Comment from Jaba
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:45 AM

New game, new player!
Can’t say I’m too excited, (mildly curious would be the right way to put it), but let’s see what Jeffers can bring to the table.
Since the season is almost over, all there’s left to do is to give young talent a closer look. Hope the Wiz will do just that.

Crawford has potential but ways to go!
Neal, don’t be too hard on the guy because of his shooting percentage. Maybe he was simply pushing things a bit too much, trying to impress. I hope, that once he settles down a bit, those 38% can turn into 45% really fast. Hopefully…..

Anyway, let’s play hard! Make this a game worth watching!

GO WIZARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment from gray16
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:34 AM

I remember watching Crawford a couple of times in college, he played the same way then he plays now. But on that team, he needed to take a lot of shots to help his team, because they didn’t have many scorers outside of him.

Now that he’s on an NBA team, he’s gonna be looked at to play within an offense, instead of being an offense. Of course, at this time with nick and dray hurt, he still is mostly the offense, so it’s a smoother transition rather than an abrupt one like going to the hawks. Hopefully, he can learn better shot selection, and playing within the offense, but imo, I can already see improvement in him. He seems to be looking for others more often, passing the ball more often, and making smarter decisions all around. The more he learns, the better he’ll be, and I think he can be very good for us.

Comment from gray16
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:36 AM

And of course, we have seen how Flip was able to put young in positions to limit his mistakes by making him come off screens instead of being a ball handler, so I think Flip will be able to develop plays that can take advantage of Jordan’s abilities while minimizing his mistakes. Best thing I’ve heard so far is to isolate him on wings, but only give him 5 seconds, and if nothing happens, make him pass the ball. We’ll see how Flip goes about it.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:37 AM

Jeffers is a big-time athlete who was a college 3 (or maybe even 4?) but doesn’t have the size to play forward in the league. Apparently he can’t shoot.

Lots more about him at http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Othyus-Jeffers-5618/

Comment from gray16
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:53 AM

Can’t shoot? Fits right in with our guys lol. Seriously, I know we are building a culture around here of toughness and high energy players, but we need to be able to shoot the ball.

Jeffers sounds like a good player, but I’d would’ve rather signed a good shooter shooter so that we wouldn’t have put Yi out there to make up for lack of shooting.

Comment from Jaba
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:55 AM

On a side note: where is proof(ofconcept) aka dcbutler? He hasn’t blogged in a while…….Or did I just miss it?

Proof, have you called it quits for this season? Hope everything’s o.k. and you’re doing fine!

Comment from millie mill
Time March 18, 2011 at 10:47 AM

Wizards leaked new color logo!!

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2011/03/is_this_the_new_wizards_logo.html

Comment from gray16
Time March 18, 2011 at 10:58 AM

Millie Mill,

no, that was proven wrong by bulletsforever a while back, that hideous excuse for a logo won’t be used next season.

Comment from millie mill
Time March 18, 2011 at 11:02 AM

Do you guys think they will change the name along with the colors?

Comment from donnyb
Time March 18, 2011 at 1:53 PM

That 2-3 zone is terrible… sure McGee blocked 12 shots, but how many threes and offensive rebounds did the team give up?

Comment from datkid88
Time March 18, 2011 at 2:59 PM

I just wanna see 1 time the starting lineup of wall,crawford,young,booker and mcgee please before the season is over. And so we don’t get killed on the boards again stop putting yi at PF and booker at SF at the sametime cause yi can’t guard or rebound but can shoot while booker can’t shoot but guards big men and rebounds great so its really taking there strengths away with that lineup so just switch them its that simple flip..raptors are just as bad as us on defense so we gotta shot a win #2 on the road…go wiz

Comment from Jaba
Time March 18, 2011 at 3:59 PM

Would love to see Wall and Crawford develop some kind of chemistry during these last games. Looking at our roster, no position except for John Wall being the starting point guard seems to be set. Right now, I would say Nick Young is our starting shooting guard, however if Crawford can learn to control his game a little more, I can really see him putting pressure on Young Sushi. These last games will be pretty interesting because of it.

Comment from Babakism
Time March 18, 2011 at 5:22 PM

@donnyb amen to that buddy

More important than a win I would like to see us play smart intelligent basketball(move the ball on offense, no 1 on 1) and tough hustle driven D. If we do those things winning will come.

Comment from Babakism
Time March 18, 2011 at 5:23 PM

Would have been interesting if we scrimaged against Georgetown and lost lol

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 6:29 PM

6:29 PM EST…Dave and Glenn checking in….Nick Young will not play tonight,,,so it will be the same starting five from the Bulls’ game. John Wall and Jordan Crawford at guards…JaVale McGee at center and then Yi Jianlian and Trevor Booker at forwards.,…..The Raptors will have Jose Calderon and DeMar DeRozan at guards…Andrea Bargnani at center and Amir Johnson and James Johnson at forwards

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 6:33 PM

Bulls wore green jerseys….Raptors will wear green jerseys….. St Patrick’s fever

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 6:52 PM

we start wth the comments of Flip Saunders

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:03 PM

here we go… trying to win second road game.. and win the season series against the Raptors

Comment from Mr. Know it All
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:05 PM

Hope to get another* GREAT* night from JaVale. Congrats on not only the 12 blocks but also the triple-double!!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:14 PM

great pass by mcgee

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:16 PM

Don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m EXCITED about this “baby” starting line up….. The future begins NOW!!! Let’s go Wizards!!!

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:19 PM

Give him some WINGS!!! Go McGee!!! Booker taking it right to the basket…..

*so glad I renewed my season tickets!* LOL!!

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:22 PM

We are givign them too much seperation…. make them work for the shots!!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:22 PM

great move by crawford

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:29 PM

Eeew… our shots are stinking up the joint right about now….. move like Booker & Crawford… paint, paint, paint

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:34 PM

Booker is back on his game!!! We MISS that game!!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:38 PM

booker 12 points

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:49 PM

The young ppl shall lead us!!!! The score is much better than it was only minuts ago b/c the PLAY is much better!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:50 PM

like the response after the deficit

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:51 PM

ohh crawford sweet

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:52 PM

I sm hoping the injured on the bench are watching & taking note…. You HAVE to attack the basket – make them TRY to stop you!! And the fast breaks – gotta do it!!!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 7:52 PM

good d

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:02 PM

booker 3 fouls

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:06 PM

3 fouls mcgee

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:07 PM

seraphin….3 fouls

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:08 PM

bargnani 10 of 11 from the free throw line

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:09 PM

It was dirty…. tsk, tsk, tsk….

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:15 PM

crawford NIFTY pass

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:17 PM

YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIii

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:20 PM

47 % shooting from field… but free throws killing us

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:29 PM

interesting interview right now about raptors….they are in the same situation as they rebuild post-Bosh

Comment from Mr. Know it All
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:33 PM

Crawford’s got a little “agent 0″ in his game!!!

Wall, Crawford, Booker & McGee are our most aggressive players, something this team desperately needs more of!!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:38 PM

you got it mr know it all

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:47 PM

Wizards need to get back on defense… back to 1st quarter slackness & the easy baskets

Comment from 2stepsaway
Time March 18, 2011 at 8:48 PM

Make that a LOTTA agent 0 in him….

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:01 PM

booker 4rth foul

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:09 PM

nice drive….by evans nice poush by wizards…wizards need to poush it

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:19 PM

wizards wasting possessions

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:26 PM

wizards starting to get out on the break

Comment from dayle
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:31 PM

George Mason came back. Come on Wizards!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:40 PM

wizards some bad possessions at the critical moment…but great effort

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:42 PM

1 800 636 1067 for post game show

Comment from dayle
Time March 18, 2011 at 9:52 PM

Did someone on this blog say Booker was not a scorer?
He made some amazing shots.
Mo Evans looks like Michelle Obama.

Comment from dayle
Time March 18, 2011 at 10:05 PM

McGee’s game improving..

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 19, 2011 at 9:19 AM

I was out to dinner last night and forgot to dvr the game, meaning I missed what was obviously an extraordinary performance from Trevor Booker, who looks increasingly like one of the steals of the draft.

All the same, just looking at the box, it’s obvious that Crawford had an awful game — please don’t tell me he did this and that good…. If you go 12-27 and turn it over 5 times, you basically make a win next to impossible. Seraphin also looks like his 5 minutes were the opposite of helpful.

Got to beat bad teams at home.

Comment from WE WANT A WINNER
Time March 19, 2011 at 1:15 PM

We were in Toronto last night, but we should be the Nets tomorrow afternoon because Deron Williams looks like he will be out for the season.

Comment from gray16
Time March 19, 2011 at 3:46 PM

Watching the replay of yesterday’s game,

If there is one positive I can pull from all this losing going on currently, it’s this:

In times of struggle, you either grow apart, or grow together. From a fans perspective, seeing the way the team is acting on the court and the sideline, it appears this team is growing together instead of apart. They look like a team out there. Compare this to the beginning of the season where we had guys who felt there were going to be gone soon anyway, guys who wanted to leave, and young guys who had never been a part of a team like this, they didn’t look like a team. Now though, it looks like they have grown together, and that’s a great sign imo.

Now it’s just time to develop their skill, and lower the mistakes.

Comment from Babakism
Time March 19, 2011 at 3:58 PM

@Tom Crawford is a rookie who will make mistakes when given as much responsibility as we are giving him. I will say that he did shoot 50% from the field for most of the game. (I remember seeing him 11-22) at one point) We also had him playing some point guard at times.

These are the games where he needs figure out what is acceptable and what is not.

He has never gone against this kind of competition before. Some of the shots he takes and the moves he makes worked in the past but will not work in the present and future, thus creating some turnovers and a few extra misses.

GROWING PAINS

Thats why you gotta watch the games buddy before you say someone had an “awful game”

If the coaching staff is doing their job they will be going over game film with the kid and pointing out all the mistakes he is making and how he can improve.

Sometimes ya gotta go left before you can go right

You should have seen his offensive rebound tip slam where everyone thought he was Trevor Booker at first.

Trevor Booker…………….

Comment from Babakism
Time March 19, 2011 at 4:00 PM

tooshay gray tooshay

Comment from gray16
Time March 19, 2011 at 4:03 PM

Tom,

There’s a reason Crawford shot, or was allowed to shoot that many times, because we have no other offensive threats on the team right now. We need someone to put pressure on the opposing team’s defense, and Crawford gives us that. At the same time, he’s still learning the game, and forcing things at times. But for a rookie to be playing like that, is definitely a great sign.

So while I’m not gonna disagree that he didn’t have a good game, I don’t think he’s the one that’s hurting us the most, and I think his play even last night is a great sign for the future.

Comment from gray16
Time March 19, 2011 at 4:06 PM

Also, the more Crawford plays, the more I’m thinking less and less about Nick Young. While I would love to have Nick on the team next season and beyond, we definitely have a HUGE reason not to pay him that much to keep him here.

So we have no excuse to pay him too much for the future, if he wants to pull a Larry Hughes, so be it, pack his bags for him, thank him for the short stint here, and let him go.

Comment from gray16
Time March 19, 2011 at 4:08 PM

Also, these past two games I have been very impressed by Javale. Not that he’s playing great, but that he’s minimizing his mistakes and playing smarter basketball.

Watching this replay, I saw one time booker stole a rebound from Javale, and Javale screamed at him…

Initial Reaction: How selfish is Javale, all he cares about is his stats

Rethinks situation: Did Javale just get mad over not getting a rebound…. What a great sign lol

Comment from tyrone2000
Time March 19, 2011 at 5:24 PM

Wow, we are big time homers….

Comment from Babakism
Time March 19, 2011 at 9:12 PM

Once again, I think we should go after Michael Pietris…….

@Gray did you see the play where Javale tried to steal a rebound from Booker but failed, causing the ball to go out of bounds, to the other team, and Booker screamed in frustration?

At least Booker stole the rebound for himself and not the other team lol I bet Javale gets alot of rebounds taken when he goes at Booker in practice.

Speaking of rebounds…… As much as I wanted Moorhead State to move on to the next round, perhaps I should be glad that they lost an Kenneth Faried is now out of the spotlight so we can get him with that pick the Hawks gave us for Hinrich.

One positive I have noticed about Javale lately is that he is becoming less deficient at passing. He has actually made some nice passes to guys making backdoor cuts from the high post as well as when he puts the ball on the floor to drive.

@tyrone you’re a homer

Comment from gray16
Time March 19, 2011 at 9:43 PM

Yeah I saw that play after I posted that post. At least they both want to get boards, now if only Javale would fight the opposing teams centers for rebounds like that!

As for Faried, at one time I was thinking he would be a good pickup, but now I’m not too high on him. He’s kind of small to play pf, I’m worried he wouldn’t be able to defend a lot of nba pfs. I’m also worried because he doesn’t seem to have much of an offensive game, and he’s not playing top players in the nation right now consistently enough to show me he’s up to par in that area.

So really, he might just wind up being a Reggie Evans type player. I wouldn’t mind using our second round pick on him, but I would rather use the two first round picks on more versatile and not one dimensional players. If Faried looked like he could be a great defender as well as a rebounder, I would be more high on him, but I don’t see that yet, so I’m not that high on him anymore.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 19, 2011 at 10:26 PM

One thing I’ll never understand is why fans want to *keep* players who’ve proved that they aren’t really productive.

Nick is a nice kid; I wish him well. But he’s not going to help the team get better.

Same for Dray; I’d be happy if he were gone even if we got *nothing* in return for him.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 19, 2011 at 10:34 PM

@ gray16 — Faried “might just wind up being a Reggie Evans type player” ?? And that’s a bad thing? For a guy taken near the bottom of the first round? A strong rotation player with one or two really good skills is *a lot* to get near the bottom of round 1.

Not to say that there are any guarantees w/ him. But at least he has been an exceptionally productive college player.

Truth is, however, that I haven’t yet gotten heavily into looking at upcoming draft-eligibles. There may well be guys who bring more than Faried at that pick.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 19, 2011 at 11:16 PM

“One thing I’ll never understand is why fans want to *keep* players who’ve proved that they aren’t really productive.” – Tom M.

One thing I’ll never understand is why bloggers like Tom Mandel insist on posting about basketball when they have minimal knowledge about basketball. Tom hasn’t played or coached the game at any real competitive level; he doesn’t watch the games (live or on replay), but he insists on offering an opinion based primarily on post-game statistics. The game of basketball means nothing to him. What he cares about is being able to quote some statistic that supports his contrarian opinion about some player. Tom M. wouldn’t recognize a productive basketball player without a box score if it were only he and Michael Jordan left on the planet and he had to choose a productive basketball player.

Blogs were invented for people like Tom Mandel. Blogs offer him an opportunity to act as the sophisticated intellectual who is all knowing about the subject of the blog while he is actually just quoting some numbers that he claims support his opinion. I have never seen a post by Tom Mandel that addressed any technical aspect of basketball. I’d bet a dollar to a doughnut that he wouldn’t know a pick and roll from a pick and pop without using Google to get some definition. Stick with poetry; I understand you’re pretty good in that genre.

Comment from Babakism
Time March 20, 2011 at 1:47 AM

@Tom

people want to keep Nick because we have watched him SUCK every year leading up into this one and now that we finally have seen some improvement we don’t want to let him go for fear that he will blossom elsewhere like, Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Chris Webber and Rasheed Wallace. We forget about the Larry Hughes, Jared Jeffries, Jarvis Hayes, and Kwame Browns.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time March 20, 2011 at 2:05 AM

Blogs are wonderful things. They allow all interested in the subject to participate. This blog seems to attract Washington Bullet/Wizards Fans. I guess it works? No matter what the experience level… no matter how knowledgeable a blogger is… no matter what they have to say. It’s all important. Those of you that get frustrated by bloggers that seem to have no knowledge of the game have patience. The bloggers are here to support the team we all cheer for. If someone doesn’t understand the pick and roll it really doesn’t matter. What “does” matter is that everyone is here to support “OUR” team…

officially off the soap box now LOL

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time March 20, 2011 at 2:22 AM

BBKI…. me thinks with Ernie being so high on Crawford… Nick’s time was last year. I too get the feeling he is playing for a contract and Jordan is just … playing. I like Nick, and I appreciate the defense he has played this year after Flip coached him this past summer, but, Jordan seems to play the postition pretty well. We will see what happens between now and summer camp.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time March 20, 2011 at 2:39 AM

I really don’t follow college basketball so I need you guys that do. We are going to have a fairly high draft pick… we need a good 3. Who is the biggest and baddest (is that a word?) 3 in the nation? With our other 2 picks I want at least one Big Bad Bruiser… and the best player available past that. Help me you college basketball nuts… your time of year to shine

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 20, 2011 at 11:27 AM

@ getabig — Tom “doesn’t watch the games (live or on replay)”. Of course I watch them, amigo, although it’s true that I’ve missed @ a half dozen this year by being out of town or out for the evening and having had my old-man brain forget to DVR the game.

“The game of basketball means nothing to” Tom — I played basketball my whole life from about 10 years old until I ran out of the ability to find a game w/ guys my age.

“I’d bet a dollar to a doughnut that he wouldn’t know a pick and roll from a pick and pop without using Google” — oh come on! A “pick and roll” is when you get the seeds from a roll between your teeth and need a toothpick. Everyone knows that. And a pick and pop is the same thing but if you had a Tootsie Pop instead of a roll! Sheesh….

“What (Tom) cares about is being able to quote some statistic that supports his contrarian opinion about some player.”

Who’s that? In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s *you* who has the contrarian opinions.

E.g. do you think most people agree w/ you that Dray is a terrific player? “The best player on the floor night in night out” I believe you called him last year. This year you’ve reduced that to being in the “top 30 or 40% of power forwards.” You think a lot of people agree w/ you about that, my friend? I don’t.

Or do you think a lot of people agree w/ you that Nick is an excellent NBA basketball player, or even a very good one? This off-season we’ll see if there’s even one NBA GM who thinks so. As I’ve said here, Nick has improved this season. He’ll have a job next year. That’s it.

This blog gives Tom “an opportunity to act as the sophisticated intellectual.” Pffff.

More seriously, I do wonder sometimes why you repeatedly yield to the temptation to attack me “as hominem” (there’s that sophisticated intellectual thing again!! but I’m pretty sure you know exactly what I mean). If you think I’m *wrong* about something, feel free to explain why in some concrete way that reflects all the years you “played (and) coached the game at… (a) competitive level”.

For example, based on your extensive experience you explained that Dray didn’t rebound because Flip’s offense has him stationed outside. I asked how that affected his defensive rebounding — I’d still like the answer on that one!

But… all in all, I’d rather have you here taking potshots at me than not here at all!

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 20, 2011 at 8:27 PM

@ Tom M.: one answer; one comment.

“For example, based on your extensive experience you explained that Dray didn’t rebound because Flip’s offense has him stationed outside. I asked how that affected his defensive rebounding — I’d still like the answer on that one!” – Tom M.

Answer – First off, Andray is the leading rebounder on the Wizards (at least prior to his recent injusr). What more do you want? However, if you want to know why he doesn’t get more defensive rebounds, you have to watch what is happening, you will see that John Wall does not know how to defend the pick and roll. As a result, the “bigs” (Dray included) end up at the top of the key on defense after having been forced to “switch”. As I’ve said many times previously, It’s tough to rebound when you’re twenty feet from the basket. IMO, the bottom line is still that Saunders does not put his players in a position where they are best able to succeed either of defense or on offense. I can only hope that Ted L. has some advisors (other than the coaching staff) who actually understand basketball and will convience him to get rid of Saunders before 2011-2012 pre-season begins.

Comment – Even though I rarely feel able to agree with anything he writes, I consider Tom M. to be a stand-up blogger who is willing to give and take. I commend that position and find that while his posts are frequently annoying, they can also be thought-provoking, and humorous. As I stated previously as a negative, I will also concede as a positive…blogging provides an outlet for opinions. If I can post an opinion, you can also post yours.

BTW, nice win vs. the Nets today. All credit goes to the players.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time March 20, 2011 at 8:29 PM

injusr = injury … damn editor

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 20, 2011 at 9:18 PM

Thanks, Getabig. I think where we *agree* is in our desire for the Wizards to be successful! We’re fans — to a fault, perhaps, but definitely fans!

Dray’s rebounding rate has been just about the same throughout his career, both his defensive and offensive rebounding rate. With some exceptions, this is true of most players — independent of where they’re playing any given year or who their coach is.