.5% more per-game minutes. Thus, on a per 40 minutes basis, Kemba's numbers are just about 8.5% better.

What is definitely true about Brad, however, is that he has been putting up outstanding numbers over the last few weeks, which means that his overall numbers on the season are getting better week by week. If this continues, & assuming for a moment that the same can't be said about Walker, he's likely to surpass him pretty soon.

Brad's improvement is happening with John Wall out; that doesn't mean there's a relationship between the two (didn't happen that way last year, for example), but it's worth paying attention to.

[I_Like_Dirt]

I don't mind a little emotional celebrating. The Wizards haven't had much to celebrate lately and Beal is clearly investing himself in trying to change that. It isn't like he's letting his emotions get out of control or anything. The stuff that bugs me is more like Michael Ruffin demonstrates below.

Watch on YouTube

[Ruzious]

I don't little emotional celebrating. The Wizards haven't had much to celebrate lately and Beal is clearly investing himself in trying to change that. It isn't like he's letting his emotions get out of control or anything. The stuff that bugs me is more like Michael Ruffin demonstrates below.

Watch on YouTube

Oh gawd, one of the worst moments in basketball history. I think Ruffin was so afraid he'd have to take foul shots that he lost his mind, and the near impossible happened.

[payitforward]

...
What is definitely true about Brad, however, is that ...his overall numbers on the season are getting better week by week.

...Brad's improvement is happening with John Wall out...

Actually, it started earlier than that....

[penbeast0]

Like Barry Sanders was taught by his dad. Son, (after a TD) go hand the ball to the ref like you expect to be
doing it again.

I believe that was an old Vince Lombardi line after an end zone celebration, "Son, the next time you make it to the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.”

[Ruzious]

...
What is definitely true about Brad, however, is that ...his overall numbers on the season are getting better week by week.

...Brad's improvement is happening with John Wall out...

Actually, it started earlier than that....

That looks like a Pif vs Pif discussion, and I'll take Pif's side on it.

[payitforward]

Watch on YouTube