Player of the Game #1 (Bullets @ Timberwolves)

[FAH1223]

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[nate33]

Beal. No question. 31 points on a 70% TS%. 7 assists and only 2 turnovers.

Honorable mention to Pasecniks who may have set some sort of record by committing 5 turnovers in 6 minutes of play.

[gesa2]

Beal for POTG but Avdija is the player I’m most excited about after the game. Loved his ability to pass on the move at his size

[WallToWall]

I like what I saw in Avdija today as well. Looking forward to what the future hold for him.
If Bryant could pull down more rbs (yah, he had 7), and do a bit more on D, then he may have been POG. He did make all his shots, and that says something.
POG is Beal.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I didn’t watch so my Bryant vote was for his perfect 7-7 FG and +25.

On second thought Deni ended team-high +32!

[TGW]

Beal easily.

[doclinkin]

Rest restrictions. For sitting Westbrook. Everybody eats. Part 2.
I mean, what if we got new coaches, played Big instead of small, passed the ball, and brought Westbrook off the bench as a high energy super sub?

[nate33]

Rest restrictions. For sitting Westbrook. Everybody eats. Part 2.
I mean, what if we got new coaches, played Big instead of small, passed the ball, and brought Westbrook off the bench as a high energy super sub?

You could even continue to start Westbrook. But just ask him to take a secondary role and focus on distributing when playing alongside the starters. During his stint with the bench, you surround him with shooters and give him a 6-minute stretch of being Russell Westbrook.

[doclinkin]

Rest restrictions. For sitting Westbrook. Everybody eats. Part 2.
I mean, what if we got new coaches, played Big instead of small, passed the ball, and brought Westbrook off the bench as a high energy super sub?

You could even continue to start Westbrook. But just ask him to take a secondary role and focus on distributing when playing alongside the starters. During his stint with the bench, you surround him with shooters and give him a 6-minute stretch of being Russell Westbrook.

Except I get the impression you can't ask him to do anything. He's going to go all out, even if he's athleticism has taken a hit. It's the only way he knows to play. If he had trouble sharing the ball with KD and Harden, and had difficulty telling which was a more efficient play -- KD unguarded or Russ with a jumper in traffic -- well, these Wiz aren't going to change his mind.

If you bring him in off the bench he can go full wolverine mode on back up players. If you bench him it sends the message you want to work for good shots and play team defense. Share the ball. Ball movement and player movement. Maximizing the strengths of the players we do have who suffer in the box score and in minutes BECAUSE they are sharing the ball and playing a team game instead of gunning for shots.

If it's the Russ show all the time, where he puts up hasty 2 pt jumpers and the whole team is static otherwise, you get the lesson that you better go get yours when you have a chance otherwise you will get Bonga'ed to the deep bench. When Ish and his herky jerky over dribbling to late shot clock misses are the pattern then players who have a positive box score effect are left in the cold. The Russ style right now is to sprint for hasty shots in transition, or in the half court, drive, get stopped, settle for a 2pt jumper. Russ off the bench lets him conserve his energy for high impact bursts, yes surrounding him with shooters where possible, and hopefully he plays to his strength and actually attacks the basket.

[nate33]

Spoiler:

Rest restrictions. For sitting Westbrook. Everybody eats. Part 2.
I mean, what if we got new coaches, played Big instead of small, passed the ball, and brought Westbrook off the bench as a high energy super sub?

You could even continue to start Westbrook. But just ask him to take a secondary role and focus on distributing when playing alongside the starters. During his stint with the bench, you surround him with shooters and give him a 6-minute stretch of being Russell Westbrook.

Except I get the impression you can't ask him to do anything. He's going to go all out, even if he's athleticism has taken a hit. It's the only way he knows to play. If he had trouble sharing the ball with KD and Harden, and had difficulty telling which was a more efficient play -- KD unguarded or Russ with a jumper in traffic -- well, these Wiz aren't going to change his mind.

If you bring him in off the bench he can go full wolverine mode on back up players. If you bench him it sends the message you want to work for good shots and play team defense. Share the ball. Ball movement and player movement. Maximizing the strengths of the players we do have who suffer in the box score and in minutes BECAUSE they are sharing the ball and playing a team game instead of gunning for shots.

If it's the Russ show all the time, where he puts up hasty 2 pt jumpers and the whole team is static otherwise, you get the lesson that you better go get yours when you have a chance otherwise you will get Bonga'ed to the deep bench. When Ish and his herky jerky over dribbling to late shot clock misses are the pattern then players who have a positive box score effect are left in the cold. The Russ style right now is to sprint for hasty shots in transition, or in the half court, drive, get stopped, settle for a 2pt jumper. Russ off the bench lets him conserve his energy for high impact bursts, yes surrounding him with shooters where possible, and hopefully he plays to his strength and actually attacks the basket.

I think you first have to ask him to play the way we want before benching him. The guy is being paid $41M and he is a 9-time All-Star. There are political implications for benching him.

I posted in the game thread that Westbrook actually looks like he is trying to be the player we need him to be:

Spoiler:

Westbrook is not (and has not been) the problem. They lost the previous back-to-back game that he sat out.

Agreed.

Also, let's give Westbrook a little time to adapt to the system and personnel.

In his first two games, Westbrook posted a USG% of 31.7, a TS% of .400, and 5.5 turnovers.
In his last two games, Westbrook posted a USG% of 26.8, a TS% of .558, and 5.5 turnovers.

The first two games were awful, but I can live with those numbers in the last two games if they also come with double digit assists and rebounding. (It would be nice to get the turnovers down from 5.5 to something in the 3-4 range though.) A 27% USG% would be his lowest since 3rd season in the NBA. I think Westbrook is trying to be what we need him to be. Give him a little more time.

[queridiculo]

Beal, with a Avdija as an honorable mention.

He's so poised in all aspects of the game it's hard to believe he's just about to turn 20 tomorrow.

[dckingsfan]

And poster of the game, changing the luck... EDC10

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[payitforward]

Beal. No question. 31 points on a 70% TS%. 7 assists and only 2 turnovers...

That's no big deal; after all, Robinson matched that. & Deni/Bryant/Neto combined for 110%

[Halcyon]

Beal. He was unstoppable.

[nate33]

Honorable mention to Pasecniks who may have set some sort of record by committing 5 turnovers in 6 minutes of play.

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