Player rotation tonight

[CMonster]

I'm normally not big on the EJ bashing, but his substitution patterns tonight were absurd.

We went from having no depth to being 11 deep without Jamison? Count me as one who does like some things that Ruffin does and further I've been very impressed with Calvin Booth's play...but there's no need to find them token minutes. They can't get into a rythmn and it steals minutes from developing Blatche. If we are going to make noise in the playoffs, it's not going to be because of Ruffin, it's going to be because of Blatche.

Did any of Haywood, Thomas or Blatche play in the last 1.5 quarters? Songaila's legs are coming back but he's still 80% and that should be obvious. When veteran leadership was needed, why did Roger Mason get token minutes with AD no where to be found? Is it any wonder that the Kings beat us up inside with Jarvis Hayes playing the 4?

I like the bigger picture job that Eddie Jordan has done here but some of these things are pretty basic.

[Mr. Grundle]

Agreed, unfortunately. Too much Jarvis and Ruffin at the end of the game. Mason Jr. and Booth shouldn't see the floor at all now that the rest of these guys are healthy. I like Songaila. Not sure why EJ doesn't like to use big guys (Haywood, Thomas, Blatche) at the end of games.

[Warhead36]

It's not the small ball that bothers me. It's helped win us games this year. The problem is when EJ keeps going back to it when it clearly isn't working.

[PCRoughrider]

Everyone who was active, played tonight. We were 12 deep tonight.

[LiveStrongSkins]

I usually stick up for Jordan but tonight pissed me off big time. There is no excuse for Hayes and Ruffin to be on the court when it matters. If Haywood and or Blatche is roaming the paint in that 4th quarter we dont lose a 17 point lead. Roger Mason and Jarvis Hayes only care about getting in the box score it seems. It doesnt matter what the situation is when they touch the ball they are chucking. I do think I know the reason why Haywood didnt play much tonight. Early in the game whenever he got the ball in the post he didnt even look for the kick out.

[Thinking Skins]

I think the thing was to try to get Songolia and Ruffin in particular into a groove tonight. If we want to go deep in the playoffs we're going to need our big men to be able to step in and play well - particularly if there is another injury. So its important for them to get mins and be ready to come in and play ball. I was kinda mad at first and wanted to see more of Blache, and if we'd have lost I would have probably blamed that as a prime reason, but I can understand the motives. Its not like these guys CAN'T play, they just need mins in a real game to get back into the feel of playing ball again.

[sportsfan882]

Yeah, I'd like to know where all of the Eddie lovers are. There is no defending his coaching anymore. To sit Haywood and Blatche for nearly the whole game after the 1st quarter is inexcusable. It was even more inexcusable when he choked away the big lead in the 4th by playing Jarvis Hayes and Michael Ruffin for almost the entire quarter. Eddie, you have two solid centers (Wood and ET) and a 6' 11" young kid who has played well lately. How about using them?

[DjTj]

Alright, I'll try my hand at being an Eddie apologist.

This was the first game of a back-to-back, and the second game in a stretch where we're playing 6 games in 9 days.

I think it's pretty clear that EJ is limiting Blatche's minutes. None of us really know why he's doing this, but could it possibly be because this is the first year Blatche has seen regular playing time and we don't want to wear him out? Some of EJ's moves seem to make sense to me when I think that he's trying to rest players rather than think about why he's putting someone in the game.

I actually see EJ do this a lot - we get a big lead and he wants to rest our bigs, so he puts in Ruffin or Booth and maybe even Mason to get some playing time. He leaves Gilbert and Caron in because I guess they don't ever want out of the game, but we inevitably give back the lead and the starters have to come back in and work even harder. I really don't think EJ is really thinking all that much when he makes these substitutions, especially when we've got a solid lead - it's just like in high school - Blatche looks tired, we should get him out of there.

[hands11]

I'm normally not big on the EJ bashing, but his substitution patterns tonight were absurd.

We went from having no depth to being 11 deep without Jamison? Count me as one who does like some things that Ruffin does and further I've been very impressed with Calvin Booth's play...but there's no need to find them token minutes. They can't get into a rythmn and it steals minutes from developing Blatche. If we are going to make noise in the playoffs, it's not going to be because of Ruffin, it's going to be because of Blatche.

Did any of Haywood, Thomas or Blatche play in the last 1.5 quarters? Songaila's legs are coming back but he's still 80% and that should be obvious. When veteran leadership was needed, why did Roger Mason get token minutes with AD no where to be found? Is it any wonder that the Kings beat us up inside with Jarvis Hayes playing the 4?

I like the bigger picture job that Eddie Jordan has done here but some of these things are pretty basic.

I actually liked some of what I saw from Jarvis but yeah, everything else you said it right on.

[hands11]

Everyone who was active, played tonight. We were 12 deep tonight.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=270222027



But he didn't find any rest for the players you would want to rest and he found rest for players that didn't need it.

[hands11]

I think the thing was to try to get Songolia and Ruffin in particular into a groove tonight. If we want to go deep in the playoffs we're going to need our big men to be able to step in and play well - particularly if there is another injury. So its important for them to get mins and be ready to come in and play ball. I was kinda mad at first and wanted to see more of Blache, and if we'd have lost I would have probably blamed that as a prime reason, but I can understand the motives. Its not like these guys CAN'T play, they just need mins in a real game to get back into the feel of playing ball again.

I would love to believe that but EJ has a long history on making poor subs so while that would be a great reason, it may be a stretch. EJ has done this same thing when there wasn't that reason and he hasn't done this when it would have been a good reason. Even last night. By your reasoning, we should have at least seen Blatche and probably Etan. Etan is still on his way back from injury and needs minutes.

So to date, nothing has changed. EJ has still not proven to be a good game time coach. This is the same thing some of us have pointed out for 3 plus years now.

[hands11]

Alright, I'll try my hand at being an Eddie apologist.

This was the first game of a back-to-back, and the second game in a stretch where we're playing 6 games in 9 days.

I think it's pretty clear that EJ is limiting Blatche's minutes. None of us really know why he's doing this, but could it possibly be because this is the first year Blatche has seen regular playing time and we don't want to wear him out? Some of EJ's moves seem to make sense to me when I think that he's trying to rest players rather than think about why he's putting someone in the game.

I actually see EJ do this a lot - we get a big lead and he wants to rest our bigs, so he puts in Ruffin or Booth and maybe even Mason to get some playing time. He leaves Gilbert and Caron in because I guess they don't ever want out of the game, but we inevitably give back the lead and the starters have to come back in and work even harder. I really don't think EJ is really thinking all that much when he makes these substitutions, especially when we've got a solid lead - it's just like in high school - Blatche looks tired, we should get him out of there.

A valiant attempt but read the mins in the box score for one and for two, that doesn't explain not using any of them for another 2-4 mins down the stretch.

Etan played 8 mins.
Blatche 16 min and had sat on the bench since early in the 3rd.
Haywood had 23mins. He didnt look tired and sat the same as Blatche.

Logic dictates that, given all possible reasons, the most obvious answer is usually the truth.

On any kind of consistent basis has EJs, over the 3 yrs as head coach, proven to be a good game time coach?

Does he sub very well? Does he call TOs in a timely manner? Do he get the T when needed? Does he play the best defensive players for a last stand?

History is often a great predictor of future evens. Sure, it doesn't always predict the future. People can change and learn from their mistakes. But most of us are aware that change is something that is hard for people to do. They usually repeat their same actions for a long time before seeing that change is needed and then change is often very challenging. It's actually a physiological fact of how the brain works. Is has to do with established Neural paths in the brain. It's like water going down a river. The river is there. It's established. So that is where the water drains to. It's the path of least resistance. It will only seek another path after water is forced in a new direction over a long period of time. The brain works much the same way. Establish actions or reflex type actions are a product of establish Neural brain paths. It take great effort for most to change this. We all fall victim to this fact.

[Chachie]

I think the thing was to try to get Songolia and Ruffin in particular into a groove tonight. If we want to go deep in the playoffs we're going to need our big men to be able to step in and play well - particularly if there is another injury. So its important for them to get mins and be ready to come in and play ball. I was kinda mad at first and wanted to see more of Blache, and if we'd have lost I would have probably blamed that as a prime reason, but I can understand the motives. Its not like these guys CAN'T play, they just need mins in a real game to get back into the feel of playing ball again.


BINGO. We can't just play 6 men every night. Finally somebody who understands.

I'm not always happy with who's on the floor at certain points of a game, but we have to find out what we have and we have to get our players who were injured back into game shape.

[fixer26er]

BINGO. We can't just play 6 men every night. Finally somebody who understands.

I'm not always happy with who's on the floor at certain points of a game, but we have to find out what we have and we have to get our players who were injured back into game shape.

You can get players back into game shape, but you do it when the game isn't on the line. I understand putting them in when the lead is 17 or 18, but once they cut it down to 9 or 10 a smart coach usually realizes that and gets either Thomas, Haywood or Blatche back into the game to stop the bleeding.

[Chachie]

You can get players back into game shape, but you do it when the game isn't on the line. I understand putting them in when the lead is 17 or 18, but once they cut it down to 9 or 10 a smart coach usually realizes that and gets either Thomas, Haywood or Blatche back into the game to stop the bleeding.


It's an 82-game season. We have to go to Chicago tonight and beat a team that can climb one game closer to us in the standings if they beat us. I'm willing to bet Eddie had this in mind when he rested the players he did last night. You guys might want to look ahead every once in a while. The Kings are a Western conference team with no effect on our playoff race. I'm sure Jordan was giving Haywood and Blatche the rest HE thinks they needed and he had to show some faith we would pull it out last night.

I'm gonna go ahead and just leave the coaching to EJ. The rest of you can apply for the job whenever you feel ready to take over and improve.

[TheREALJBird]

It's an 82-game season. We have to go to Chicago tonight and beat a team that can climb one game closer to us in the standings if they beat us. I'm willing to bet Eddie had this in mind when he rested the players he did last night. You guys might want to look ahead every once in a while. The Kings are a Western conference team with no effect on our playoff race. I'm sure Jordan was giving Haywood and Blatche the rest HE thinks they needed and he had to show some faith we would pull it out last night.

I'm gonna go ahead and just leave the coaching to EJ. The rest of you can apply for the job whenever you feel ready to take over and improve.

Good call, and I agree. We have a 5 game stretch starting tonight where all of our games are in a 1 to 2 day span. It's gonna be tough, and I'm sure EJ had this in mind when making the decisions he did last night

[fixer26er]

It's an 82-game season. We have to go to Chicago tonight and beat a team that can climb one game closer to us in the standings if they beat us. I'm willing to bet Eddie had this in mind when he rested the players he did last night. You guys might want to look ahead every once in a while. The Kings are a Western conference team with no effect on our playoff race. I'm sure Jordan was giving Haywood and Blatche the rest HE thinks they needed and he had to show some faith we would pull it out last night.

I'm gonna go ahead and just leave the coaching to EJ. The rest of you can apply for the job whenever you feel ready to take over and improve.

Regardless of whether or not it is a western conference opponent or not it still effects the standings. If the Wizards would have lost last night Chicago would have been a game closer because they won also. If he's resting Haywood and Blatche then play Thomas. None of the bigs play many minutes anyway. It's Gilbert, Caron and Antawn that need to be rested.

It doesn't matter anyway because I am sure if the game is close tonight he'll play Ruffin and Jarvis together again.

[GOSKINS_08]

Funny how everybody seems that they can do a better job then Eddie Jordan..He has us 2nd in the East..Now everybody will say its despite EJ..Go get a head coaching job if you can do better.

[Chachie]

Funny how everybody seems that they can do a better job then Eddie Jordan..He has us 2nd in the East..Now everybody will say its despite EJ..Go get a head coaching job if you can do better.




:applause: :applause: :applause: :notworthy

[hands11]

You can get players back into game shape, but you do it when the game isn't on the line. I understand putting them in when the lead is 17 or 18, but once they cut it down to 9 or 10 a smart coach usually realizes that and gets either Thomas, Haywood or Blatche back into the game to stop the bleeding.

That a good point.Fixer26 is up 10 in this arguement. :D

Dude, I wouldn't sub yet. :D

[hands11]

:applause: :applause: :applause: :notworthy


Come on, don't applaud that. That one liner is so old. It's child's logic to not look any deeper then that.

I know your sharper then that. I read your posts. You usually make sense.

[Chachie]

Come on, don't applaud that. That one liner is so old. It's child's logic to not look any deeper then that.

I know your sharper then that. I read your posts. You usually make sense.

:)

I also waver between bashing Eddie and defending him fiercely. The truth is, I see the same thing most of you do when we're playing poorly and our best guys have been sitting for 5+ minutes. I am, though, such a loyalist that I look for the reasons why it's happening instead of "leaping from the ledge." I have said this before here but I simply cannot give myself or any of you guys more credit for rotating players in an NBA game than I will an NBA coach. (Or even an assistant.) I totally admit that I scream, "TIME OUT!" 3-4 minutes before Jordan does and it makes me insane, but how can I sit here and think that he doesn't realize what's going on or that assistants would recommend it to him or that Ernie wouldn't take a meeting with him or even that his family/friends wouldn't try to point these things out to him. He's GOT to have a plan or even have a clue and there's something (or a hundred things) that WE don't know about. We're not on the bench. NFL coaches have 16 games a year to look good or bad. NBA coaches have 82. It's hard to look good that many times in a row. Nobody's perfect and this team is NOT perfect. He's brought them a LONG way. They are still on the road. I'll be the first to admit that he's done nothing yet to earn the title of "great NBA head coach." But Gilbert's done nothing yet to reach HOF status either. You guys wanna trade Gil?

btw- I can be the KING of the one-liners sometimes. :D


BEAT THE BULLS! :applause:

[Mr. Grundle]

:)

I also waver between bashing Eddie and defending him fiercely. The truth is, I see the same thing most of you do when we're playing poorly and our best guys have been sitting for 5+ minutes. I am, though, such a loyalist that I look for the reasons why it's happening instead of "leaping from the ledge." I have said this before here but I simply cannot give myself or any of you guys more credit for rotating players in an NBA game than I will an NBA coach. (Or even an assistant.) I totally admit that I scream, "TIME OUT!" 3-4 minutes before Jordan does and it makes me insane, but how can I sit here and think that he doesn't realize what's going on or that assistants would recommend it to him or that Ernie wouldn't take a meeting with him or even that his family/friends wouldn't try to point these things out to him. He's GOT to have a plan or even have a clue and there's something (or a hundred things) that WE don't know about. We're not on the bench. NFL coaches have 16 games a year to look good or bad. NBA coaches have 82. It's hard to look good that many times in a row. Nobody's perfect and this team is NOT perfect. He's brought them a LONG way. They are still on the road. I'll be the first to admit that he's done nothing yet to earn the title of "great NBA head coach." But Gilbert's done nothing yet to reach HOF status either. You guys wanna trade Gil?

btw- I can be the KING of the one-liners sometimes. :D


BEAT THE BULLS! :applause:

Karl Mal-OWNED. :notworthy

[mhd24]

Tonight show how much of a coaching geniuos EJ is? Great way not to use a rested Haywood against the Bulls EJ. Instead, play the worst offensive player in the nba (Ruffin), and a guy who can't guard a tree (Etan). Haywood never gets any playing time in the fourth, and the Bulls lead swells. This has been going on for four freaking years. Haywood is the best defensive player on the team. His +- ratio is astounding. Compare his time to Etan and Ruffin's, and see how much of an impact he makes. Haywood should be PISSED at how EJ favor inferioir and weaker players in Ruffin and Thomas over him. "Hey Etan, you are suspended for 2 games. Don't worry, even though you don't pass, can't guard anyone, turn the ball over, air out the dirty launbdry to the media, and make far too much money, I'll continue to play you over the better player". Watch every time EJ pulls Haywood, how the Wizards lead will be wiped out. EJ is a moron of a coach. Playing Hayes at PF is idiotic when Songaila and Blatche are available. When Ruffin and Hayes expire after the season, only one of Ej's butt-budies (Etan) will be left standing in the rotation.

[fixer26er]

Tonight show how much of a coaching geniuos EJ is? Great way not to use a rested Haywood against the Bulls EJ. Instead, play the worst offensive player in the nba (Ruffin), and a guy who can't guard a tree (Etan). Haywood never gets any playing time in the fourth, and the Bulls lead swells. This has been going on for four freaking years. Haywood is the best defensive player on the team. His +- ratio is astounding. Compare his time to Etan and Ruffin's, and see how much of an impact he makes. Haywood should be PISSED at how EJ favor inferioir and weaker players in Ruffin and Thomas over him. "Hey Etan, you are suspended for 2 games. Don't worry, even though you don't pass, can't guard anyone, turn the ball over, air out the dirty launbdry to the media, and make far too much money, I'll continue to play you over the better player". Watch every time EJ pulls Haywood, how the Wizards lead will be wiped out. EJ is a moron of a coach. Playing Hayes at PF is idiotic when Songaila and Blatche are available. When Ruffin and Hayes expire after the season, only one of Ej's butt-budies (Etan) will be left standing in the rotation.

Preach on...

[Sticksboi05]

I usually lay off EJ but no Haywwod in the 4th is completely unacceptable.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I usually lay off EJ but no Haywwod in the 4th is completely unacceptable.

Yeah, I agree.

And no Blatche, either...who's arguably our best defender....

[fixer26er]

I usually lay off EJ but no Haywwod in the 4th is completely unacceptable.

Is it any wonder that during the Wizards best stretch of the season both Ruffin and Etan were out with injuries? EJ was forced to play Haywood and it showed in the win-loss column. Now that he has options he refuses to play Haywood. I just don't understand what Eddie's problem is with Haywood. I would think that he wants to win, not saying he doesn't want to, but it doesn't make sense when he doesn't play Haywood more than 22 minutes a game.

They were down 3 going into the 4th quarter and all we get is Ruffin, Hayes and Songaila at the power positions the whole 4th?

[Mr. Grundle]

Yeah, I agree.

And no Blatche, either...who's arguably our best defender....

Blatche is not our best defender. He is a good help defender mainly due to his length and athleticism, and it allows him to get some highlight reel blocks. But he is not a good one-on-one defender at all. He regularly gets beat or commits a foul.

Ruffin is actually one of our best defensive players, and that is the only reason he gets minutes. I actually don't mind that Ruffin plays....it's Hayes that kills me. Ruffin plays good defense, hustles, but doesn't take away offensive opportunities from our scorers. Jarvis constantly does by throwing up brick after brick.

I'd love a lineup of Gil, DS, Caron, Ruffin, and Haywood in the 4th. That's a hard-nose lineup to grind it out down the stretch right there.

I would really like to hear EJ's reasoning for not playing Haywood in the 4th. He obviously has a reason but I have no idea what it is.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Blatche is not our best defender. He is a good help defender mainly due to his length and athleticism, and it allows him to get some highlight reel blocks. But he is not a good one-on-one defender at all. He regularly gets beat or commits a foul.

Ruffin is actually one of our best defensive players, and that is the only reason he gets minutes. I actually don't mind that Ruffin plays....it's Hayes that kills me. Ruffin plays good defense, hustles, but doesn't take away offensive opportunities from our scorers. Jarvis constantly does by throwing up brick after brick.

I'd love a lineup of Gil, DS, Caron, Ruffin, and Haywood in the 4th. That's a hard-nose lineup to grind it out down the stretch right there.

I would really like to hear EJ's reasoning for not playing Haywood in the 4th. He obviously has a reason but I have no idea what it is.

He's a good help defender and since everyone else and their ****ing mother gets beat, they need his help.

[GOSKINS_08]

Come on, don't applaud that. That one liner is so old. It's child's logic to not look any deeper then that.

I know your sharper then that. I read your posts. You usually make sense.

Hey, I got an idea..Lets complain all the time even though we're having a very good season right? YEEEEAH lets complain instead.:doh: :rolleyes:

[CMonster]

Wow. Let me steal a line from the very smart Bill Maher who once said the mark of a smart man is one who can hold two opposing thoughts in his head at the same time.

It's not all good or all bad with EJ. I give EJ all the credit in the world for developing the players, for earning their trust and respect, for putting in a system that works in today's NBA and fits the roster and for having us in our current position....but he seems to be weak at substituting and sometimes making adjustments. I can admire EJ as a coach and still acknowledge that weakness.

In fact, I'd put much of the blame tonite on EJ's poor substitution patterns and lack of adjustments. The first two times I saw Caron go one on one should have been the last two. But he kept doing it and DS joined him....and that plays right into the hands of the Bulls. We will not beat the Bulls in a series playing 1 on 1 ball. We need to run the offense.

Also, where on earth did Donnell Taylor come from? When was the last time he played and why did he get off the bench before Daniels or Hayes (who, don't look now, has played well 2 games in a row)? Taylor will never be a contributor in the NBA and if you want to get him some experimental PT, don't do it in a crucial game on the road missing AJ. His 0-3 performance slowed the momentum we had.

Another reason we lost was our defense early in the fourth Q. The Bulls had scored on 10 of 12 possessions and it's no coincidence that Haywood and Blatche were both out. While Songaila adds some interesting things to the mix, Haywood and Blatche are our best defensive tandem AS WELL AS our best offensive tandem. Their defense in the first Q was outstanding, as noted by Hubie Brown. Blatche was our best defender today (more Blatche comments in the Blatche topic). If I'm the coach, Haywood/Blatche get 75% of the minutes, Songaila gets 15% (more when healthy), and Thomas gets the rest. Ruffin and Booth are simply too limited to take PT away from the others, perhaps Thomas.

[clathel]

I am glad we are playing Blatche alot more now but I also hope he looks better than he has the last 2 nights...I think he needs to work on conditioning big time this summer.

[mad4comp]

Hey, I got an idea..Lets complain all the time even though we're having a very good season right? YEEEEAH lets complain instead.:doh: :rolleyes:

Or better yet, lets all just applaud the wizards and EJ for being mediocre for yet another season YEEEEAH lets root for them to be mediocre. :doh: :rolleyes:

[GOSKINS_08]

Or better yet, lets all just applaud the wizards and EJ for being mediocre for yet another season YEEEEAH lets root for them to be mediocre. :doh: :rolleyes:

I'll applaud being 10 games over .500 anytime.

[hands11]

:)

I also waver between bashing Eddie and defending him fiercely. The truth is, I see the same thing most of you do when we're playing poorly and our best guys have been sitting for 5+ minutes. I am, though, such a loyalist that I look for the reasons why it's happening instead of "leaping from the ledge." I have said this before here but I simply cannot give myself or any of you guys more credit for rotating players in an NBA game than I will an NBA coach. (Or even an assistant.) I totally admit that I scream, "TIME OUT!" 3-4 minutes before Jordan does and it makes me insane, but how can I sit here and think that he doesn't realize what's going on or that assistants would recommend it to him or that Ernie wouldn't take a meeting with him or even that his family/friends wouldn't try to point these things out to him. He's GOT to have a plan or even have a clue and there's something (or a hundred things) that WE don't know about. We're not on the bench. NFL coaches have 16 games a year to look good or bad. NBA coaches have 82. It's hard to look good that many times in a row. Nobody's perfect and this team is NOT perfect. He's brought them a LONG way. They are still on the road. I'll be the first to admit that he's done nothing yet to earn the title of "great NBA head coach." But Gilbert's done nothing yet to reach HOF status either. You guys wanna trade Gil?

btw- I can be the KING of the one-liners sometimes. :D


BEAT THE BULLS! :applause:

Yeah well, Marty was fired and Norv replaced him. Just because they are head coaches does mean they are good head coaches. Teams often have assistant coaches in head coaching roles. Other thing lead to this happening like the team needs stabilty first or the team needs to get to stage 2 before stage 3. Young teams that need to get off the ground can get by with an assistant as head coach because they arent going to win it all anyway and often a top head coach doesnt have the patience that is need to start with baby steps.

So you deal with their shortcommings while they add what you needed most today and hope they grow into what you need tomarrow. If they don't, you replace them. To me this is what EJ is.

[TakeTheFG]

I'll applaud being 10 games over .500 anytime.

what does that buy you in the playoffs? record doesn't matter. get in the playoffs and its a brand new ball game. The east plays mroe of a grinder style game and the wizards will need to show that they can play a half court game or they will be outted in the first round..

[XxSpearheadxX]

Definately some questionable rotations, Blatche is a little tired from banging with the likes of Ben Wallace and Abdur-Rahim I'm sure, but there were some questionable things going on.

Songaila looked completely spent for about 8 minutes before he was yanked. He was all red all over and huffing it and couldn't even jump for rebounds tonight, it is to be expected, but he was involved in giving up a # of key baskets/rebounds during that period.

Oh well, we are doing well without Jamison, I'm happy!

[XxSpearheadxX]

The east plays mroe of a grinder style game and the wizards will need to show that they can play a half court game or they will be outted in the first round..

Except for that time they weren't outted in the first round, you mean, right?

[Chachie]

Yeah well, Marty was fired and Norv replaced him. Just because they are head coaches does mean they are good head coaches. Teams often have assistant coaches in head coaching roles. Other thing lead to this happening like the team needs stabilty first or the team needs to get to stage 2 before stage 3. Young teams that need to get off the ground can get by with an assistant as head coach because they arent going to win it all anyway and often a top head coach doesnt have the patience that is need to start with baby steps.

So you deal with their shortcommings while they add what you needed most today and hope they grow into what you need tomarrow. If they don't, you replace them. To me this is what EJ is.

And that's fine, Hands. You're a b-ball guy and you might be right in the long run. Your point has been made clear.
He's got to grow as a head coach just like players have to grow in their roles. I know he loves this city, I know he's a good coach. He hasn't had Blatche, Song, Steves, or Taylor for long and he's got to play them. Song and Ruffin are just beginning their season. The defense is showing more effort, which would indicate his speech after the Blazer game got into some heads. I'd like to see you just get behind the guy who's gotten us this far. I know you're true to the Wiz. This isn't about that at all. Just try to understand that he is ahead of the curve for his years as a head coach here. We are on the uprise.

[jbooma]

Alright, I'll try my hand at being an Eddie apologist.

This was the first game of a back-to-back, and the second game in a stretch where we're playing 6 games in 9 days.

I think it's pretty clear that EJ is limiting Blatche's minutes. None of us really know why he's doing this, but could it possibly be because this is the first year Blatche has seen regular playing time and we don't want to wear him out? Some of EJ's moves seem to make sense to me when I think that he's trying to rest players rather than think about why he's putting someone in the game.

I actually see EJ do this a lot - we get a big lead and he wants to rest our bigs, so he puts in Ruffin or Booth and maybe even Mason to get some playing time. He leaves Gilbert and Caron in because I guess they don't ever want out of the game, but we inevitably give back the lead and the starters have to come back in and work even harder. I really don't think EJ is really thinking all that much when he makes these substitutions, especially when we've got a solid lead - it's just like in high school - Blatche looks tired, we should get him out of there.

Maybe Blatche is not as good as everyone on this board who have proclaimed him to be the next KG :)

As long as we stay .500 without Jamison we will be fine, and I think this is what EJ is thinking as well. Once we get him back watch out, this team will go on a nice run :cheers:

[jbooma]

So you deal with their shortcommings while they add what you needed most today and hope they grow into what you need tomarrow. If they don't, you replace them. To me this is what EJ is.

EJ has done a great job in masking our shortcommings, which is why we are where we are.

[fixer26er]

Ruffin is actually one of our best defensive players

Ruffin MIGHT be one of our best defenders, when he plays power forward, not when he plays center. Eddie seems hell bent on playing him at center and Hayes at the 4 during crunch time.

I'm not bashing Ruffin, I like his hustle and I am sure that he pushes the other players in practice. He has earned a FEW minutes a game, but the results show that he doesn't deserve to be playing the crunch time minutes.

[hands11]

And that's fine, Hands. You're a b-ball guy and you might be right in the long run. Your point has been made clear.
He's got to grow as a head coach just like players have to grow in their roles. I know he loves this city, I know he's a good coach. He hasn't had Blatche, Song, Steves, or Taylor for long and he's got to play them. Song and Ruffin are just beginning their season. The defense is showing more effort, which would indicate his speech after the Blazer game got into some heads. I'd like to see you just get behind the guy who's gotten us this far. I know you're true to the Wiz. This isn't about that at all. Just try to understand that he is ahead of the curve for his years as a head coach here. We are on the uprise.

I'm always pulling for him to get it. It would be better for the team if it was him at the helm and he fixed these things. Besides, he is the coach the rest of this year and the next. Id rather him grow and get it then be frustrated watching the same mistakes the next 2 yrs.

[hands11]

EJ has done a great job in masking our shortcommings, which is why we are where we are.

It pointless the waste space making such an over simplified statement like that about EJ when you know dame well it all has been well documents to the contrary and there is zero chance a post like this would alter mine and many other here's view on that topic. Why would you even waste your time posting that?

[jbooma]

It pointless the waste space making such an over simplified statement like that about EJ when you know dame well it all has been well documents to the contrary and there is zero chance a post like this would alter mine and many other here's view on that topic. Why would you even waste your time posting that?

It is not a waste your post is trying to say we have talent on this team, which we don't. We have 4 players that would play on other NBA teams, thats it. You proclaim a young player is already great, yet he is so inconsistent he can't even get minutes, even with the lack of talent on our bench.

Chicago, Detroit, maybe Cleaveland, and even Toronto are all more talented then us. We win because of Gil, Caron, and Jamison, and the defensive play from Stevenson. If Jamison is not healthy then we have no shot.

For EJ to be able to have us where we are out with the talent on this team is a remarkable job, including when 2 of his key players can not play D.

I think in the offseason we will see EG start making our bench into a contender.

[CMonster]

I'm resurrecting this thread cause I'm not sure where else these comments are appropriate, but the player rotations continue to be spastic for lack of a better word. I've been very much on the Eddie Jordan bandwagon but he is losing me with his refusal to reign in players and his counterproductive substitution patterns.

Now that Jamison and Butler are back, it's clear that not giving Blatche every minute possible before was a mistake. He was clearly a spark off the bench but he's still not comfortable and but he just needs experience.

Why did Daniels go from 6th man to 12th man to 6th man? And Donnell Taylor vice versa? If Jarvis Hayes was so important that he plays 17 minutes in the second half, why didn't he play in the first half?

Why do we insist on playing Jarvis Hayes at the 4 when it repeatedly does not produce results? Why do we continue to go away from Haywood in the 4th quarter when it repeatedly costs us leads?

So many questions. There is something to continuity and chemistry with units or player combinations. This is not preseason, we should not be seeing all of these brand new player combinations. These things are obvious to anyone who watches all the Wizards games.

Sorry for the rant.

[Mr. Grundle]

EJ was asked about Hayes minutes in his post-game conference. He said he was so focused on playing Blatche and Songaila in the 2nd quarter that he actually forgot about Jarvis (wish he would do this more often). That is why he got extra minutes in the second half.

[KillaCam21]

just watched the highlights on sportscenter, and I just realized something that I didnt during the game: in a tie game with under a minute to go, we had Arenas, Stevenson, hayes, jamison, and butler on the floor. How can we expect so stop anyone on interior? The hawks got a dunk to go up one, stevenson got fouled and tied it up, we brought in haywood, stevenson missed the second, haywood and caron crash the board, stevenson grabs the deflection, and gets fouled again and gives us the lead. Haywood should definately be seeing more minutes.

[LightAgent]

Maybe EJ needs to see these rotations in real game situations to prepare for the playoffs. Although he had some games that baffled me too, His rotations were not as spastic the 1st half of the season. I dont know for sure but, that keeps my head from exploding.

[hands11]

Maybe EJ needs to see these rotations in real game situations to prepare for the playoffs. Although he had some games that baffled me too, His rotations were not as spastic the 1st half of the season. I don't know for sure but, that keeps my head from exploding.


Not spastic? He played 7 players for most the first half and ran Gil, CB and AJ into the ground. yeah, it wasn't spastic at all but it wasn't very smart.

The time to get Blatche, Mason, Taylor, Lang etc minutes was earlier in the season. Leading the conference at the All Star break isn't the goal. Instead you want to come on like a freight train just going into it and and coming out of it for the home stretch to the playoffs. You want your best players rested so they can start to exert more effort during these more important games down the stretch.

[hands11]

EJ was asked about Hayes minutes in his post-game conference. He said he was so focused on playing Blatche and Songaila in the 2nd quarter that he actually forgot about Jarvis (wish he would do this more often). That is why he got extra minutes in the second half.

Are you kidding me? That was his reply? Thats the dumbest thing I can recall hearing a head coach say and do.

He gave him extra minutes because he forgot about him?

[hands11]

just watched the highlights on sportscenter, and I just realized something that I didnt during the game: in a tie game with under a minute to go, we had Arenas, Stevenson, hayes, jamison, and butler on the floor. How can we expect so stop anyone on interior? The hawks got a dunk to go up one, stevenson got fouled and tied it up, we brought in haywood, stevenson missed the second, haywood and caron crash the board, stevenson grabs the deflection, and gets fouled again and gives us the lead. Haywood should definately be seeing more minutes.

Hey, please dont question EJs line ups or rotations. He knows a lot more about this kind of thing that you do so you can never be right about any observation that question EJ moves. He is an NBA coach, you are not. Did I get that right EJ lovers? :laugh:

[CMonster]

Maybe EJ needs to see these rotations in real game situations to prepare for the playoffs. Although he had some games that baffled me too, His rotations were not as spastic the 1st half of the season. I dont know for sure but, that keeps my head from exploding. While that would be a convenient conclusion, it holds no water. EJ has been giving 13 players PT over the past few weeks. Come the playoffs, we'll be going no more than 8, perhaps 9 deep. In the playoffs, you cannot find time for both Booth and Ruffin, if either of them. Same goes for Mason and Hayes, and given the way Mason is shooting the ball it's a worthy question.

Finding 3-6 minutes for Taylor, Booth, or Ruffin is counterproductive. It's not enough time for them to find a rythmn or prove that they can contribute and it takes away from the development of Blatche and a trial run for Mason.

We should be going no more than 10 deep right now with Daniels getting all of the minutes at the 1, Hayes OR Mason getting minutes to shoot themselves into the backup 2 and perhaps some minutes at the 3, Blatche at the 3/4, Songailia at the 4, and Thomas getting the time that Haywood needs a blow. THAT'S IT. Playing other people in other positions and in different combinations does not lead to lineups gelling before the playoffs.

[Mooka]

I would like to say they are spastic, but this is how EJ has been subbing since he became the coach.

[hands11]

While that would be a convenient conclusion, it holds no water. EJ has been giving 13 players PT over the past few weeks. Come the playoffs, we'll be going no more than 8, perhaps 9 deep. In the playoffs, you cannot find time for both Booth and Ruffin, if either of them. Same goes for Mason and Hayes, and given the way Mason is shooting the ball it's a worthy question.

Finding 3-6 minutes for Taylor, Booth, or Ruffin is counterproductive. It's not enough time for them to find a rythmn or prove that they can contribute and it takes away from the development of Blatche and a trial run for Mason.

We should be going no more than 10 deep right now with Daniels getting all of the minutes at the 1, Hayes OR Mason getting minutes to shoot themselves into the backup 2 and perhaps some minutes at the 3, Blatche at the 3/4, Songailia at the 4, and Thomas getting the time that Haywood needs a blow. THAT'S IT. Playing other people in other positions and in different combinations does not lead to lineups gelling before the playoffs.

And who says we dont have any brains on this board.

Another home run.

[CMonster]

And who says we dont have any brains on this board.

Another home run. Why thank you, hands.

BTW, at one point coaching basketball was a career path for me, and I have coached a little at the HS level previously.

[Smooter]

I hate Eddie a lot too... especially for playing Etan (absolutely no defense other than a block here and there)

[hands11]

Why thank you, hands.

BTW, at one point coaching basketball was a career path for me, and I have coached a little at the HS level previously.


Well, then your an Xs and Os guy. Tell me... What kind of offense do we run and what kind of D.

I know this isn't the Princeton offense. Ive read up on that. This isn't it.

As for the D. I understand we defend the post and fall back below the foul line. Its like a one on one / Zone hybrid or just Zone.

Why dont our players fit well with this style and how do you fix it.