GT #3: Bullets @ Nets (NBATV/NBCSW/980 AM) 7:30 PM [10/25/21]

[FAH1223]

YOUR Washington Bullets are 2-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME since 2017-18!

After a thrilling OT victory over the Pacers on Friday, the Bullets are able to regroup over the weekend for a Monday night showdown in Brooooooklyyyyyn. As we all remember, Spencer Dinwiddie was hoopin as were numerous Bullets players like Kuz, Harrell, Bertans drumming up a big team W over an Indiana team that was giving DC fits with their two bigs and pick and rolls.

The Nets will be coming off a back-to-back after a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Hornets. On Friday, they got a victory over the 76ers on the road to get their first victory of the season. As we all know, the Nets are favored as one of the top teams in the NBA to reach the NBA Finals once again. Kyrie Irving is still not available to play in the city of NYC due to his vaccination status and is away from the team until that situation is resolved. Harden is playing the PG position and the Nets have welcomed back Lamarcus Aldridge from his brief retirement due to his heart condition and signed another former Spur, Patty Mills to be a spark off the bench. Paul Millsap is on the roster as is James Johnson. A new cast of who's who in the ring chase.

Who's guarding KD? Do we even try?

Let's see if Coach Wes can outcoach Coach Nash.

Let's get on with showtime as we roll through opening week!

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Projected Lineups :










Bench:

[nate33]

The Nets are the type of team I'm really worried about with our defensive scheme. Harden is just too good in the pick-and-roll, so we are going to have to bring weakside help. And Brooklyn shoots too well to help off the corners.

I figure, if Brooklyn is to be beaten, it'll more likely happen in the middle of the season when some of their old guys are banged up. Right now, they're probably too healthy. It's going to take fluky good shooting from us, or fluky bad shooting from then to win this one.

[J-Ves]

If the Nets win today there’s a solid chance one of Harden or KD will sit out vs us. I’ll be rooting for Brooklyn today

[WallToWall]

If the Nets win today there’s a solid chance one of Harden or KD will sit out vs us. I’ll be rooting for Brooklyn today

Looks like the Hornets beat the Nets, so Nets will be fired up.

[FAH1223]

If the Nets win today there’s a solid chance one of Harden or KD will sit out vs us. I’ll be rooting for Brooklyn today

Looks like the Hornets beat the Nets, so Nets will be fired up.

Hornets BLITZED them. Crazy 2nd half.

Nets are a Doc Rivers decision away from 0-3.

[FAH1223]

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[Prokorov]

If the Nets win today there’s a solid chance one of Harden or KD will sit out vs us. I’ll be rooting for Brooklyn today

Looks like the Hornets beat the Nets, so Nets will be fired up.

Doubtful. The Nets were not upset with the loss. they now its about the long haul not some early games. Nash is more concerned about who should and should not be in the rotation and Harden is working his way back into shape after the injury.

Id be surprised if one or both of Harden/KD sit. LMA will for sure sit after playing last night. The Nets dont view this as a game they need to win, or feel they are in any kind of rough spot after going 1-2.

I think the Wiz probably cruise in this one. something like 115-100

[Prokorov]

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He is not wrong. He has been targeted for sure. They showed it on the post game. 4 clear fouls (no 50-50) but hands on arm/wrist/grab/chop with no ball on drives in the paint.

Its inconsequential though. That isnt harden's game. It hasnt been since he has been a net. Last year was his lowest FTA per game since he was a part-time player in OKC, and that was before the rules. he isnt a scorer first as a net, he is an offense creator first and then a three point shooter.

To be honest the big issue with harden this year hasnt been fouls its been he is out of shape since he couldnt do much conditioning with his hamstring rehab going late into the summer. The rust is clear. he always turns it over alot but he was passing it out of bounds and off peoples foot and missing guys when they zig when he thought they would zag.

any effect on fouls should be minimal. it may have effected 35 PPG houston harden but the nets harden is more of a 22/10 type

[doclinkin]

He is not wrong. He has been targeted for sure. They showed it on the post game. 4 clear fouls (no 50-50) but hands on arm/wrist/grab/chop with no ball on drives in the paint.

First of all welcome to the Wiz board. Respectful and knowledgable posters from whatever team are welcome here.

On fouls, I get the feeling refs are still figuring it out and are erring on the side of no-harm-no-foul. More than a few of our players spend about a full minute of game time fussing at the refs and sulking. Personally I want them to toughen up and score through the contact, but that is easy to say sitting here in my pants eating oatmeal.

It's not just our team, in both the games we've played so far opposing players are shaking their heads and talking to refs looking baffled. Replays clearly show the fouls, the refs are just eating their whistles. I'm not sure they even know what is or is not a foul. Or else they are calling the same way they would in the playoffs, by direction of the head office or by happenstance I don't know. Maybe they have been directed to let the play flow for the first month or so of the season and will tighten up later. I expect smart teams will exploit that by encouraging their defenders to play pesky defense knowing that ticky tack fouls won't be called. When offensive players get irritable and overreact, good defenders will now "Chris Paul" the situation and counterflop. The metagame is always evolving.

[Prokorov]

He is not wrong. He has been targeted for sure. They showed it on the post game. 4 clear fouls (no 50-50) but hands on arm/wrist/grab/chop with no ball on drives in the paint.

First of all welcome to the Wiz board. Respectful and knowledgable posters from whatever team are welcome here.

On fouls, I get the feeling refs are still figuring it out and are erring on the side of no-harm-no-foul. More than a few of our players spend about a full minute of game time fussing at the refs and sulking. Personally I want them to toughen up and score through the contact, but that is easy to say sitting here in my pants eating oatmeal.

It's not just our team, in both the games we've played so far opposing players are shaking their heads and talking to refs looking baffled. Replays clearly show the fouls, the refs are just eating their whistles. I'm not sure they even know what is or is not a foul. Or else they are calling the same way they would in the playoffs, by direction of the head office or by happenstance I don't know. Maybe they have been directed to let the play flow for the first month or so of the season and will tighten up later. I expect smart teams will exploit that by encouraging their defenders to play pesky defense knowing that ticky tack fouls won't be called. When offensive players get irritable and overreact, good defenders will now "Chris Paul" the situation and counterflop. The metagame is always evolving.

Tanks for the kind words.

I think you are right. with a lot of rule changes the refs often go way overboard in preseason then pull the reigns back again. I think its good overall. players will adjust and the flow of the game is so much better. i dont think the guys upset are so much wrong as there is contact being let go, but i think its for the better. and i think the calls will even out as the refs get more time too....

I think it is also overblown how many FTs people thing guys like harden and young get on baiting/tricks. its far less then half their attempts. both guys get to the line mostly because they are super quick, great ball handlers, and you cant give them the step back three... both guys always get by the first defender...that naturally leads to fouls

[Halcyon]

I am really looking forward to this game. It's very winnable and would give the Wizards some national attention if they get the W.

[queridiculo]

The Nets are the type of team I'm really worried about with our defensive scheme. Harden is just too good in the pick-and-roll, so we are going to have to bring weakside help. And Brooklyn shoots too well to help off the corners.

I figure, if Brooklyn is to be beaten, it'll more likely happen in the middle of the season when some of their old guys are banged up. Right now, they're probably too healthy. It's going to take fluky good shooting from us, or fluky bad shooting from then to win this one.

That Nets offense is really static and outside of Durant there isn't anybody that can really beat defenders off the dribble.

Harden is either out of shape, still struggling with his legs or both, he just doesn't look right and the Nets offense is suffering as a result.

Without Irving I also don't care for how their team is built.

It's a bunch of guys, has beens, Harden and Durant, and I just don't see how you're going to make it through a regular season playing on a high level leaning on both of them on a nigthly basis.

It's taken near perfect games from Mills and Aldridge in the first two games for the Nets to breach a 100 points, that can't be it.

Mills perhaps more so than any of the other guys, but the Nets are really scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of roster construction.

Post season, yeah, I like a grizzled vet team like them, but it's a long road and the emphasis on increasing the flow of the game favors fresh legs.

[ducler]

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[80sballboy]

Man Bea looks bad. Can't be close to 100%. Defense has been a zlich so far.

[80sballboy]

KCP showing up offensively. Gaff has to protect the rim. We're just giving up layup after layup

[dlts20]

Are there a lot of cross match ups? We keep getting lost in transition. Change the matchups. We can't figure out who has who. I want to lose because they are better, not because we are giving up wide open everything because we are lost

[80sballboy]

Going to be a long night if Mills is shooting that. Please take Beal out.

[DANNYLANDOVER]

Beal still can't hit wide open 3s. Always shocked when he makes one.

[DANNYLANDOVER]

Lmao just sub Beal out. He's looked terrible so far.

[Frichuela]

Beal looking like a mediocre G League player