Dallas Mavericks vs. Washington Wizards: Preseason Game 2 Open Thread
by Mike Prada on Oct 9, 2009 5:00 PM EDT
in Game Threads
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PrintDallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards, Oct 9, 2009 7:00 PM EDT
The Essentials:
Mavericks (50-32 last season) vs. Wizards (19-63)
7:00 p.m.
Verizon Center
TV: Comcast SportsNet, NBATV
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
Notable Mavericks numbers last season
10th in expected winning percentage (.568)
16th in pace (91.5 possessions per game)
5th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (110.5)
17th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (108.4)
Pre-game links
Mavs Moneyball, SB Nation's Dallas Mavericks blog
The Two Man Game, Dallas Mavericks blog
DallasBasketball.com, the source for top-notch first-hand Dallas Mavericks news and analysis
Mavs Moneyball's season preview
NBAMate's Mavericks season preview
The Two Man Game's season preview
Truth About It's pre-game Q&A with The Two Man Game
| Tonight's Projected Starters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mavericks | vs. | Wizards |
| Jason Kidd |
PG | Gilbert Arenas |
| Matt Carroll |
SG | DeShawn Stevenson |
| Shawn Marion |
SF | Caron Butler |
| Dirk Nowitzki |
PF | Antawn Jamison |
| Drew Gooden |
C | Brendan Haywood |
The team the Wizards play in the first game of the regular season comes into town today for the only preseason game at Verizon Center. I'll be there in the press area, though I won't be Twittering as much because the game will be on TV (Comcast SportsNet at 7 p.m.).
No word yet on whether Gilbert Arenas will play, but I'm going to assume the answer is a) yes and b) if so, not for as long as he did against the Grizzlies.
Dallas will be without Josh Howard and Tim Thomas tonight. Howard apparently is still having problems with his ankle (in other news, the sky is blue) and Thomas has a knee injury that's keeping him out for a few weeks. Shawn Marion didn't play in the opening preseason game, and Jason Kidd left practice early yesterday because he turned his ankle, but I haven't read anything that suggests those guys will sit tonight, so I assume they're playing.
What to look out for tonight? Rebounding was clearly a problem against Memphis on Tuesday, and the Wizards must now go up against Erick Dampier, who may be overpaid, but is also perhaps the league's best offensive rebounder. Haywood is going to have to do a much better job rebounding tonight, and if he has to help on dribble penetration, everybody else needs to gang rebound. Including the guards. Of course, if Drew Gooden really is starting at center, then this becomes less of a problem for the Wizards, even though Gooden himself is a pretty good rebounder. (By the way, Drew Gooden at center? Really? Does Dallas want to give up 115 points a game?)
Otherwise, the one interesting matchup not listed there is Nick Young coming off the bench to play Jason Terry. O.J. Mayo may have the recognition, but Terry is a much bigger threat to defend. Flip Saunders said at practice yesterday that he wants to give Young the chance to chase Terry around, so we'll see how Young does with that test. Trust me, it's a greater test than O.J. Mayo.
This is an open game thread, so duck when Shawn Marion launches any three-pointers.
(A quick note: since activity on this thread will likely be greater than on Tuesday's thread (with the game being on TV and all), I'm opening up a new thread for the second half to account for the possibility that the first one might become overloaded with comments, thereby slowing down the conversation. It'll open at 8:30 p.m., which might be before or after the beginning of the second half, but is close enough considering I likely won't be able to open a thread on site. I will do this for most regular-season games, and if activity picks up even more, I might break the threads down into quarters. We'll see how it goes this time around).
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Comments
You forgot possibly the most interesting storyline
The hijinks that ensue when Drew Gooden and DeShawn Stevenson get together.
Perhaps Gooden will try to chew the ducktail off of DeShawn’s neck.
Mike
So do you have a media pass to go to all home games? I’m curious about the Wizards embracing bloggers this year, how it came to be and all that. It’s great.
My swag was phenomenal.
by se7en on Oct 9, 2009 5:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
For now, just tonight
I’ll let you know if I get every game going forward.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
I'm waaaaaay too excited for this game.
But I’ll be totally happy just to see Gil looking strong, no matter how the team plays.
Getting buckets since 2003.
Won't be able to watch the game tonight, since I'm at work
But I’ll be keeping track with the comments tonight, trying to add whatever witty banter I can.
Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.
Interesting note
They announced Caron as a guard. Not sure why.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Jamison just abused Drew Gooden on the first posession
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Jamison still sucks at D
But Caron, nice. I think he’ll benefit quite a bit from the return of Gil.
Getting buckets since 2003.
Gil looked like he wanted that ball on that play
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Hmm
I don’t know how much I like this new Gil. Is he just going with what works or is he trying to turn into Kidd 2.0?
Getting buckets since 2003.
I don't like it all that much either
Come on Gil, do something.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
and let me note
that Kidd gets ABUSED by quick PGs. In the regular season I want to see Gil exploiting the matchup.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions
But his lazy D is driving me nuts. I wonder sometimes if we wouldn't be better off with a bruiser.
Ehh, whatever. I love those inside moves too. If he keeps doing this and cuts down on the long jumpers I think he’ll be very effective this year.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Shoot the ball
Gilbert
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:24 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Foye in before Nick?
Interesting.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Haywood's now 0-5 on free throws
Bring back Hopla!
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Can we please rehire Hopla?
Seriously!
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh you already said that.
Well, second!
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Gil
I feel like he’s not shooting to prove a point. To spite his critics that he’s not a true point guard. It’s a weird theory, but I could see Gil doing that.
Also, Deshawn does not look good to me. Get Nick in there. I don’t like how Deshawn rolls off screens in the fluid of the offense. Gets the call and can’t really shoot either.
My swag was phenomenal.
by se7en on Oct 9, 2009 7:30 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Ball not call
My swag was phenomenal.
by se7en on Oct 9, 2009 7:31 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sloppy
D fellas
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:35 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Mike Jones Tweeted that Haywood's being looked at by a trainer after his awkward fall
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Phil just said sprained ankle
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Gil didn't attempt a shot
I mean … he has Jason Kidd guarding him! Come on, man!
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
maybe he doesn't want to show anything
since they play dallas to open the season.
"a crab dribble is when you travel" - caron butler
by little stevie colter on Oct 9, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
So...
Is Flip Saunders still worth if he’s totally messed with Gilbert’s mind and turned him into a bigger Mugsy Bouges?
Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.
It's still preseason
I think he’s biding his time.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
I'm pretty sure that's what he's doing too
But I just hope all the talk about being a pure PG this season hasn’t warped him into ignoring his strengths.
Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.
by Jake Whitacre on Oct 9, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
There
Is Mike James, Jake
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
That's good
Just as long as we don’t see this in the regular season.
Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.
by Jake Whitacre on Oct 9, 2009 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Box out blatche!
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Nick Young is moving his feet well on Terry
But he’s just getting flattened on off-ball screens.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Mike James ran INTO JaVale McGee on that last offensive posession
Also, Dray, lose the pogo sticks in your feet.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Why is nick
Still shooting fadeaways?
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 7:55 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
That was a catch-and-shoot situation that he overthought
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Do you think we're gonna see any more Gil tonight?
"...at some point, when u r screaming for more minutes for Pecherov, you have to ask yourselves this question: 'If you keep adding more pineapple to a 'Papa Johns Pizza with Pineapple', when does it become a Papa Johns Pineapple with Pizza???'"
by Gilbert4SpaceJam2 on Oct 9, 2009 7:56 PM EDT reply actions
In the two minutes or so JaVale and Dray were in together
The Wizards were outscored by six points.
I’m telling you, it doesn’t work.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Same thing we saw in summer league
Those two bigs just can’t play together at this point in their careers
Correction
can’t play together EVER.
"One-on-one? You can't." -Gilbert Arenas
JC Bandwagon all day!
What happened to no layups?
Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!
by Sean Fagan on Oct 9, 2009 8:06 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I was wondering what was up with that as well
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
I think that's more Oberto than McGee
Oberto’s just not in game shape right now.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Butler just messed up that play
Trying to go for a steal, leaving Marion wide open for the jam.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
65 points allowed in the first half
Maybe we’ll see some matchup zone??
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Per Michael Lee, Haywood's out for the rest of the game
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
that got me on my feet.
I can sleep happy tonight now.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions
He's splitting defenders at will.
It’s like he’s just playing with the D. First half tried to see how many assists he could get. Second half, seeing how many times he can get to the rim.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Oct 9, 2009 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions
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