Briefing: The Butler serves up a cold blooded dish of dagger
by JakeTheSnake on Feb 6, 2010 9:07 AM EST
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Butler Jumper Caps Wizards Comeback - Dave Johnson, CSN Washington
The swagger was back for Caron Butler. In the second-half Butler scored 29 of his season- high 31-points including a baseline jumper from 19 feet that proved to be the game-winner. Butler’s shot with .5 seconds left was the answer to the Magic’s Rashard Lewis’ three –pointer that had put the Magic up 91-90 with 4.6 seconds remaining.
With trade rumors swirling, Butler has best game - Michael Lee, Wizards Insider
It's been a while since Butler was in a rhythm like he was in Orlando, where he shot 10 for 16 and scored 29 points in the second half. He was repeatedly blowing by Vince Carter, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus for layups, or pulling up over them for jumpers. "We tried all three of our bigger wing guys on Butler," Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He killed them all." "It was by far his best game overall," said Coach Flip Saunders, who met with Butler for about 15 minutes on Thursday. "We had a little talk in the weight room, just about leadership and taking charge and trying to be more of a vocal leader and not taking a step back, but taking a step forward. He was very receptive. He said he was going to relish the opportunity to step up and do that."
Washington Wizards 92, Orlando Magic 91 - Ben Q. Rock, Orlando Pinstriped Post
This loss is just Orlando's 5th at Amway Arena, and second that went down to the final shot, meaning the Magic could just as easily hold a 21-3 home record instead of its current 19-5 one. But that's besides the point: the Magic frittered a 21-point lead away against what had been the 14th-ranked team in the Eastern Conference (the win, coupled with Detroit's loss, moved the Wizards to 13th). Only the historically awful New Jersey Nets kept Washington from occupying the East's cellar. The Magic should be able to hold a lead of that size against any team, but especially one as bad as Washington. I'm speaking ill of the Wizards' season in general when I call them "bad." Against the Magic, they've been spectacular, with a 2-0 record and 2 come-from-behind wins.
Instant Analysis: Wizards - Magic - Chase Hughes, CSN Washington
In the first half Butler struggled to score just two points, going one for six in 17 minutes. In the second half his mid-range jumper looked fluid as everything from the outside started to drop. Butler exploded in the third quarter with 15 points including a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Wizards dominated the third quarter in large part due to his aggressiveness driving to the basket and efficiency at the free throw line. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter Butler was on point, scoring ten points in the last six minutes. His scoring binge was highlighted by a give-and-go slam dunk that gave the Wizards the lead with 1:07 remaining. After Rashard Lewis drained a three with four seconds left, Flip Saunders gave Butler the opportunity to finish the job. Butler responded by sinking a step-back dagger from the baseline. 18 feet worth of epic, last-second jumper later... CB3 finished with a season-high 31 points.
Butler and Foye had just two points each in the first half, but they combined to outscore the Magic, 49-41, in the second half. "I want to feel like this all the time," Foye said after scoring 22 points, with seven rebounds and seven assists. "This is the summers right here, when you're working and sore, you practice and you're tired, for moments like this."
Orlando Magic blow lead, fall to Washington Wizards at home - Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel
The Wizards didn't even look like an NBA team in the first quarter, turning over the ball the first six times and falling behind 12-0 and 28-7. The Magic's offensive and defensive woes formed the perfect storm for a Wizards' comeback in the third. They gave up 39 points on 11-of-16 shooting (68.8 percent) and scored just 17 on 4-of-19 shooting (21.1 percent) to trail by seven heading into the fourth.
Magic-Wizards Postgame Analysis - John Denton, OrlandoMagic.com
The Wizards looked like a team that wanted to be somewhere else at the start of the game, turning the ball over six times in the first 2:45. By then, Orlando was already up 10-0 and eventually pushed the score to 12-0 before Randy Foye hit a step-back jump shot. Washington coach Flip Saunders tried everything to get his team going early, calling two timeouts and arguing his way into a technical foul call. None of it worked as Washington made just five of 19 shots and had 10 turnovers in the first quarter and trailed 32-13 after one period.
Magic Squander Early Lead in Puzzling Loss to Wizards - Philip Rossman-Reich, Orlando Magic Daily
Orlando was solid in every aspect of the game at this point, taking a 32-13 lead out of the first quarter. Certainly that pace could not keep up and human nature would let the Magic relax as the lead would hover around the 15-20 point mark. That is exactly how the second quarter played out. But things were not all rosy. The bench really struggled to maintain the same intensity the starters brought in the first quarter. The lead came down uncomfortably to 11 or 12 and Dwight Howard had to leave the game late in the second quarter to avoid picking up his third foul.
Butler's jumper caps Wizards' comeback over Magic - Antonio Gonzalez, Associated Press
After Washington went ahead by nine on Butler’s jumper to start the fourth, the Magic answered with 11 straight points to go back ahead. The run was highlighted by a four-point play, with Jameer Nelson making a 3-pointer and getting fouled by Earl Boykins at the top of the key. The teams then matched shot for shot to the finish.
Best of Twitterville
Twitter / Mike Prada
It appears the #Wizards are listening to Brendan Haywood's manlaw. TAKE. THE. BALL. TO. THE. BASKET.
Twitter / Rashad Mobley
so the wizards=strippers? @BulletsForever: @MrBjack: @MrMichaelLee thats whats frustrating. They tease you and then revert back to reality
Twitter / Michael Lee
I take back everything I said about blowing this thing up. . .Okay, maybe not all the way back. But this 21-point comeback is incredible
Twitter / wizznutzz
just flipped over to Wiz gam cuz we wanna experience CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT of comeback 1st hand.
Twitter / Ben Q. Rock
Of course Caron Butler has a down year, then comes back and kills the Magic.
Twitter / David Aldridge
Tuff Juice, where hast thou been?
Twitter / George V. Panagakos
Oh man well pins and needles but Washington is indeed the winner tonight in Orlando, down as many as 21 points with HUGE comeback win, 92-91
Twitter / Wizards Extreme
"Dagger" by Buck still ringing in my ear. good win by the Wiz kids. Tuff Juice on fuego
Twitter / Truth_About_It
Wow, that was the 1st time Caron Butler scored more than 30 points all year. You'd think it'd be different in such a season.
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great win
wizards fans.Let see how we are going to perform.I think we have pretty good opponents the next 10 games so we can move up a little
Go Wizards
by ag3ntzero on Feb 6, 2010 9:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
dont trade caron
please dont trade caron butler. please do trade antawn jamison for jj hickson or t-mac or rudy fernandez or jr smith. this team can win with a starting lineup of foye miller butler blatche and haywood
by jeffbenson on Feb 6, 2010 4:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
sorry
one game does not a season make. Butler had a very good game, romanticized a little because of the last shot. But that does not change the fact that this team needs to rebuild., and did it as soon as possible. Hopefully this game by Caron won’t be the last one like it. The more he plays like this, the better his trade value will be.
by CJHutch on Feb 6, 2010 5:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i never said we dont need to rebuild
but i think rebuilding around butler and our lottery pick next year makes more sense than starting from scratch. get what we can for jamison (and haywood if hes gonna be too expensive to resign in the offseason) and maybe we can still scrap our way into the eighth seed this year.
by jeffbenson on Feb 6, 2010 7:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
scrapping our way to the 8th seed
is the WORST possible scenario for this team…
A team, stuck in perpetual “almost good” mode… just good enough to get into the Playoffs… and lose in the first round… not bad enough to get high Lottery draft picks….
Stuck picking at 15-20 every year – picking up OK, but not spectacular players (Eric Maynor, Austin Daye, Ty Lawson) or spectacular, but flawed players, (Nick Young and JaVale McGee as example) – and missing out on even the possibility of drafting a Franchise quality player (Derrick Rose, Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, John Wall)…..
It’s the perfect “circle of mediocrity”
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
by Rook6980 on Feb 6, 2010 10:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
UGH
Why in the hell would we want to go to the playoffs this year? Forget about the seeding, do you REALLY think this team has ANY chance whatsoever to go all the way?? I mean, I know teams get lucky and go on real good runs, but not this team. This team has no shot at advancing anywhere in the playoffs. I have to think that you know that. And since we have no shot, what’s the point? Why not build from the ground up? Butler isn’t gonna be the centerpiece of any franchise. At best, he’s a real good part for a contending team. Sorry, that ain’t us. Let him go, get something for him (along with the Carolina guys), and build a LEGIT contender, not another also ran. If we have to suffer to get better, I can take that. What I can’t take much more of is this suffering while staying in neutral.
by CJHutch on Feb 6, 2010 10:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
wow
maybe im being short-sighted but i would rather see some playoff basketball this year than none. i also believe that we could go on a run, we’ve proven we can compete with the likes of orlando, boston, cleveland, etc. i know its been a disappointing year but i feel like you guys have lost the faith, and faith is what makes true fans true fans. i am still in favor of rebuilding after this season, but why would that mean butler has to go? hes 29, worse case scenario he has five years left of decent basketball and veteran leadership. trade jamison and haywood for young guys and/or picks and/or expirings, keep blatche, mcgee, nick young, dominic mcguire (you can never have too many bench players who hustle and crash the boards) then all you have to bring in is young talent at point, one of the wings, and another big for depth. its rebuilding, but its not burning the house down first and if you think about its probably what appeals to ernie and flip the most. its easier to be a so-called legit contender in the east than most people think.
by jeffbenson on Feb 7, 2010 12:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
damn
where do I start? Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem to be extremely out of touch with reality. Don’t you realize that ALL of the situations you’re talking about have been the hallmark of this organization for most of the past 20+ years? Not that we’ve actually MADE the playoffs every year, but we strive to get TO THE PLAYOFFS. Meaning a 6-8 seed is just fine with us. Make an appearance in the playoffs, wave ‘Hi’ to everyone, then quickly exit stage left. Always looking for the next spare part from someone else’s team to make us a little better than mediocre. And, ALWAYS drafting just low enough to secure a complimentary player, never an all star, and NEVER a franchise player. The only top 3 pick we’ve had is Kwame Brown. Sure, that was a debacle. But to be fair, either him or Chandler were projected #1 by everyone. They can jump on us all they want, but the only other player being truly considered #1 material was Battier, and ANYONE can tell he’s not top pick material. Nobody talked about Gasol going #1. Of cours, in retrospect, it would seem that Arenas should have gone there.
Sorry, I digressed. The bottom line is, none of us have “given up” on this TEAM. If we had, why would we even be on here talking about them. What we have given up on is Ernie Grunfeld’s assertion that the team, as it is currently constructed, is a contender with everyone healthy. That’s B.S., and most of us have known it for years. We also know that to build something great, you have to tear what’s there down first. A true rebuilding process takes 2-3 years at the least. Which means that, if we go about this the right way, Jamison, Haywood, AND Butler will be past their primes once we’re ready to compete.
And, to answer you’re question – NO, you’re not alone. We ALL want to see PLAYOFF basketball. But, I’m sorry, I don’t consider a 39-43 team playoff caliber, no matter what the standings say. And watching them lose 4 games straight to Cleveland would be more embarrassing then anything else. I don’t see how the thought of that excites you.
by CJHutch on Feb 7, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
ok well
take out what i said about making the playoffs this year because apparently that would be the worst-case scenario for you guys. say we continue to struggle and find ourselves with a, i dont know, the number three pick in the draft. say we’ve also traded jamison to cleveland for jj hickson and daniel green. then we traded brendan haywood to portland for rudy fernandez or nicolas batum or expirings or juwan howard (half-joking), i think that alone would be a significant start to rebuilding. Keep caron for veteran leadership, void gils contract, sign a good second-tier FA or two, we’re a playoff team next year and a contender the year after.
by jeffbenson on Feb 8, 2010 2:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
or
and bear with me because im not sure about the cap, we could try and build a team from quality free agents in the offseason if we can deal jamison and haywood and lose gil’s contract to free up some room. joe johnson and amare stoudmire come to mind as pieces that could be effective. imagine this lineup next season: PG- Acie Law SG- Joe Johnson SF- Caron Butler PF- Amare Stoudemire C- Andray Blatche/Javale McGee and a bench featuring Nick Young, Dominic Mcguire, maybe Drew Gooden and Luke Ridnour and rookies/prospects. I dont know about you, but I think thats a team that could contend.
by jeffbenson on Feb 7, 2010 12:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
The ONLY WAY the Wizards have any significant cap room to sign a Free Agent this Summer
is if they void Arenas’ contract – Trade Butler and Jamison for expiring contracts (and get NO contracts back for 2010-2011)…
Here are the Salaries the Wizards owe for next year (not including Jamison, Butler or any Unrestricted Free Agents):
Gilbert Arenas $17,730,693
DeShawn Stevenson $ 4,151,786
Randy Foye $ 4,795,096
Andray Blatche $ 3,260,331
Nick Young $ 2,630,503
JaVale McGee $ 1,601,040
TOTAL = $34,169,449
Add in their expected top 5 draft pick (roughly $3 Million)
The salary cap is expected to be somewhere between $52 – $54 Million – giving the Wizards only $15-17 Million to work with…. (again assuming trading Butler and Jamison for expiring contracts)…. NOT enough to get Stoudemire, Bosh, Wade, Nowitzki or LeBron James……
On the other hand, if they void Arenas’ contract….. they would have plenty of cap room…. but then which of those Championship hungry Franchise players would want to come to a stripped down Washington team – when Chicago, New York, and Miami are also begging them to come play there?
CJHutch is right – the only way we will see meaningful Playoff basketball (and my meaningful, I mean something other than a 4 game sweep by Cleveland or Boston on their way to the ECF)…. we need to blow up this team and start over from scratch.
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
by Rook6980 on Feb 7, 2010 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
thats what i was saying
if we are able to void gilberts contract, then why not take the boston method and bring in two second-tier quality free agents, my suggestions were joe johnson and amare stoudemire. also we should try and move deshawn stevenson to whatever team wants jamison/haywood to free up additional room. i still think keeping butler is a decent idea, hes a veteran leader with a hard-working attitude and he has the potential, i think, to be a real fan-favorite type. listen if the wizards can get a lottery pick and land john wall or some equivalent (it is looking like a good, deep draft) then I’m all for it, but i think you guys would be thinking a little differently if the wizards go on a ten- game win streak and pull out some of the close games we’ve lost to teams like boston. remember, this isnt exactly a huge market team like a ny or la, i see us being successful by building with quality pieces, not neccesarily with a “franchise” type player.
by jeffbenson on Feb 8, 2010 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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