Notes and Notables From an Otherwise Unnoteworthy Game: Bucks 109, Wizards 93

by JakeTheSnake on Mar 1, 2009 12:48 PM EST in Recaps Comment 17 comments

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Highest Plus/Minus: Oleksiy Pecherov (0)
Lowest Plus/Minus: Dominic McGuire (-17)
Best Five Man Unit: Mike James, Caron Butler, Dominic McGuire, Antawn Jamison, Darius Songaila (+5 to start the 2nd half)
Worst Five Man Unit: Mike James, Caron Butler, Dominic McGuire, Antawn Jamison, Darius Songaila (-8 to start the game)

Four Factors

Stats by StatSheet.com

Photo of the Game

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Game Thread Comment of the Game: "After two minutes Juan Dixon has a team-high two assists. The Mike James experience, everyone." by Jon L.

- Darius Songaila, Andray Blatche, and JaVale McGee combined for 6 rebounds last night. Not for a quarter, not for a half, that was their total for the entire game. It's hard to win games when your three centers combine for 5 less rebounds than Dan Gadzuric.

- Awesome, awesome news from the Wizards Team Report:

• F Oleksiy Pecherov is starting to sound despondent about his limited playing time.

"I'm frustrated because I thought by now I would be getting more time and starting to show what I can do by now. It is not happening," he said.

• G Juan Dixon also said that he should be getting more time.

"I don't know what the problem is," Dixon said. "If what you're trying isn't working, than you have to try something new."

I think what Juan is forgetting is that in November and December he was given several chances to make his case for playing time and he just couldn't do it. He's even gotten the chance to start six games this season and he never really did anything to separate himself from the pack. Maybe I could see him being brought in from time to time to come in for Mike James when he's not playing well, but at this point in the season those minutes need to be going to Javaris Crittenton.

It has to be rough for Juan knowing that this might be his last chance to play in the NBA and he's not getting consistent minutes, but I don't think he has a leg to stand on here. On the bright side, he was able to get some extended playing time tonight with Crittenton out with the flu tonight. I don't think it did much to help his case for more playing time, but we'll see what happens.

As for Pech, he might have a little better case to argue because he can give the team some rebounding (which the team was sorely lacking at the center position last night) and he can stretch the defense with his range like Songaila, but there just isn't a lot of playing time at the 4 and 5 spot that's open for the taking.

Dixon and Pecherov are both players with strong work ethics that the team seems to like, but sadly, you can't just reward playing time on work ethic. At some point, on-court production has to count for something and they just haven't brought enough of that to justify more playing time.

- I spent some time in the Bulls recap praising Dominic McGuire's efforts over the last few weeks but last night was not one of his better performances. Richard Jefferson was running him ragged off screens and he was a non-factor on the glass. His 3 blocks (including the one featured in the Photo of the Night) were very nice, but that's the only meaningful contribution he had tonight.

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Comments

The Pech situation is pretty troubling

I mean, here’s a guy who does everything he’s supposed to and doesn’t even look that horrible on the court. Yeah, he does some stupid stuff, but I think that consistent playing time would help him iron the kinks out of his game.

Silliness aside, Pecherov is tall, has a decent stroke, and is already one of the better rebounders on the team. With some playing time and a chance to develop, he could probably eventually develop into Songaila’s replacement on the offensive end. There’s no chance whatsoever that Pecherov will ever be an all star, and I doubt he could ever even be a starter on a good team, but I could reasonably see him becoming a decent bench player. We used a 1st round pick on him, and we even picked up his option, so I feel like we owe him the chance to play. Now, when winning is kind of counter-productive when it comes to our long-term goals, is the best chance we’ll have to see what he can do.

by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 1, 2009 2:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

And when you think who they could've drafted instead of O-Pec . . .

Rondo, Lowry, Sergio Rodriguez.

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

by George Templeton on Mar 1, 2009 3:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hadn't even considered that

I think I feel sick…Is there any reason in particular that Ernie Grunfeld’s second round picks always seem to turn out better than his first rounders?

by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 1, 2009 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Pech has looked pretty terrible. I find it hard to argue that he should be getting anything but garbage minutes.

Playing the “could have drafted” game is pointless , frustrating, and frankly unfair. Did you have Rondo as your top 20 pick?

by MR on Mar 1, 2009 6:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nobody did.

And that’s why, like you said, looking back at what could have been is counterproductive.

OTOH – I believe that Pech can be a productive player – if given the opportunity.

Like EVERY OTHER YOUNG PLAYER on the Wizards, he just needs playing time. I understand why he’s not getting it…. and I sort of understand why McGee is only getting 5-10 minutes a night too. – But eventually, like McGuire, he’ll get his chance ; and we’ll see what Ernie saw in him to draft him with a 1st round pick.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Mar 1, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But eventually, like McGuire, he’ll get his chance

That’s the thing, now is when he should be getting his chance – not just ten minutes every now and then, but about 15 to 20 a game for a five or six game stretch – and he’s not getting it. MR’s right, he has looked terrible. but I think it’s important to keep in mind that he’s only playing garbage time (which sort of goads players into chucking), and especially with someone who relies so much on his shooting ability, establishing a rhythm is really important. Again, I don’t think he was worth a first round pick, but at least by giving him some playing time and a chance to develop when we have nothing to lose, we can be certain, and maybe even jack up his value just enough that another team might be willing to take on his contract as part of a larger deal. Because right now, as is, Pecherov is pretty much just the Wizards answer to Scalabrine.

by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 2, 2009 1:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's tough, though

Where does he get his playing time? Blatche and McGee are better.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Mar 2, 2009 1:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Agreed. With the front court situation, there’s very little playing time available. I really cannot complain too much about Pecherov’s lack of playing time…. A case could be made for JaVale McGee to get more time, since he’s the only “true” center left on the squad…. ( I think of Blatche as a PF ); but even with McGee, it’s tough to get him steady minutes.

I do think Pech is talented. And talented in a different kind of way for a big man; which could make him a unique weapon. At some point, there will be an injury, or a slump…. and Pech will get a shot.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Mar 2, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have nowhere to document this

But I do remember wanting Rondo in 06 and being annoyed with the Pech pick. This was before I was blogging, mind you.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Mar 1, 2009 9:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If I recall

I didn’t mind the Pech pick, because at the time he was going to stay in Europe for a year or two…. Like Veremeenko (remember that guy?) – and also because he seemed to be a talented big guy with a unique skill set.

Back then, I didn’t know much about Rondo or Lowry… just that we already had a pretty good PG, and didn’t need to waste a 1st round pick on another one. Rodriguez was playing in Europe and nobody knew anything about him. I do remember wishing that JJ Redick would fall to the Wizards, because I thought they needed a shooter, and he was the best one available. (I still think he would be a good fit with this team…. he, or Jason Kapono).

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Mar 1, 2009 9:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was already on the move to Gilbert to the two bandwagon then

And I really wanted Rondo bad. But I would’ve been happy with Lowry or Marcus Williams at the time.

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

by George Templeton on Mar 2, 2009 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I actually like Lowry as much as Rondo

Not to get too off-topic, but I think Houston got a steal when they managed to pick him up. The guy’s a beast, and he could probably have done the same thing as Rondo if Boston had picked him up. Between him and Brooks, Houston’s going to finally be solid at point guard for a good half decade or so.

by pantslessyoda1 on Mar 2, 2009 1:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I really liked Lowry coming out of college

I don’t think he’s as good as Rondo, but I agree that Houston made a good trade.

I’m not really high on Brooks, though. Shoots too much.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Mar 2, 2009 1:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't put too much of it on McGee

Outside of Pecherov, who only played the final minute and a half anyway, McGee had the best +/- on the team with -2; he had three of those five combined rebounds, and in the second half he only played the final 1:30 with Pech.

I also think that while it made sense for Blatche’s first few games back, Songaila needs to move back to the bench. Blatche was pretty solid starting in the middle before he got hurt, and using Songaila as the backup PF puts him in a position to be more effective and provide some stability for the second unit. I also think last night was a wasted opportunity to “go big” by having Blatche or McGee, Songaila and Jamison up front at the same time. I think Milwaukee’s the right kind of opponent to do that against, and particularly since the Wizards were down a guard on the night. Either Taser or Butler could’ve played the two, just as long as Nick Young wasn’t the point guard. Which, sadly, happened anyway.

by Jon L on Mar 1, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs