WizBlog RSS FeedMIRACLE SHOT SENDS WIZARDS TO LOSS
Mo Pete’s ridiculous buzzer-beating shot to end the fourth quarter and send the game into OT was enough to give the Raptors the boost they need in OT as the Wizards fell 118-123 Friday night at Verizon Center.
“I did not see it clearly, only that we got a deflection or a steal and Michael Ruffin tried to get rid of the ball, thinking that while it was in the air the time would run out,” said Coach Eddie Jordan after the game.
“He also was probably thinking that he did not want to get fouled and stop the clock, which is a fairly smart thing to think. They got the ball and made a miraculous shot; it was not even a real jump shot, it was a throw, it goes in, and you prepare for overtime.”
March 30th, 2007 at 10:11 PM
THAT RIGHT!!! RAPTORS ROCK!!
March 30th, 2007 at 10:15 PM
Defense wins games…the Wizards don’t play defense…can anybody please teach these “professionals” how to play defense???
March 30th, 2007 at 10:15 PM
What can you say. When a team loses a game like this, you have to wonder about their karma. But that being said, the Wiz at the 6 against a #3 Toronto is the “best case” scenario (if you want to be machiavellian).
March 30th, 2007 at 10:20 PM
That, and you always play until the buzzer. Michael Ruffin is a veteran. He is supposed to know that.
March 30th, 2007 at 10:35 PM
u guys did a great job but ruffin u should have held the ball until the game was over.u don’t just throw it up there in let the other team get it.eddie jordan should have put songalia or whoever in.u made the wizards lose.:(
March 30th, 2007 at 10:38 PM
Blaming Ruffin is a horrible way to look for a scapegoat. He had the best intentions - unfortunately it didn’t work out his or the team’s way. But don’t blame him.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Sorry WDC, Ruffin is gonna have to take his hits on this one (although my anger is more at Eddie for playing him in that spot to begin with) — it was an out and out boneheaded play. That just happened to lose the Wiz an important game. I’ve said it many times before — the Wizards cannot be considered a serious contending team with Michael Ruffin getting important minutes. I’m sorry, he’s just that limited…
March 30th, 2007 at 11:14 PM
Look at the stats I posted under Random In-Game Commentary. How can you make a case for playing Ruffin?
March 30th, 2007 at 11:26 PM
It’s easy to forget the three point shot by Dixon where he was left unguarded on an inbounds play. Those breakdowns happen a lot. Can’t Jordan find a way to play any defense at all on an inbounds play?
The Ruffin play was all on him. He should have thrown the ball down court instead. That was a bonehead play to end all bonehead plays. sadly, he will always remember that play. I feel sorry for the fans who paid a lot of money to see the Wizards win. Losses like this suck the life out of the team and the fan base.
Jordan better make it past the first playoff round. This is a pretty good team and their record should be at least as good as the Bulls.
The Wizards are 1-2 wihtout Blatche.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:33 PM
Neal - I’ll be the first to say that stats doesn’t always explain the things you’ve said in the past, in the present, and in the future within this blog. And stats can be misinterpreted.
If you saw the game, you’ll notice that Ruffin was the only center that played with any effort against Bosh. Haywood was not interested, as usual, and he was not effective. Thomas is too energized all the time and he goes out of control too much. Ruffin earned to be on the floor from how he played up until his snafu play.
I hope all these dumb losses are lessons to be learned by the immature Wizards. You don’t play 47 minutes and 58 seconds. You have to play all 48 minutes. Mo Pete didn’t give up and his persistence paid off, luck or otherwise.
Ruffin has a chemical engineering degree so he’s no idiot. But his basketball IQ tonight at the most crucial time of the game was non-existent. Fans were frustrated, some players on the team have to be frustrated, and team morale has to be way down. I saw people already leave with 9 seconds to go in the game. When they find out the Wizards lost in OT, they have to wonder how that happened.
If the Wizards are cursed, then so be it. Boston Red Sox took 86 years to finally breakthrough. I won’t live for 86 more years but one of these years, Washington will be at the top. It’s just not happening this season when the Wizards play way too many close games for comfort. It seems like every game since the All-Star break comes down to the last possession against good and bad teams.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Wizards are the laughing stock of the NBA. And I’m part of the fanbase that others are laughing at. Everyone is laughing at the team’s defense again. Everyone is laughing at how the Wizards lose basketball games. Everyone is laughing and it sucks.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:04 AM
Augh…crazy game to be at. Enjoyable, but dreadfully painful until everyone just stopped talking about it because the end sucked so bad.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:04 AM
it wasn’t the wizards fault, it was ruffin. You would think he had a brain in the huge head. What was he thinking. Wizardsdotcom don’t ruffin because you know he sucks and should be cut. Wizards need that. Player like gil,antawn, caron, darius, stevenson, and daneils deserved that win. Ruffin did nothing. Call me harsh but I think he doesn’t have a place on team anymore. This was costly. We must remember that the Wizards are trying to get the highest seed possible.
P.S. Ruffin its not over till the wizard’s victory music comes on.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:06 AM
YEA RAPTORS
March 31st, 2007 at 12:09 AM
raptors suck. i hate almost as much as the heat. the raptors got lucky that ruffin sucks.
P.S. Ernie Grunfield you have done some good deals , but not signing dixon. horrible.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:33 AM
If Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas, and DeShawn Stevenson made their free throws in the 4th quarter, this game wouldn’t come down to the Ruffin-Peterson play.
Blaming Ruffin does nothing for the team. Nothing.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:37 AM
People are quick to jump on Ruffin… but you should realize that a game isn’t really won or lost at the buzzer. It all comes down to execution down the stretch and clutch plays… if Mr. 50 hits both of his free throws with 0:14 left, then the Mo Pete shot doesn’t matter… if Juan Dixon was guarded on the inbounds play, then he probably doesn’t get the ball or misses, which would’ve all but sealed the deal. - That being said… Ruffin should’ve thrown it downcourt…
March 31st, 2007 at 12:41 AM
….”Impossible Is Nothing”. Just Seemed Appropriate. Go Raps!
March 31st, 2007 at 12:43 AM
“coulda woulda shoulda”…
But the way the game worked out, all Ruffin had to do was either throw the ball down court, or stand there and get fouled and the Wizards and all us fans would be celebrating tonight. Sorry… Ruffin I know you’re an unsung hero and you do a lot of good things on the court (”dirty work”), but tonight you are a bonehead and I place the blame for this EMBARRASING loss on your shoulders.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:56 AM
Good lord - a lot of anonymous posts from Canada tonight, no?
J/K.
And for all the Ruffin-haters, so be it, I see where you’re coming from. You have to understand, I don’t have the same perspective as die-hard fans do. As hard as I root for the Wizards, I keep an open mind about things and try to limit my own opinions.
That said, as long as you like my little videos and come back to say hello tomorrow I’m quite the happy camper.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:11 AM
The Wiz have won their fair share of close games this year. What goes around usually comes around.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:12 AM
yeah he played bosh and put him in his place after no one on the bench could so i say if it were not for him we would not have had a lead to lose but some times you do things and it goes wrong no need to cut him or talk bad about him he made a mistake we all do and all have and it wont be the last and like the other poster said first round Vs the raptors not a bad thing to have we need to keep yelling for our team no matter who is talking bad about us that’s when your team takes there team out in the play offs then you can go back and rub it in there face!
March 31st, 2007 at 1:23 AM
I don’t blame eddie jordan for having ruffin in there. I don’t blame ruffin for wanting to get rid of the ball before he gets fouled. Even as morris peterson shot the ball, I didn’t think it was gonna be going in so i didn’t care until i realized what happened when i saw it go in. He had to be EXTREEEEEEEMELY lucky to have that gone in.
That said, FREAAAAAAAKINNNNN HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s the worst lost I’ve seen in my life besides last year’s playoffs when Lebron traveled, skipped, hopped, skid his way into game winning layups.
ONLY if ruffin threw the ball down towards the Raptors basket… ONLY IF we played a TINY bit better rotation defense… ONLY IF someone would go break shaq’s ankles for playoffs insurance……. hm…..
March 31st, 2007 at 1:54 AM
Bone headed , thats all I can say bone headed play. You `ve got to hold the ball man. I really like Ruff but that was a bad play. But no worries M. Ruffin you`ll get em next time.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:56 AM
stop sucking up to ruffin i agree with that person who said that it was mike ruff’s fault because ruff sucks. You guys know nothing about the wizards. you guys suck to wade and the heat. i loved when wade got hurt.
P.S. Wade- Overrated
Lebron- sucks
Kobe- the 2nd best
Melo- okay
Hibachi a.k.a The Armed Wizard- Is the best player in the game.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:01 AM
Gilbert Arenas-10 Million dollars per year
Caron Butler- 4 Million dollars per year
Cutting Michael Ruffin- priceless
March 31st, 2007 at 2:07 AM
Wizard Player Nicknames
Gilbert Arenas- Hibachi, Agent Zero, East Coast Assisin, and Black President.
Caron Butler- Tough Juice
Deshaun Stevenson- Stunt Daddy, Mister 50
Antawn Jamison- AJ
Brendan Haywood- None
Antonio Daniels- AD
Songilia- None
Hayes- He’s injuried again
Ruffin- Man that guy sucks
March 31st, 2007 at 2:55 AM
I couldn’t help but laugh when i saw the clip of the end of the game…only something that ridiculous could happen to the wizards…and as much as i want to blame ruffin for playing volleyball in a basketball game we might need to look at our guys making millions shooting 30%
March 31st, 2007 at 3:01 AM
maybe his finger slipped and he meant to toss it down court instead of assisting mopete for the buzzer beater. atleast caron realized the situation and tried to get to the ball after it was in the air.
March 31st, 2007 at 3:03 AM
aww mikey, tough break. ur still a beast
March 31st, 2007 at 3:29 AM
you could hear the pain in buckhantz voice….nooooo!!…life as a wizards fan…
March 31st, 2007 at 4:14 AM
yall ruffin haters are disgusting. if it wasnt for him, we wouldnt have even had a chance to win. thank you michael ruffin, some of us do appreciate what you bring.
March 31st, 2007 at 5:52 AM
forget the mo pete play…calderon walked near the end of the game which turned out to be a huge possession for the raps.
March 31st, 2007 at 6:37 AM
I was at the game….and yes I agree the end was like being kicked in the stomach. I have never fault like that after a Wizards game……………however, the comment that we wouldn’t have been in the game at all without Ruffin’s defense is totally on target. What to me is equally sickening as that ending is that game in game out Haywood plays with so little heart. As a season ticket holder, I find it insulting that he is even on the court.
March 31st, 2007 at 6:50 AM
Wow, I wasn’t home last night, couldn’t catch the game. I heard by a friend that we lost, I was pretty pissed and even more when I saw that Miami won. But I let you imagine how damn pissed I was when I saw how the fourth ended… I don’t think that Ruffin did not do the right thing, if he threw the ball a little harder we would have won it you know… There were like 4 options, he took this one, the raptors had some luck (if I was mister Mo Pete I would go straight play the lottery!) and they had that one. As usually we have to look further and think that we’re going to play a Villanueva-less Milwaukee team on sunday while the heat will have to play in Detroit, so there’s still some hope. But I still have to say that one hurts quiet badly…
March 31st, 2007 at 8:20 AM
I am with the rest of the posters, that was piss poor play by Ruffin. We had the game won. Especially after the three pointer by Arenas. I am sure Barkley will have a field day with this one! I just can’t fathom or don’t understand why he didn’t just hold the ball for crying out loud! Or at least throw it down court! I just don’t understand it! This team has so totally frustrated me this season that I can’t bear to watch them at times! I love them to death but……I still wonder about the bright decision to trade Juan. He burns us every time he comes here and he plays defense! I know I would love to have him on the bench. Anyway, I was at the game and hate to admit I left after that.(along with a couple hundred other fans) and everyone agreed that the end was tormenting! If the Wiz don’t learn defense and soon, it will be one and done.
WizFANatic
March 31st, 2007 at 8:32 AM
Micheal Ruffin is the Wizards, Tony Romo.
millie mill
March 31st, 2007 at 8:42 AM
No one hates Ruffin or takes away his contribution in this game. But, he said he thought the time was about expired, he should have glanced at the clock! I would have rather him been fouled with .1 second on the clock, go to the free throw line and attempt free throws than to give it away. I am sorry, he screwed up on this one. That was a very bad decision. To see it on TV is one thing, but viewing it in person was gut wrenching! As I said, I left after that, I could not bear to watch and it turned out just as I thought it would. WE LOST! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!
March 31st, 2007 at 9:28 AM
U CAN’T PUT ALL THE BLAME ON RUFFIN IT IS A TEAM EFFORT AND IF CARON,DESHAWN AND GILBERT WOULD OF MADE THEM FREE THROWS WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THAT MOMENT IN THE FRIST PLACE SO PUT THE BLAME ON EVERYONE AND EJ AND DIXON SHOWS THEM WHY THEY SHOULD OF KEEP HIM.
March 31st, 2007 at 9:42 AM
MO PETERSON AKA MP3 Download! ONIONS BABY ONIONS!!!!
March 31st, 2007 at 10:18 AM
Ruffin, what were you thinking? You don’t celebrate until you hear the buzzer, ok? Now, every game counts… this is the time of the season when every team plays extra hard for playoff positioning.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:03 AM
I’ve seen every possible way for the Wizards to lose a basketball game except for them purposely making a basket for the other team.
Next time when the Wizards are up 2 points with 2 seconds to go, just have Gilbert Arenas shoot a 3 at the other team’s basket.
Eddie Jordan said the other day that he’ll have to rely back on the veterans for the playoffs. Isn’t Ruffin a veteran? If so, why is he playing like a high school kid that just made the junior varsity team? What Ruffin did will cause his teammates to trust him less in the remaining games. The players will start doubting on each other instead of coming together as a team.
With 11 games to go, I see the Wizards going 6-5. This will bring their record to 44-38 and 6th in the East playoffs.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:14 AM
Larry, good post although we apparently don’t agree about statistics.
Ruffin goofed, to try to say otherwise is ignoring the obvious. He’s not even trying to excuse himself. He did seem to get Bosh bothered and out of his rythm. Maybe this was one of the few situations where he’s useful. But I can’t see him being in the regular rotation. Our other guys are better at everything but muscling people. I think he’ll be odd man out when Pecherov gets here next year.
As bad as Ruffin’s boner was not picking up Dixon on the in-bounds play. Whose boner was that?
I don’t understand Haywood. I heard he also tended to disappear for stretches in college. And your observation about Thomas seems to me to be right. But I think he’s our best center. What do you think, Larry? And do you think center is our weakest position, as I do?
No, the game never should have come down to the last couple of seconds. Is Jordan not tough enough on them to demand 48 minutes of concentrated intensity?
They run the offense well sometimes. They play improved defense sometimes. With their talent they are really exciting to watch the occasional times they do both for 48 minutes.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:46 AM
WOW. Amazing how many posts on here already. Well. What is there to say? Its all been said on here. Giving up that 3 to Dixon in about a second was probably one of the worst plays of the game. Gilbert was guarding the inbouds and he screwed up. Have we not learned that yet?
Anyway, I hardly ever drink, but this Wiz loss (one of the worst in history) drove me to get hammered. Thats how bad my Wiz hurt my heart last night. It’s almost comedic really, unless you are on or root for our team.
I feel for Ruffin. He probably got reeemed OUT in the locker room. But yeah, it wasnt all his fault. What about Caron missing TWO Fts. Ahhhh.
March 31st, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Oh yeah, I know this is nit-picky, but that was THE LONGEST THREE SECONDS I HAVE EVER SEEN. The clock was started about 2 to 3 tenths of a second late by the way. Im Done. Wake me up and tell me this was a dream. A really bad one.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:17 PM
The problem of playing a terrible free throw shooter near the end of the game! Ruffin was afraid of being put on the line. But quite frankly, even if he missed both free throws the Raptors would still have the length of the court to attempt the shot (they are out of timeout)!
If Ruffin could think straight, he should have thrown the ball up TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BASKET and not just straight up. This way, by the time the ball came down, and someone went back to retrieve it, the time would most likely expired. If not, they have a much longer shot to attempt.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Bosh > Arenas
Nuff said.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:16 PM
Stupid comment above. You cant compare one of the best power forwards to one of the best guards in the league.
Thats like me saying Roger Clemens > Barry Bonds. Completely Illogical.
Just wait til we explode in the playoffs. Nuff Said.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:26 PM
As a die-hard Raptors fan I’m very happy with yesterday’s results. I will say however that it was the most unnatural win I have ever seen in my decade-long following. Much respect to the Wiz, as the Big Three are really scary when they put it together. After watching a few Wiz games, I realise that the interior of your team is very weak (I’m dissapointed in Haywood as I used to see him as an animal). The perimeter players are second to none, but without size in the middle, all those raining jump shots serve to build small leads as opposed to knocking teams right out of the water. Seeing our two teams in the playoffs would be one helluva fast-paced game. I’d highly suggest getting home-court over the Raps, because if you look back at the last few years when they were scraping the bottom of the league, they still always had a winning home-record. (This year, they lost to Dallas and Phoenix by a combined 3 points.
Go Raps.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:21 PM
yesterday i was at that game and that whole sequence was like someone punched you in the face. i know its easy to blame ruffin for his part in the shot but i feel like if anyone else (arenas, jamison, or butler) had done that everyone wont be talkin so much smack because those are our stars. he knows he’s not a very good free throw shooter and if he had been fouled, the clock would have stopped and he could have missed both and then what? especially with 3.8 seconds on the clock. I love the wizards and that was a hard one to swallow but anything could have made the difference in the fourth quarter for the wizards to win. Just think, if caron had made those two free throws earlier, and even if that sequence at the end would have happened, we would have been up by 5 instead of 3. I standings don’t reflect on one player, all one sees on the standing is “the Washington Wizards” so, even though its easy to point the finger, look at it from the team standpoint. The TEAM lost to night not Michael Ruffin.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:57 PM
awesome game!
Chris Bosh is an absolute monster!!
March 31st, 2007 at 4:23 PM
Dear Washington Wizards,
Thank you for the win, it really helped us in the standings
Sincerely,
The Toronto Raptors
March 31st, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Raps-Wiz in the playoffs would be a great series for both fanbases.
March 31st, 2007 at 4:59 PM
Aha! AHAHHAHAHHAHHAAHAHAAHAHAAA! Ohhhhhhh damn its good to be a Raptors fan today. The funniest and most miraculous play I have EVER seen. Tough break for the Harry Potters(wizards). Your guys played well, but the Raptors played with just a little more heart… and a LOT more luck.
March 31st, 2007 at 5:01 PM
I think Michael Ruffin played a GREAT game until the end. We should all realize that his great play - up until the last play - helped to keep us in the game.
March 31st, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Neal and BrickJP - you two are right that someone, not Ruffin, was accountable for the Dixon 3. It seems like everyone except the Wizards knew a 3 was coming. That’s frustrating when fans understand more at those moments than guys getting paid millions.
I think most Wizards fans know that the PF/C position are weak after the starters. No argument from me that none of the 4 centers on the Wizards (Haywood, Thomas, Ruffin, and Booth) can play in a concerted and consistent manner. Haywood’s the one that has the body type to contend against most centers in the league. That’s the only reason how I justify to myself why he’s still a starter and why he’s likely to be kept in Washington longer than Thomas, Ruffin, and Booth.
I think it is time for the Wizards to go into another direction when drafting or picking guys up from free agency. The Wizards doesn’t need any more guys that can shoot the ball (i.e., Jarvis Hayes). The team desperately needs players, at the 4 and 5, that solely are role players with a passion to rebound the ball and play interior defense (i.e., guys like Drew Gooden, Udonis Haslam, James Posey, and Jamaal Magloire). I would like to see more players like Songaila on the Wizards, but guys with his skills on both sides of the ball are hard to find, especially at a bargain price.
March 31st, 2007 at 5:24 PM
Instead of all you whiners talking about the Ruffin play and the miracle shot. Talk about how they shut it down in OT. The game wasn’t won on the shot, merely letting it go into OT. The Wizards should’ve taken care of business in OT in their own building they didn’t, the Raps deserve to win the game for their effort.
March 31st, 2007 at 5:29 PM
Doesn’t the Raptor fans have their own blog to go to? I don’t think I’ve seen any Wizards fans in here talk bad about Toronto during the last 3 meetings win or lose.
Maybe Eric’s blog is the most popular.
Wizards will eventually give me a heart attack faster than McDonald’s food. And I’m only in my twenty’s LOL.
March 31st, 2007 at 6:18 PM
Damn Raptors fans are funny, we’re the Harry potters now, I think it’s kind of a canadian humour… Anyway as it was said I’m wondering right now if the raptors have a blog?? Have we ever had that many comments of other team’s fans?? I guess they just don’t have anything to do so they come and celebrate in front of us, well we’ll see who’ll be the last one to celebrate. Anyway I think people should calm down on Ruffin… If the clock was like a 2 seconds, then this article would be called “Ruffin, a man of exception” and you would all be talking about how smart this last play was, unfortunately it ain’t, so let’s look further.
March 31st, 2007 at 9:45 PM
lmfao @ someone calling arenas the best player in the game. what has he done again? oh yeah, nothing. tough loss. the wizards have to make better use of deshaun, he is their best defender. caron is overrated.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:26 PM
Hard to say who’s better overall, anonymous, between Arenas and Bosh. I see Arenas’s “efficiency rating” is 24.54 and Bosh’s is 24.95. Arenas’s FG% is .42 and Bosh’s is .50, which is what really stood out last night. I think Arenas hasn’t peaked yet, however. I don’t think he’s yet totally committed to Jordan’s team offense yet, or devoted himself to defense. He’s an all-star because he puts up a lot of points, but I’m hoping he’ll continue to develop and really lead the team.
Larry, according to a Post sports writer, Pecherov, even though he’s thin, likes to mix it up inside. And I imagine the Europeans practice better defense than NBA teams. Seems to me with Jameson, Songaila, Pecherov, and maybe Veeremenko we’re pretty well off at the 4 position.
I look for Grunfeld to draft or trade for a center this off season.
I figure Booth and Ruffin will be gone. Maybe either Haywood or Thomas also. I agree we need a big body who rebounds with energy and plays good team defense - rotates well. And it would be good if he didn’t try to shoot many fade-away jump shots.
It would be interesting to get Navarro, although I don’t know much about him. I read he likes to shoot, and does it well. I love AD as the backup point guard, however. I actually think he runs the offense better than Arenas.
April 1st, 2007 at 1:29 AM
Us raps fans do have our own blogs, and one of them linked us over here. So, here we are!
The one guy who said “the Wiz at the 6 against a #3 Toronto is the “best case” scenario (if you want to be machiavellian)” made me laugh. That’s the same thing we’re saying up here in Canada. Chicago creams the raps all the time, and no one wants a first round match-up with Miami if Wade is back. So Washington it is.
April 1st, 2007 at 4:52 AM
Haha, I pray to get against Toronto in the first round, do you know what washington looks like in playoff-mode?? Not so sure, right now we’re definitely not at the top of our game but believe me it’s about to change, don’t think you already won…
April 1st, 2007 at 5:04 AM
The Raptors Fans want this matchup simply because of the lack of a Washington Interior threat. Bargnani is due back in 10 days, and having three 7 footers on the floor (one of whom shoots 47.3% from downtown) allows us to score. I have much respect for Arenas and Co. and am especially impressed by Caron Butler.
Go Raps.
April 1st, 2007 at 9:01 AM
The Wiz will beat the Raptors in the first round.
Sorry, Larry, more stats. FG% of our perimeter shooters:
Songaila 54
Stevenson 48
Butler 46
Jamison 46
Daniels 45
Arenas 42
Hayes 40
Conclusions:
1. AD should stop passing up open shots to give it to one of the “big three”.
2. Arenas should trust his teammates, rather than shooting tough shots just because he’s “feeling it”.
Does it count as an “attempt” in calculating FG% when a player attempts a shot but doesn’t make it because he’s fouled? Does anyone know? That would affect Arenas’s percentage.
It seems to me that too often when Arenas or Butler gets the ball all motion stops while he sizes up his man, deciding whether he can go 1 on 1. I’d rather see them catch and shoot immediately, drive, or move the ball by passing or dribbling toward a pick or passing lane.
April 1st, 2007 at 11:30 AM
It’s so frustrating and hard to believe in this team. They’re not a contender and will never move to the next level this season. I hope management listen to diehard fans.
April 1st, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Neal - as much upside as there can be from Pecherov and Veremeenko, I can’t see how they’ll be able to jump right into the NBA and start helping the Wizards next season. Besides the language and cultural barriers, the 82 game season is very grueling, especially for a rookie. Whatever we saw from Andray Blatche the last 2 years is about as good as we’ll see from P&V, if Grunfeld decides to bring them over next season (or if they decide to come over). Thus, I think getting a proven veteran (or least a proven collegian) is better at this point. The Wizards aren’t rebuilding; they’re just trying to throw away the bad and replace with something better.
To clarify, I wasn’t saying stats are completely useless. I was saying that sometimes coaches manage the game with how they’re feeling the situation. I think Jordan’s assistants bring up every possible scenario and statistic at Eddie during timeouts (when they huddle), but if Eddie has a gut feeling about something, he’ll go with that instead of statistics.
Usually, Arenas is the only guy that’ll shoot free throws to close out a game. Statistically, Caron’s the best free throw shooter on the team. However, when the ball went to Caron the first time late in the game, he missed both his free throws. Stats, at that moment, contradicted with gut feeling. Thus, my Ruffin comment was just that - he played good for most of the game and my gut feeling was that he deserved to be on the court at the end of the game no matter what the stats say. And I think Eddie thought the same thing too.
April 1st, 2007 at 6:51 PM
I appreciate your points Larry, although I’d rather have someone with a couple of years’ experience in a European pro league than a couple of years’ of NCAA experience.
And I don’t expect Pecherov to displace Jamison or Songaila. I just expect him to out compete Ruffin and Mike Hall as the 3rd PF. I think of Blatche as a small forward and not in competition with the others. I expect Veeremenko to stay in Europe another year.