Comment from jmpalomo
Time October 12, 2009 at 10:18 AM

Looks like Flip is trying everyone at the 2 Guard. That is going to be exciting to see who gets to start opposite Gilbert on opening night.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 10:36 AM

I agree — and I’m glad Flip is rotating the starts. This is a fun time. It’s nervous-making for the team not to perform well *right now* (we’ve all waited a long time), but really it’s not that surprising. We’ll have a good season.

Comment from wizards_fusion
Time October 12, 2009 at 11:12 AM

Deshawn’s got the starting job at the 2. There is no discussion or competition.

Comment from wizards_fusion
Time October 12, 2009 at 11:22 AM

As long as the core guys are not hurt seriously during preseason, I could care less what the final results of the games are. Obviously, I would still like the contests to be competitive; however, if Blatche knows that Shaq is about to fall on him, he needs to get the #$%* away, for example.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 11:57 AM

fusion, IDK about Deshawn starting. I was probably his biggest supporter and I thought he was maybe the best role player in the league when Gil was healthy but we have some talented guy. I also think about Gil and is he fully ready to carry a big load in the scoring department. If he’s not fully ready then are you 100% comfortable with having Deshawn, Wood, and a rusty Gil out there trying to score? I would probably go with NY at the start of the year and see how it goes. Infact, I think DS may not even be in the rotation at the start. I think NY will start with Foye & Miller off the bench

Comment from Rick
Time October 12, 2009 at 12:33 PM

You know what you’re going to get with Deshawn, and that’s a plus. Unfortunately, what you’re going to get is not all that exciting.

On a unit with 3 big scorers, you can make a case that he should start, but I don’t think that will happen. I like Foye and Arenas together, but I bet Miller or Young will end up starting.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 12:38 PM

That’s a horrible thought, Wiz_fusion, about Shaq falling on Andray (or anyone!!).

Over the Summer, I was pretty sure we’d start Miller at the 2, but as long as they can find him 25-30 minutes it might be better for him to come off the bench.

I’d like to see Dom get a chance at the 2 in preseason, and I bet he will. As to starting Nick, doesn’t *anyone* pay attention to how little he actually produces? Do you really want to lose that many games?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 12:54 PM

So far this preseason, JaVale is 13-16. That is some *efficient* scoring!

Comment from Phemy
Time October 12, 2009 at 1:16 PM

..his fouls on the other hand… ;>

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 1:41 PM

True enough… He is *very* raw, that kid. I hope he knows how raw he is, as that will motivate him to get better.

Comment from Rick
Time October 12, 2009 at 1:42 PM

With the possible exception of Jamison, no one has really played very well during preseason. However, I have seen some significant improvements in Nick’s game over last year. He no longer dominates the ball on the perimeter and I haven’t seen him dribble without purpose yet. As a catch and shoot knock down sniper I think he fits in well with the rest of the starting five (just like say Mike Miller). Miller is the better player right now and does provide more playmaking and rebounding, both of which will be valuable to the second unit.

Comment from Babakism
Time October 12, 2009 at 2:33 PM

I think there is no way randy foye starts because there is no other back up point guard that figures into the regular rotation.

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM

Coach Saunders
What do you think of this Big Line for teams such as the Lakers who play two seven footers and Kobe at shooting guard. I like to see how this line up gels offensivey and defensively. PG: Arenas SG: CB3 SF: Jamison PF: P.Davis
C: Andray Blatche fot the 1st and 4th quarters. The second team PG: James SG: Foye SF: Miller PF: Mcgee C: Oberto for the 2nd and 3rd quaters with Stevenson/Mcguire sitting out tonight for rest!

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 12, 2009 at 3:21 PM

Even though we didn’t win I felt we are turning the corner on turnovers and improving at the freethrow line. I feel the improvement in the freethrow department is a great sign because thats 45% of our scoring and our bread and some potatoes! The next step in the Saunders Project is keeping teams under 100 points and if we do that we want to start keeping them under 95 and then we are definitely on our way to brighter days ahead! The rebounds have been about even so thats set a goal and try to not let your man out rebound you ever! We have nothing to panic about just fine tune on defense and improve on freethrows and turnovers thats it! We must start finding our chemistry second team because thats where the other teams have been beating us in all areas: Three pointers,rebounding and freethrows made!

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 3:36 PM

Aundra, wheres Haywood in your big lineups?

Comment from Aj
Time October 12, 2009 at 3:53 PM

I hope we use our best players first cleveland because I love to see us beat them and the game is on tv.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time October 12, 2009 at 4:32 PM

Flips 9 man rotation:
Guards:
Gilbert, Randy and Nick
Small Forwards:
Caron and Mike Miller
Power Forwards:
Antawn and Fabricio
Centers:
Brendan and Javale

If Flip is really going to a 9 man rotation (I believe he actually said 8 man roation) that means 5 players will be warming that bench hoping for 5 minutes a game.

Fighting to break into the top 9
Dominique
Andray
Crittenden

Waiting to be traded:
Deshawn
Waiting for Free Agency on the bench:
Mike James

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 5:26 PM

Why would Blatche not make the rotation? I think Flip loves him and he’s played really well. I think he’s definatly ahead of Oberto in Flip’s mind and I think McGee is competeing with Oberto for that 9th spot

Comment from reddog271
Time October 12, 2009 at 6:01 PM

Blatche is squarely in the rotation

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 12, 2009 at 6:09 PM

HAYWOOD HAS A ANKLE /FOOT INJURY! DLTS 20 HE NEEDS TO LET TIME HEAL THE INJURY WHICH COULD TAKE A WEEK OR TWO MORE. HE IS ALWAYS A STARTER AND WILL CONTINUE BEING THE STARTER!

Comment from tyrone20000
Time October 12, 2009 at 6:12 PM

You have a nice group jmpalomo, but Stevenson needs to start. We still need another big.

Comment from reddog271
Time October 12, 2009 at 6:15 PM

during the game sunday, they said that Haywood could’ve played sunday. but there was no reason to. Where did you hear it would take a week or two to heal?

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 6:37 PM

Aundra, they say that Wood’s injury is not bad at off but what really threw me was that you were talking about the Lakers so you made it sound like it was a regular season thing

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 12, 2009 at 7:02 PM

DJ
I would like a Bio on this P.Davis player because he might definitely be a ace in the hole .I think he has great instincts for the ball. I believe if given a chance he could produce a decent 12 to 14 points and 10 rebounds. I know he is tough because Michigan State is known for defense and toughness.
I would like to know how he slipped through the cracks right into our lap!

Comment from AUNDRA
Time October 12, 2009 at 7:15 PM

Dlts
I like to compare us to a model that has won a championship such as the LA Lakers to see how we compare match up wise . I know we are a long way from the Lakers but teams seems to have 6’6″ or larger shooting guards and 7 footers at the power foward and Center position such as Boston . The Cleveland Cavaliers could and will have both Shaq and Softy both on the court at the same time. I like our Big Lineup because we have three all-stars and two defensive specialist who can control the painted areas.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 7:52 PM

I dont think we are a long way from the Lakers at all but maybe Im just an optimust like that. I had no problem at all with what you said or your lineup but I was just wondering why you didnt have Wood in it since he was the biggest of the bigs. I figured that it was because of his injury but when you said the Lakers, I thought you meant it as a regular season thing. I also knew that Wood would most likely be back next game so thats why I wondered why you left him out

Comment from neal
Time October 12, 2009 at 7:53 PM

Yes, McGee fouls a lot so far, but Oberto averages the most fouls of our players per 48 minutes. He also gets the fewest rebounds of our bigs, and except for Jamison, the fewest blocks. And his FT% is the lowest on the team. McGee gets the most rebounds and blocks of any of our players.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 8:01 PM

You don’t think we’re a long way from being as good as the Lakers? Really. I guess love is blind.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 12, 2009 at 8:13 PM

Aundra — Paul Davis is not any kind of ace in the hole, or even someone nobody knows about. He’s 25. He was drafted by the Clips in the 2d round in ’06. He hasn’t done anything in the league, and there’s no reason to think he ever will. Here are all his stats:

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Paul-Davis-75/stats/

We needed another big in camp; he was the one we invited. He isn’t going to be on the team. Especially not because we’d have to pay his salary twice: once to him and once into the luxury tax fund.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time October 12, 2009 at 8:16 PM

Let’s start by beating the Cavs, Mavs and Heat. Then we can take on the Celtics, Nuggets and a young Portland team. Then we can go for the Lakers.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 12, 2009 at 9:02 PM

Tom, I seriously think we can win the East. I think even our own fans have underestimated us. I think everyone has this sense that we have had the same team for a hundred years and have never gotten out of the 1st round when its so far from the truth that its not even funny. Ive spoken about it alot and evertime I do, people start to change there mind.

When Gil got here he guaranteed we would make the playoffs in his 1st year but he got hurt. We got AJ in year 2 for Stack and we made the playoffs. We did get out the 1st round by beating the Bulls and got swept by a very good Heat team that won the title the following year. Still, all that was great considering that none of our main players had ever even been in the playoffs before. The next year we get rid of LH and bring in Caron. We are pretty good again and have a battle with the Cavs in the playoffs. The Cavs blew us out in game 1 but alot of people dont even remember that after game 1, we had the lead with under 2 seconds left in every other game. Every single one of them but somehow we lost 3 at the buzzer and 2 of them were stictly on clear Lebron walks while the 3rd was on Gil’s missing FTs. If they call those walks then we are in the 2nd round again matching up against a Pistons team who we always gave fits to.

Still we lost but everyone at that point had us an even team with the Cavs. Now look at the Cavs. What makes you think that couldnt have been us? Fast forward to the next season and we have a slow start. Even after the slow start we are in 1st place in the whole East by the new year. We got in 1st place by beating the Pistons in back to back games, home & away. The same Pistons team who everyone feared and after the Webber trade, everyone said was unbeatabe. They were blowing everyone out and we beat them both games to take 1st place. The bad thing is that in the same game we took over 1st, AJ got hurt and missed a month. We havent been healthy a day since.

Thats what everyone fails to realize. Thats our whole history with this team. We havent had the same team forever and didnt do anything. Weve been injured. We were right on course to be there with the Cavs but the injuries hit. You could argue that we were ahead of the Cavs. After AJ came back then Caron went out for the rest of the year and Gil followed. If we had stayed healthy then we wouldve had HCA against most teams even if we had dropped to the 3rd seed. The next 2 years Gil basically misses the whole season and hasnt really played in the playoffs in 3 years. No one realizes this.

Then you think about those Wiz teams. All we had was the big 3. Wood sucked then and we had the worst depth in the league. Our core guys were people like Donell Taylor, Ruffin, Booth, Arvis Hayes, Jeffries, and so on. Some of the worst Offensive players in the league. People dont even realize that Gil never really got to play with this Haywood, he’s never really played with Blatche, he’s never played with NY, Dom, Miller, Foye, Oberto, hadnt played with Songaila, and so on. Everyone thinks were a joke who has been healthy and have had the same team forever. Its so untrue.

Comment from neal
Time October 12, 2009 at 9:49 PM

I agree, Tom, after looking at Davis’s stats. He rebounds well, but everything else is sub-par.

Well, dlts20, I think your optimism is about as unrealistic as my premature disillusionment.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time October 12, 2009 at 11:20 PM

I wonder if tomorrow’s game has any special significance for Flip, or, will it just be another pre season game? I’m betting the “real” games against the Pistons are going to be a little special for him.

JaVale fouls a lot… ok he is a young guy. Oberto has no such excuse. If Oberto can get a handle on the foul trouble that has plagued his his entire stint in the NBA we may have something. He does seem to play good positional basketball. Until then I see him getting his normal 14 to 15 minutes a night with JaVale covering him. I hope Blatche plays big minutes but not at the 5.

Flip has a very interesting situation at the 2. After these few games it might be interesting to start Nick or Deshawn and have Miller give a punch to the 2nd unit off the bench. As long as Miller gets his minutes I don’t really care.

Comment from dlts20
Time October 13, 2009 at 1:23 AM

Wiz vs Raps Full Game Vid

http://raptorsplayer.blogspot.com/2009/10/full-game-raptors-vs-wizards-oct-11-09.html

Comment from dcbutler357
Time October 13, 2009 at 7:25 AM

Oberto is a better “big-man” than AB and Javale, He will bang inside and he will cut to the basket and get easy lay-ups, when Gil or anyone else penetrates. When Javale and AB get the basic fundamentals together, on a consistent basis, I will put them in front of Oberto, until then, they are basically playing on “potential”. Also, the only time AB should be shooting that jumper is if the clock is on 2 seconds…..He ain’t KG yet. I love Miller’s energy and skills. The wiz are once again a force to be reckoned with, and will not be an automatic win on ANYONE’S schedule

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 13, 2009 at 7:59 AM

We have a good team, and we should have a good season. We should make the playoffs, and we have a shot at home court advantage in the first round.

If we win the first round, we have some chance to win the 2d round — why not? In a seven game series, the better team wins most of the time, but not that much more often than the less good team.

In that sense, of course, we *can* win the East. That’s why we play these games; because anybody can win.

Are we as good a team as Cleveland, Boston or Orlando? Oh, please… no, we’re not. Could injuries change that — yeah, you bet.

Remember what reddog said in the previous item — this is a game, not life and death. For sure, we have the best team we’ve had in a long time. Lets have fun along with them!

Comment from neal
Time October 13, 2009 at 9:04 AM

On paper we look terrific. But that’s just “potential”. We’ll see if they gel and get the confidence that good teams have – that they expect to win. Most of our guys haven’t been on a team that has that swagger for a long time.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 13, 2009 at 12:18 PM

neal — it’s not just on paper; it’s in the history of the players themselves. We got rid of 4 guys over the summer who basically couldn’t play (and some were over-priced). In their place we added one *really good* player (Mike Miller), one guy who hasn’t shown much yet in his career (Randy Foye) and a guy who at the very least is better than Darius/Etan/Pech for a less money than any of them (Oberto).

We’re a better team, because we have better players.

Comment from neal
Time October 13, 2009 at 3:13 PM

Well, Tom, I don’t see what you see in Oberto, but we’ll see. I’d rather have Songaila, or Thomas when he’s healthy.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time October 13, 2009 at 4:18 PM

neal — Songaila would be an ok (not good, just ok) player if he rebounded. Thomas no longer does anything very well, and he makes a ton of $$. How could we take on Mike Miller at @$10m? Because we were able to move Songaila and Etan.

Doesn’t mean I see anything special in Oberto. But, really, I don’t think he’ll play much, neal — he averaged 12 minutes/game last year, and that seems about right.