The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[stevemcqueen1]

Those are all tall scoring forwards Destino. They have a different role than Wall. I think Wall can be the PG version of them because he's got absurdly good physical tools for the position. 6'9 reach with god given speed and explosiveness. The first step and agility and top end speed with natural handles has to be the finest collection of such traits in the league. This is something that was really hammered home to me watching the rising stars game. The whole game was a track meet full or springy, explosive young athletes like Kemba Walker, Blake Griffin, and Paul George and John was clearly the fastest and springiest of them all and it didn't seem close.

The turnovers and perimeter defense actually worry me more than the shooting does. But I expect all three of those to improve dramatically as he ages and gains experience.

Shooting comes to most NBA players in time. The turnovers should decrease as he gains experience, especially as the team play around him (hopefully) improves.

Someone pointed this out the other day in an article I read, and I think it makes a good point for thinking about Wall: LeBron James was considered a terrible perimeter defender his first few years in the league and now he's transformed himself into one of the premier defenders in the NBA.

With his length and speed, Wall can get there too, and he's already shown a real penchant for getting into passing lanes and getting steals in transition, defending 2 and 3 on ones (and sometimes more) in transition, getting strip steals and then exploding up court for momentum changing buckets, recovering after getting beat initially and then catching his man at the rim and blocking shots, etc.

He does some truly spectacular things on the defensive end from time to time that suggest he can become a holistic, impact defender in time. If you're like me and grew up watching Stockton and Payton as the epitome of great PG play/defense, the kind of stuff that Wall can do at the rim is downright amazing. I've never really seen anything quite like it at the PG position.

[Gator Bait]

I'm looking forward to this game tonight....likely a high scoring afair with no defense. Wizards 115 Warriors 110. Wall: 25-11-8, Crawford: 32-5-5, Blatche: 24-10

Ellis: 41-5. Lee: 31-15

yeah....crazy....I think Blatche is going to have a good night tonight.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 06:56 PM ----------

Out of the Warriors' 34 games this season, their opponents have scored in the triple digits in 25 of those games. The Wizards have given up triple digits 25 times as well...in 36 games.

This is going to be a barn burner!

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:29 PM ----------

JaVale looking really good early. Wall has 5 assists in the 1st quarter, but the GS guards are picking him apart on the other end. John's defense is very extremely underrated (not in a good way) he is TERRIBLE on defense

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:33 PM ----------

If Andray ever gets a decent attitude and work ethic....and better shot selection, he's going to be a really solid player.

I have a feeling this will happen in a couple years when he is playing elsewhere.

[Fight4RGIII]

I'm pumped to have GS as one of my fantasy teams tonight.

[Gator Bait]

GS scores 41 in the first quarter hahaha

[Destino]

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

[Gator Bait]

I'm pumped to have GS as one of my fantasy teams tonight.

I bet...hahahaha

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:44 PM ----------

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

Wall and Crawford are revolving doors

[Skin'emAlive]

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

Its McGee's fault damnit!

[Fight4RGIII]

If they can't overcome GS's defense, that says A LOT.

[Gator Bait]

If they can't overcome GS's defense, that says A LOT.

it isn't our offense or their defense....it is our lack of defense.

at 6:00 in the 2nd quarter, we have 32 points...that's about right. Problem is, they have 56...which is ridiculous

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:01 PM ----------

wow...Mason just missed a wide open transition shot and then a layup.....that's 2 gimme assists off Mr. Wall's stat sheet.

I'm not exaggerating....if Wall was playing on a playoff caliber roster, he'd be averaging at least 12 assists per game this season; maybe more.

[Fight4RGIII]

it isn't our offense or their defense....it is our lack of defense.

at 6:00 in the 2nd quarter, we have 32 points...that's about right. Problem is, they have 56...which is ridiculous

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:01 PM ----------

wow...Mason just missed a wide open transition shot and then a layup.....that's 2 gimme assists off Mr. Wall's stat sheet.

I'm not exaggerating....if Wall was playing on a playoff caliber roster, he'd be averaging at least 12 assists per game this season; maybe more.

Yeah I always think, switch Rondo and Wall in terms of their teams and Wall would be regarded as the next superstar in this league. It's amazing how he can average close to 8 assists with these finishers and shooters on the Wizards.

[stevemcqueen1]

It'd have to be a pacey team for him to average that many. Wizards play a generally fast pace without a lot of complex half court offense.

Golden is even worse rebounding than we are. The downside of stocking up on all of those three point shooters.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:32 PM ----------

John's offensive development has come along way faster than I expected. Unfortunately, his defensive development came along slower than expected.

Singleton is having a nice game.

The girl who got to play Wall in horse was cute. Looked like she can shoot better than I can.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:35 PM ----------

Well we've just seen Blatche's dunk for the year.

At least we're pressuring their shooters behind the line now. Seems like it's started working.

Need to coral those long rebounds though.

[Fight4RGIII]

GS just keeps drafting guards and big time project big men. They need to draft some productive big men that scrap.

[stevemcqueen1]

BTW I've seen a lot of talk about GS wanting a center bad. I've also seen speculation they're not married to building around a Curry/Ellis back court.

Ellis seems like the odd man out.

I don't particularly want to trade for such a one dimensional player like Ellis, but what if it were Curry who was offered?

What would you all give up for Curry?

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:40 PM ----------

Well, we're going to lose our next four games.

[MonkFan8]

Poor John Wall.

[Gator Bait]

GS just keeps drafting guards and big time project big men. They need to draft some productive big men that scrap.

they need to trade us Curry for McGee, Crawford, and 2013 first

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:42 PM ----------

wow...that was the worst reverse layup in the history of basketball