Defense will be our down fall.

[bigricky3469]

I think that everybody that has watched a Wizard’s game this season will agree that our style of defensive play will be our complete down fall. This basically was the same knock on the Nets teams during their runs but they still played better defense then us. Our guards are very good at getting steals in the open court but in the half court game they often too many times let their men drive by them and drive into the lane. Also the wiz suck at helping each other out, they should probably play more zones. But zones would probably make them even lazier on the defensive side of the court.

So what is the fix, well most people say that in order to play defense it takes more energy and desire than ability but it also takes a lot of attitude. When our team changes it focus from who’s getting triple dibbles to that has made the most stops on defense we will always be just an average team. But to be honest after what we’ve all seen from the wiz the past 20 or so season just being plain average would be a refreshing change.

[fixer26er]

I don't think defense will be the biggest problem we have all year. I think it will be the lack of an inside game. Our bigs get barely any touches at all.

No wonder Kwame got p*ssed at Eddie Jordan. Kwame blows a defensive assignment and gets chewed out. Yet, Larry Hughes and Juan Dixon are allowed and almost encouraged to come in the game and jack up terrible shots at will. Haywood and Brown should get around 10 shots per game each. Most good NBA teams work inside out. Not Eddie Jordan and the Princeton offense though. Take the Miami game for instance, perimeter players have an off night and the team gets smoked. Here are the Trio's numbers: Hughes 5-22, Arenas 5-18 and Jamison 5-17. Not very pretty. I understand that shooters need to keep shooting, problem is Gil is the only pure shooter out of that group. I am not saying that I don't like any of the three either, I like them all alot. They just need to force feed the big men and it will make life much easier for them. Look at Haywood 2-3 and Brown 6-9. Sure the percentages would have dropped a little if they had shot more, but it wouldn't have been as bad as the Trio's %.

That will be the downfall of this team, their jump-shooting mentality, not their defense.

[bigricky3469]

That will be the downfall of this team, their jump-shooting mentality, not their defense.

I understand some what about where you're coming from but defense wins and some of the worse shooting teams in the league have proven that theory time and time again. We need to get tough on "D" and that’s the bottom line.

I also think that our big man should get more touches in each game. It’s a proven fact that when Brown gets touches he's more focus on both ends of the court. It is essential that we keep our big men involved in the offense and stop always shooting so many jumpers. With both aspects of the game working for us opposing defensives will have to pick there poison. I mention in a message right after last season finished that we should look inside first but here the kicker. We started the season with basically no inside game so the big three have become very a custom to taking their shoots now that Haywood and Brown are showing some flashes of life I think it’s important that the guards start looking for them on a more consistent basis.

But overall that’s not been the key problem and the key problem and most people will agree with me that our team defense sucks and we have to for the most part out shoot our opponent in order to win. However, like I said before I’m still very happy about how we’re playing us all shouldn’t forget this is still a very young team we are talking about and no one thought we would be playing this good this soon.

[Bugs']

I agree that the biggest problem right now is our "team" defense. Not anyone in particular that stands out as doing the worst but our defense as a unit. We are not sliding to take charges (except Ruffin) and we are not helping out enough. Maybe our defensive scheme takes longer to get used to as we are finally get used to the Princeton style offense.

I have to disagree about our offense in anyway being the problem. We have been one of the highest scoring teams in the league all year so far so that is a strength not weakness.

[fixer26er]

Originally posted by bigricky3469


I understand some what about where you're coming from but defense wins and some of the worse shooting teams in the league have proven that theory time and time again. We need to get tough on "D" and that’s the bottom line.

I am not saying that our "D" is not a problem. I think once Kwame and Etan are both at 100% you'll see better overall team defense. I just think down the road, once the "D" comes around that our jump shooting mentality is going to shoot us out of some games.

I am hoping that when Blake is healthy EJ won't hesitate to play him and Arenas together to show Larry and Juan that they don't need to come in and jack up 20+ shots per game. And don't get me wrong, I like both of those players. I just wish they wouldn't shoot so much when they are having an off night.

[hands11]

Give it time.

Haywood is taking a step up and his points are up and so is his defense. He just isnt good enough to handle Shaq. We can just add him to the list of players that can't. He still doesnt have a dependable post move.

Kwame has played 6 games. They are working him back into the flow. You arent going to change what is working ( the big 3 ) over night just because Kwame is on the floor. They will slowly transition to getting him the ball more.

When Etan returns, he is pretty aggressive getting to the hoop and dunking and getting fouls.

Etan is the heart of this teams defensive tough energy and he is not on the court.
Kwame and Etan with change all that troubles you today.

Let is ride. Be patient. Remember how young these guy are and how good we are so soon. No one thaught it would come together this quick and now people are being impatient that it's not better.

If you could wish for the best at the start of the season you would wish for what we have right now or less.

Jefferies is even playing better.

Lets see where we are in about 10-20 more games. That should be enought to see Kwame get a few good games under his belt.

[hands11]

We are playing Miami game 4

Defense looks ok to me.

And remember, we are on the top scoring teams in the league.
I believe 2nd.

So someone isnt playing defense when they play us.