Taser is set to "Shock"

by Jake Whitacre on Sep 28, 2008 8:52 PM EDT in Player Analysis

Taserbackground_medium

We talked last Tuesday about who we thought needed to step it up the most in the absence of Gilbert Arenas. The general consensus was that Nick and Andray would have to step it up the most to survive the latest injury setback, because Nick is the most capable of replacing Gilbert's scoring and Andray because of his playmaking ability and because it's about time for him to step it up.

One player that didn't get a lot of love in the vote was Dominic McGuire, but it's looking more and more like Taser just might be the one that ends up taking the biggest leap this season. Here's what some people have had to say about him in recent weeks.

Eddie Jordan:

"He is almost a different player. He understands what we are doing. He understands his role and he is playing at a very high level. You can see the seriousness in him. We saw his improvement in summer league and he has been on pace to improve from the end of the last season until summer league. We now see his improvement from summer league to the beginning of training camp."

SportsWiz on the Washington Wizards Blog:

I think I’ve made a comment about 10 times that Dominic McGuire has improved his jumper by leaps and bounds. Well the first thing that Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler said when I asked about Dominic’s overall improvement was his jumper and how offensively he’s a different player. Then I interviewed Dominic and when I asked about his jumper, he had a big smile and said that he’s been working really hard on it and he feels much better. His biggest goal this season is to crack the rotation and get some minutes. He thinks his knowledge of the offense, his improved jumper and his defensive presence will help with this.

Dominic McGuire:

I have been working hard. I started going to the gym to workout two times a day this summer. I have been focused and have been working on what the coaching staff told me to work on during our exit meetings last season. They told me I needed to work on my mid-range game and to be more professional. I think those are the biggest things that are showing now.

Good summer workouts + better mid-range shot + being more professional + understanding his role = Profits baby, profits.

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Comments

Very Good … the team needs more punch off it’s bench. Particularly on the wing.

Hopefully Nick Young duplicates this progress.

by NBR on Sep 28, 2008 10:11 PM EDT reply actions

Ivan concurs

Coincidental, I’m sure. But still pretty cool.

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by Jake Whitacre on Sep 28, 2008 10:17 PM EDT reply actions

I often wonder why we don’t hear more stories like this about NBA players. It astounds me that someone would reach this level and NOT work their ass off every summer to add to their game. It can be the difference between a short and a long NBA career, and also a difference of millions of dollars. Some of these guys seem to hit the league and get their first contract and just coast… and end up struggling to make a team.

That’s one of the reasons why I like seeing a player who played overseas on an NBA team (and in the locker room). I think that’s a great example for young players to see—that it’s easy to fall out of the league and tough to get back in and you have to take advantage while you can. I think the D-league’s value is largely to teach that lesson. When you take a bus to every game you get to appreciate the big leagues.

I’m happy for Dom (and by many accounts Dee Brown is working just as hard). It seems that attitude can really boost a team.

by MR on Sep 28, 2008 10:25 PM EDT reply actions

I like hearing Eddie Jordan say it . . .

But I would like to see that backed up by playing time. For Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and this team’s sake. I know crossing your fingers and hoping isn’t a good strategy, but it’s better than Butler and Jamison getting run into the ground. D-Mac can do it, I believe in him (fingers and toes crossed of course).

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Sep 29, 2008 9:50 AM EDT reply actions

Dom

Nice video interview with Dominic McGuire on the Wizards official site…

http://www.nba.com/wizards/multimedia/videos.html

Very impressed with the interview. He talks about bringing a more professional approach to his job. He talked about working out twice a day during the Summer. He talked about trying to improve his mid-range jumper.. (something the Coaches asked him to do during the exit interviews).

All sounds very impressive. I can’t wait to see him in pre-season so I can judge for myself whether he’s improved.

Too bad I don’t hear the same things about and from Nick Young; but perhaps it’s there, and just not talked about yet.

by Rook6980 on Sep 29, 2008 12:33 PM EDT reply actions

Thoughts

1. With a body like D-Macs, it would be a dream for him to develop a killer mid-range game.

2. Let’s just hope all is good when the lights are on and the stadium is full (McGuire hasn’t given much indication that this won’t be the case).

3. Eddie Jordan is not ol’ school, ol’ school like a Jerry Sloan…I think he’s more than willing to give some PT to those who earn it…just might be the case where in the past, his eyes have seen something us outsiders haven’t.

4. Yea, the psychology of determining who really wants to work hard in the NBA, and who just wants to coast on their god-given talent would be an interesting study…..seems like a lot of it would have to do with who you were surrounded with growing up and the hanger-ons.

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by Kyle Weidie on Sep 30, 2008 10:28 AM EDT reply actions