McGuire's coming on strong
by Matt K. on Feb 28, 2009 9:00 AM EST
21 comments
This season has obviously been disappointing, but the biggest bright spot up to this point has arguably been the improved play of Dominic McGuire.
McGuire has played in at least 33 minutes in his last five games, and he's grabbed at least 10 rebounds in four of the five. He scored at least 10 points in three of those games and blocked at least one shot in each game.
McGuire will never be a big scorer, but he has improved his ability to knock down open jump shots just inside the three-point line. Combine that with his ability to rebound, block shots, and play defense, and the Wizards may have a younger and better improvement over DeShawn Stevenson.
Unlike Stevenson -- of last year -- McGuire can't consistently knock down threes, but he's a better rebounder and at least on the same level defensively -- if not better. Just look what his defense did to Ben Gordon last night: 3-14 shooting, 11 points.
I'm glad that he got a chance, and I hope Nick Young gets a similar opportunity to showcase his abilities for more than a few games in a row before the season is over.
This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.
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Needs a glue guy. Now if we could just get our PG and C back we’d be in business….
by DT711 on Feb 28, 2009 10:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Coming on strong is an understatement
First – I’d like to point out that Dominic McGuire’s improvement has come as a direct result of his playing time. I have maintained, and will continue to maintain, that as long as a player has talent and a good work ethic, the only thing holding them back from full development is playing time. Taser is the one young player on this squad that has been given consistent playing time; and he took full advantage.
Month_________MPG_______FG______REB______APG______BPG______PPG
In November____10.5_______33_______2.5_______0.2_______0.7_______0.8
In December____19.0_______40_______5.1_______1.6_______0.8_______3.3
In January______29.1_______44_______5.4_______2.8_______0.8_______5.5
In February_____31.6_______47%______7.2_______2.7_______1.4_______5.8
McGuire’s production has improved, as his playing time and team role have increased. PLUS, he’s a 70% Free Throw shooter (thanks Dave Hopla !).
With Arenas and Haywood returning next year, I think Taser has made a strong bid to stay in the starting line up. With both Haywood and McGuire in the line up, it will make the Wizards a much stronger defensive team.
Moving Butler to the Shooting Guard position has not been a complete success – he has turned the ball over too much this year; and he doesn’t seem as comfortable…. But, with another off-season to work on his ball handling, I’m certain Butler can become an All-Star SG. Given his size, 6’7" 228, he’s probably better suited to SG anyway. Besides, McGuire frequently guards the best wing player, be it a SG, SF or PF anyway; so Butler and Dom can share the SG/SF role.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
by Rook6980 on Feb 28, 2009 11:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I am so excited about McGuire -
And to add a wrinkle to what you suggest about next years line-up – It has been pointed out that McGee sometimes seems like more of a 4 than a 5, which I am coming around to agree with.
Imagine a front-court line up of
3 – McGuire
4 – McGee
5 – Haywood
I think many of our defensive problems would be solved. And the key to all of this, to bring it back to the point of this post, is McGuire’s rapid and consistent improvement.
"a crab dribble is when you travel" - caron butler
by little stevie colter on Feb 28, 2009 1:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He has been terrific
I’m starting to think we might survive the loss of Michael Ruffin.
by RamVA on Feb 28, 2009 3:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I think watching Dominic progress has been the best part of the season
Especially as his jump shot improves, I think he could reasonably develop into a drama free Shawn Marion or Tayshaun Prince-type within the next few years. His ball handling and play-making ability has improved by leaps and bounds, too, which really helps us considering how little Mike James seems to handle the ball.
by pantslessyoda1 on Feb 28, 2009 8:54 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yep, his time is definitely coming and should be considered an all star in a few years or so, maybe even next year depending on how our team looks and involves him.
by purpleonblack86 on Feb 28, 2009 9:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
He is certainly a banger
He looks to bring a great defensive presence when he is in. I would love to see him develop a slightly better outside game and he will be money.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
by Mr MaLoR on Mar 1, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
More than anyone, I think Dominic will benefit from a coaching change
Because that coach will hopefully bring a new defensive scheme. And as good as Dominic is in his man-to-man defense, he still drifts off his man way too much when he doesn’t have the ball. Good coaching should solve that, since he’s still young.
And once that’s solved, there’s our defensive stopper that we’ve been searching for a while. Hell, I’d start him over DeShawn next year without a doubt. He’s still so-so offensively, but he’s significantly improved his ball-handling and his movement without the ball. That was the big problem last year, because while we all knew his shot was poor, he wasn’t even contributing at all offensively. Now, even if his shot is erratic, he’s doing other things to be an offensive factor.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
by Mike Prada on Feb 28, 2009 9:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'd give it a little more time.
Very nice to see Dom getting better. He’s got to add a new wrinkle every off-season. The players that work hard always do. He will.
I think he can become that D stopper. Agreed. But I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as Prince or Marion offensively. And he’ll never be an all-star. Unless the Wiz go undefeated into the all-star break and five Wizards go to the game.
I’m a fan, don’t get me wrong. Let’s just keep it in perspective.
by MR on Feb 28, 2009 11:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yup
Let’s let him get to Jared Jeffries first before we start the Prince/Marion comparisons.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
by Mike Prada on Mar 1, 2009 12:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
They're pretty comporable, but that's it
McGuire at 23 to Jeffries at 23.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
by Mike Prada on Mar 1, 2009 12:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There is a difference though
Their stats are pretty close… Although Jared took more shots and had a higher scoring average, Dom is better in almost every other category.
The difference is, even back in 2004-05, you could tell that Jared had pretty much peaked out his development. Sure, he might be able to improve his jump shot a little (he hasn’t), but by his 3rd year, Jared was just about fully developed. Take a look at his per-36 stats from 2004-05 on, and you can see he hasn’t improved.
On the other hand, in only his 2nd year I don’t think we’ve seen even a glimpse of Taser’s upside yet. His jump shot keeps getting better and better; and lately he looks almost automatic. He’s becoming a very good Free Throw shooter. Officials are starting to acknowledge his defensive prowess (fewer foul calls). He’s a fantastic rebounder and an even better shot blocker. With more work, he should be able to extend his range beyond the 3-point line.
I wouldn’t be too fast to say he will never be an All-Star. With the strides he took this off-season, along with the improvements we’ve seen throughout the year – he’s become much more than what Hollinger described in his review of Dom.
Here’s hoping that Dominic works hard in the off-season and adds more accuracy and 3-point distance to his jumper….
Make Hollinger eat those words, Dom.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
by Rook6980 on Mar 1, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Tayshaun Prince has never been an all star.
I’m not saying Dominic’s future isn’t bright, but all star status might be a little much.
rockin' the crab dribble since 2009
by hibachi on Mar 1, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
And just because he could develop into a Tayshaun Prince type doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be as good as him, just that he could play a similar role as a passer, rebounder, and lockdown defender who gets the occasional basket.
Also, the Jeffries comparisons sort of work on paper, but with a hustle/energy/glue guy, it’s tough to really quantify their value to a team. Aside from just what he puts in the box score, Dom’s great because he’s (apparently) a good locker room guy, someone who’s you and athletic but still wants to be a role-player, has a great work ethic (it’s not easy to go from a 50% ft shooter to a 70% one) and always gives it everything he’s got when he’s in the game, regardless of how many minutes he’s getting.
by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 1, 2009 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
All I'm saying is he's at Jeffries' level right now
Jeffries never improved, Dom probably will. And they played similar roles on the team.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
by Mike Prada on Mar 1, 2009 7:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
One of the things that freaked me out about the Jeffries-to-Washington rumors was the idea of paying someone tens of millions of dollars to do the exact same thing Dominic does for like $900,000 a year.
by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 2, 2009 1:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Taser
The thing I’m happiest about is his motor for rebounding. He’s athletic, sure, but physically, he’s hardly imposing by NBA standards. However, he comes up with a lot of rebounds simply by refusing to cede them to others. There have been too many times this season to count when it looks like some goon on the other team is going to pull down an easy board when all of a sudden Taser flies in from nowhere and grabs the ball away. Plays like that give the team a big boost (and let’s face it, this team can use as many boosts as it can get).
I also like his shot blocking, which frequently leaves opponents yelling, “Don’t Tase me, bro!” (I am pathetic — I realize this.)
"Now, obviously individual production does not unilaterally equal better team production, but there's a high level of causation."
by Vanilla Gorilla on Mar 1, 2009 11:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Plus he kind of makes up for Songaila's lack of athleticism
and Blatche’s lack of effort on the boards this year. I don’t really like the idea of playing Butler at the 2, but the one definite benefit is that there’s no conceivable reason for anyone to outrebound us, especially once Haywood comes back.
by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 2, 2009 1:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Sad
It’s pretty sad that there’s an entirely accurate reference to “Blatche’s lack of effort on the boards.” At least I’ve seen some instances where he’s gone after them a little more forcefully this season. If only we could get that kind of effort all the time.
This is an area where I think having gone to college really would have helped.
"Now, obviously individual production does not unilaterally equal better team production, but there's a high level of causation."
by Vanilla Gorilla on Mar 2, 2009 7:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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