Wizards move to 3-0 with 88-82 win over Mavericks
by Mike Prada on Jul 16, 2010 1:24 AM EDT
in Recaps
72 comments
It's late, so some quick bullet-point thoughts:
- Ken Berger (who it should be noted was not in attendance for either of the first two games) wrote that tonight was "arguably" John Wall's best game. That's kind of insane to suggest when Wall shot 4-19 and generally struggled to create offense for himself. But I will say this: Wall was certainly more under control tonight than in either of the first two games. He only had three turnovers and had many more plays where he delivered the ball to the other players' shooting pocket. In the first game, most of his assists came from
dumping the ballofflobbing the ball tothe big manJaVale McGee. In the second game, most of his assists came by kicking it out. Tonight, we saw a bit of both, and that's a huge adjustment. - Tonight was a reminder that Wall is only 19. He did a lot of really, really great things, but he also struggled with his shot, wasn't always able to get past his man in the halfcourt and got beat a lot on defense by Jeremy Lin. Dominique Jones in particular did a great job of staying in front of Wall while still challenging his perimeter jumper. Meanwhile, his pick and roll defense is probably going to be an issue early on in his career. He kept trying to get over the screen and kept failing. Maybe he should switch it up and drop underneath more often.
- And yet, Wall still showed he has so much natural ability, speed, leadership and intelligence on the court even though it wasn't his strongest game. It really is just a matter of gaining experience on the NBA level, especially in pick and roll situations on both ends. That might take a full year, but I'm willing to wait.
- How about Cartier Martin tonight? Many players spew out stuff like "I have to stay confident and keep shooting," but few embody that sentiment better than Cartier. He literally keeps shooting. Tonight, he wasn't afraid to shoot early on, and when he hit his first shot, you knew you watch out. My favorite part about him is that he is almost always in the right spot on both ends of the floor, even if he can't finish the play. Wall creates his opportunities, but Martin does a great job finding the openings and making himself presentable. He also plays aggressive defense and is always in the right spot, even if sometimes he's physically overwhelmed. What else do you want from a bench player?
- As I watched Cartier, I couldn't help but think of Milwaukee's Carlos Delfino, a similarly unheralded player who hit 37 percent of his threes, played solid defense and occasionally ran a pick and roll as a low-usage starting shooting guard for a playoff team. Why can't Cartier be Carlos Delfino? What does Delfino do significantly better than Cartier? If Delfino can play for an NBA team, why can't Cartier?
- JaVale McGee had an excellent game, but while I hate to pour cold water on his performance, he succeeded in part because the Mavericks had nobody remotely capable of dealing with him. Still, this is the third straight game in which he played aggressively and did not get tired. He certainly looks like he's in much better shape, which is huge considering how big a role he's supposed to take on this year.
- I'm getting a bit concerned that the Wizards don't exactly know what to do with Trevor Booker, aka "Grown-Ass Man," on offense. For someone who was so good scoring inside, it's a bit upsetting to see him mostly sitting around the perimeter. At the same time, this is probably a product of the "John Wall pick and roll offense," and, of course, Booker still finds a way to contribute with all sorts of other hustle plays.
- Hamady Ndiaye is communicative and cerebral, but he's really getting shoved around under the glass. That can't happen against bigger players.
- Lester Hudson wasn't quite as effective playing alongside John Wall as he was playing on his own, but that was to be expected.
- Dominique Jones can really score, and there aren't many guys who can get their own shot off in such a crafty manner like him. But man, does he pound the dribble a lot, and that hurts. Jeremy Lin, on the other hand, is destined to become the new JJ Barea.
- Finally, I've seen a bit of grumbling about the pick-and-roll, John Wall-heavy nature of the Summer League offense. Here's the thing, though: that's how it has to be out here. The players haven't had enough time to develop the chemistry to do much else, and Wall himself desperately needs all the experience he can get running that play. I have to bold this because it's very important: the biggest adjustment young point guards must go through when they join the NBA is learning how to play pick-and-roll basketball on both ends of the court. They simply don't run that kind of action the same way in college, certainly not in the "open the floor for a highly-specific pick/roll or pick/pop" kind of way. This is the time and place for Wall to develop that experience.
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I think that there is a clear connection between your last comment...
on the (necessary Summer League) over-reliance on the pick and roll (i.e. Wall-McGee)… and your fourth coment about how to find a way to engage Trevor Booker in the offense… Hopefully over the next few games Wall will be encouraged to work on ways to get the ball to his second and third options.
It will also be important for the Wizards and Cartier Martin to see if Martin can cotniue to produce at the level he showed last night.
Finally, someone needs to go upside DDL’s Rasheed Malek about the Roddy Buckets disaster last night. Rasheed went on record as saying Beaubois would outplay Wall. OK, Jeremy Lin and Dominique Jones had nice games but that did not happen until the damage was long past done and Beaubois had committed about 30 fouls in 5 minutes trying to defend Wall.
Mike, should we be worried about Wall’s shot? I know he is only 19 and is only going to get better, but man some of those shots last night were just awful for someone who can be an elite scorer like Wall can. We all understand that the PG job is to set up the offense for everyone else and get assists, but this guy is the best player on our team. And when you are the best player on the team, there are going to be nights where you will have to put up some large scoring numbers. Still very impressed by his performance.
McGee is really coming into his own. As you said, he is running the court so much better than he has in the past. I have a great feeling that there are going to be some games this year where the Wall to McGee combo is just going to be unstoppable. Still needs to get better around the boards, which is the part of his game I think is the weakest right now. For a guy who is 7’1", he goes up with one hand far too often. Also is overreacting on some plays can not getting to the ball fast enough when it is underneath. Making great progress though.
Booker is going to take some time to develop. As of right now, I don’t think he has a position in the NBA. Doesn’t score enough to be the 3 and is too undersized to be the 4. This guy is in no way DeJuan Blair, who I heard many comparing him to during the time of the draft. Runs the floor nice, but is always in between being down low and being outside.
I like the Carlos Delfino comparison for Martin. Watching him last night, I sort of all a poor man’s Joe Johnson. Similar builds and usually is in the same position on offense as Johnson is. Very unorthodox shot, but the it goes in. He could very well be the Wizards 6th man this season.
Great game. I don’t care how it comes, I’ll take a victory anytime. Little disappointed we didn’t blow them out more considering we were winning 22-5 at one point, but at least we pulled away with it.
Anyone else up for trading Nick Young for Pam McGee? She looks to have more fire than Nick does.
It's definitely a work in progress
He’s admitted a couple times that he really struggles right now developing consistency on it. But he also works hard, and I think he has good enough form (he’s doing well at the foul line and that often translates to better shooting from the field if you put in the work). It just might take some time for his hard work to fully pay off.
Also, I hope Booker doesn’t need time to develop, considering he was a four-year player in college.
Booker does not need time to develop, but...
he does need time to find his role in the offense. There is a difference. Once the coaches and Wall get down to some detail work, that should happen. The man is a player.
he is the designated pop guy
or so it seems. JaVale set the pick, JW comes off of it, JV rolls, Booker rotates out for a jump shot.
I realize the main goal is to get JW as much time in the pick and roll as possible but Booker’s development as a result has been nil. I’d almost rather him come off the bench with a second unit so we could make use of him.
Well I did not mean for it to sound like Booker’s game is not there, he has definitely developed into a good player. However, this is not college anymore and most rookies struggle at first getting adjusted to the pace of the NBA.
Listening to what Blake Griffen was talking about yesterday during that interview, he said that most 4 year players don’t really have “potential” because they have probably already reached seeing as they needed 4 years to develop. Booker is going to be a good role player for us, we just need to figure out what role that exactly is.
That’s all bunk. many players clearly improve. and others totally remake their game. a more fair statement might read unless the player is really motivated and works hard, he probably wont improve!
by les boulez bomber on Jul 16, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I do think it's concerning that his shot is so bad
I mean, I sure as hell was no basketball star, but my shot simply hasn’t changed much in the decade that has passed since I was 19. I don’t see many terrible shooters turn into very good ones just because of practice. Good shooters have a knack for determining release angle, arc, and distance (all while adjusting to defensive pressure and compensating for one’s own movement) in a split second. That ability has less to do with practice and more to do with the way you think about the shot and your ability to translate what is in your mind’s eye to the physical world. Of course, practice refines this ability, but you have to start with the right mental tools.
What gives me hope is that he has a pretty okay set shot. I think Wall’s best hope lies in having someone totally rework the mechanics of his jumper. It looks incredibly awkward because he doesn’t get enough of his legs into his shot – which is fixable.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Jul 16, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
As bad as it feels...
Durantula had his 5 for 23 and 23 point game a while back, no worries
We're from the city with the highest murder rate in the country. Why WOULDN'T they call us the Bullets?
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jul 16, 2010 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
shooting
is one of the easiest skills to develop. Rondo is a great example. Derrick Rose better already. Its not like he lacks the strength to get the shots off, so its all repetition.
See my post above
I actually disagree somewhat. The good news is that you are right, you can become servicable with repetition. But I would prefer he rework the mechanics of his jumper rather than just do it enough so that he can repeat with consistency what is a mediocre shot to begin with.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Jul 16, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
point is
the whole thing can be reworked with hard work and a coach who can also rebound. Repetition is only effective when you’re repeating the correct mechanics.
right
but many many players never develop or start with the correct mechanics. that’s a problem.
Getting buckets since 2003.
by Icantfeelmyface on Jul 16, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Wall seems to getting the "superstar" treatment already...
Granted, it’s Summer League and he may or may not get the same calls during the regular season. But we’ve all noticed how often Wall has gotten to the line per game. That’s a solid 8-12 points a game right there if he stays aggressive on offense during the season.
What is a good per-game average for a PG to get to the line? I think I recall Gil in his glory years getting to the line roughly 10 times a game which was an excellent average (I think Top 5 in the league at the time). I don’t see it being unreasonable that Wall can average 10+ FT’s per game. I’m just wondering what kind of averages the Tony Parkers of the league (the ones who practically live in the paint) are posting?
Generally agree
I thought Lin really got untracked in the 4th quarter when Randle was in, and Wall just coasted on defense when he replaced him. The whole team let up badly late in the 4th.
It’s a good idea to remember that the Wizards are the only team in Las Vegas playing two of their starters (and for extended minutes). This is important. Think about it. It means that had other teams been doing the same, Baron Davis and Jason Kidd would have been facing Wall and that McGee would have been getting shoved around under the basket by Kaman and Haywood instead of draftees. What I’m saying is that both McGee and Wall still have a long way to go in the real league—and that the Wizards continue to desperately need a big man coach.
So a big asterisk attached to this otherwise meaningless win. McGee continues to struggle with position against rookies, and Wall’s shot selection and execution are awful when he’s under strong defensive pressure. And Martin has yet to prove himself against real players. Causes for optimism and worry in equal measure.
Not necessarily
It’s a good idea to remember that the Wizards are the only team in Las Vegas playing two of their starters (and for extended minutes).
I hear what you’re saying, but other teams are giving more experienced players an extended look too. In no particular order:
-Memphis has O.J. Mayo and Hasheem Thabeet.
-New Orleans had Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison, though both aren’t playing anymore
-Philly played Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday in Orlando
-Sacramento has DeMarcus Cousins and Donte Greene
-Toronto has DeMar DeRozan, Sonny Weems and Ed Davis
Memphis
also has Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, Grevius Vasquez, Jeff Adrien…they have a solid team. NO has Pondexter too. The Wizards are playing well, but other teams have as much if not more widely heralded talent.
I really like what Memphis is doing. Adrien was one of my favorite players before he came into the league. He is a thumper. They so much young talent everywhere. That team WILL be in the playoffs within 2-3 years. I think they could very well make it as a #7-8 seed this year.
agreed, i think sam young is there too
i like him a lot. Portland, Memphis, Ok City, and Sacto are the rising teams to watch in the West
by ToughHibachi on Jul 16, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes but
I said “starters”. In other words, 2/5 of the bedrock of our team for the foreseeable future. This is a huge gamble to get them to grow up and toughen up in a hurry—I’m on board with it, but it carries huge risks. And puts the three wins in perspective: it’s an excellent sign Wall and McGee are playing well together, three wins are a much better omen than three losses, but the process is exposing some glaring weaknesses that can’t be fixed in a hurry.
I’m emotionally invested in this team, too, Mike, and want to be a believer. But experience has taught me that with the Wiz, you have to stay realistic or you’ll lose heart—and interest. This is still a very bad team. The upside is like the current season of Friday Night Lights; every game we win this season will be a huge victory to savor. And we have nowhere to go but up.
Aside from the obvious--injury--
and the not so obvious, like rewarding them for bad habits, the greatest risk is that of literally wearing them out. Players’ bodies are exactly like cars; the more mileage you put on them, the faster they break down. There are plenty of examples in all pro sports of players who were brought along too quickly and either sustained career-ending injuries from fatigue or prematurely slowed down. “Iron men” are the exceptions, not the rule.
I was speaking in general
And wouldn’t it be great if, say, Ewing was there to talk to McGee like that? If so, the kid might not be equivalent to Wall in greenness while entering his third season.
I don't really follow you
Can you give me an example of what your talking about, the wearing down thing, in an NBA player? (aside from freak injury like getting hit in the knee by a flying Wallace).
PS I don’t think bodies are anything like cars. When you use a car it can only age in one direction, that of wearing out. A body will get stronger and actually generate muscle etc if you use it.
by MR on Jul 16, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, an NBA player's prime strikes me more as a bell-shaped curve
Where you want them to play more early to build up their body/intelligence and less later to preserve that stuff.
Um
The most obvious example is concussion, from which we get the term “punch-drunk”. Typically this applies to boxers (a pitiful example being Muhammed Ali, who was making little sense long before he was diagnosed with Parkinsons), but certainly Roethlisberger may be a candidate, too.
Concussion, however, isn’t confined to the brain. The entire human body suffers from constant physical contact, ranging from tiny stress fractures in the bone (check out an X-ray of your own jaw and teeth), to micro-contusions in ligament and muscle. B-ball is a contact sport; players get so weary from banging each other for 48 minutes that by the 4th quarter many can barely raise their arms fully—this is why, to give you an easy example, Martin, was missing open shots at the end of the game that he had made earlier. It wasn’t that he suddenly forgot how to hit them. Or that he felt mental pressure in a meaningless game.
Building muscle mass, incidentally, has no effect on this process; the knees tend to go first, which is why when you see guys like Wes and Bobby Dandridge hobble out onto a court, they can barely move—while your dad, who is likely the same age or older, might get around just fine.
As an addendum
Some sports-medicine-savvy sports writers think that LeBron may already be a spent force in the league, due to his full-contact style of play and too many minutes already on his clock. They think that’s why he bolted to a place where he could play Dino to Wade’s Sinatra and take some of the pressure off.
huh
the problem with this is that these games and these minutes are negligible when compared to the time players put in during the season. You’re also assuming that minutes played now will somehow equate to less minutes played later in their careers. We have no way of knowing.
Plus JW is coming off of a college season and short postseason as opposed to his HS season and AAU season. If anything he has played fewer minutes of organized team basketball this calendar year than any time since he transferred to Word of God HS.
Lebron is a great example though because he came in and immediately extended his initial seasons into the playoffs. So his 7 seasons add up faster especially when combined with international competitions. This will not be a problem for John Wall.
Good thing Wall isn't a boxer or football player
But how does this translate to the NBA? Is there a player you can point to that was “brought along too quickly and either sustained career-ending injuries from fatigue or prematurely slowed down”? I really can’t understand what you mean. Maybe if you give me an example I’ll understand the risk you see.
by MR on Jul 16, 2010 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Nobody denies the team is making mistakes
I’m just saying the Wizards are hardly the only team with major core pieces playing Summer League.
After watching most of the summer play so far, a few observations
It’s all been said about Wall…very good, and possibly great.
McGee continues to make progress, but still has a long way to go. Any time you can say “he succeeded in part because the Mavericks had nobody remotely capable of dealing with him,” you know you have someone worth developing. I’m really looking forward to the trial by fire he has waiting for him in the regular season.
Cartier Martin’s game should carry over to the regular season pretty well. That probably still just leaves him as a 10th man, but I’m sure he’ll take that for now. I’ll be happy to have seemingly professional guys like him filling out those empty roster spots.
I’m trying to withhold judgment on Booker until at least preseason. I was concerned about whether his game was going to translate against NBA players. I remain concerned—I think he’s going to have to adapt and become more comfortable on the perimeter (while still being tough down low). He has better range than I expected, so that’s good, but the poor free throw shooting isn’t encouraging. He still looks like an undersized PF to me, but I’m hoping that athleticism will allow him to adjust.
I’m not at all impressed with Hudson…I don’t think we need another undersized ball-dominator. Hamady looks as advertised…borderline NBA player with solid defensive skills. Hopefully he’ll develop. I’d like to see some more of JP Prince — in the little time he’s been in I couldn’t help noticing him.
I like John Wall as much as the next guy,
but he’s just not there yet. Everyone is hyping him up way too much and only focusing on his positive attributes, acting as though he is an all-star already. Obviously he is only 19 and it will take him some time to develop, but he makes a lot of mistakes right now. He makes a lot of questionable passes, trying to force things, and occasionally he pounds the ball a little too much until the shot clock gets low and has to shoot a contested 22 footer (I believe he had a couple jump shots blocked last night)
Does anyone else notice that Buckhantz and Chenier are praising him way too much? They only focus on what he does right and almost never say anything bad about him. The kid needs some constructive criticism from the media. Is NBA TV blacked out in the DC area because I think I need to watch some unbiased announcers for now. Don’t get me wrong, I love John Wall and I love Buckhantz and Chenier as announcers, but I think the Wizards PR is telling them to only focus on his positive attributes to make him sound like the real deal.
I hope Booker finds his niche and I hope Cartier makes the team. I also see Nick Young playing a little 3 this year, he added about 10 pounds of muscle this summer, hopefully it translates.
Lastly, it seems like a lot of people, many on this blog are writing off Gil and praising John Wall as our best player. If we don’t have Gil this year John Wall will struggle because GIl can take a lot of pressure off him. Don’t forget that Gil is still our best player. If you put Gil and Wall in a 1-on-1 matchup, I would take Gil to win 99 times out of 100.
Wall's getting plenty of constructive criticism from his coaches
I wouldn’t worry about what Buck and Phil, who are paid by the team, say.
he is an all star, a SL all star.
In the only professional league he’s ever played in you can make an argument that he’s the best player. We all know its summer league but this is the only test he can take right now and he’s nailed it. No one is calling him an All NBA player or All Star.
He doesn’t need anyone in the media to tell us he is the real deal. All you have to do is watch him play. He’s the #1 pick in the draft, universally agreed upon by those who are paid to know to be a special player.
Wall is the new face of the franchise in part because Gilbert was the face and took said face to house arrest after gun charges. That’s not the media’s fault. Nobody is saying he’s a better player you just have an issue with the attention and you’re reading way too much into it because of that.
What does a hypothetical 1 on 1 game have to do with anything? is that different than one dad beating up the other dad?
ToughHibachie...1-on-1 game is your measurement of a great player....
LOL….
First off, Gil’s knees are broken and wouldn’t keep up with w. Gil would break his knee for a 4th time trying to keep up with him on a crossover. Secondly, Gil is one of the worst on the ball defenders in the league. He’s lazy and plays the gaps. Can’t do that in 1-on-1.
Thus, you don’t know anything.
Secondly, the NBA is about making your teammates better. And Wall makes is teammates better to a Nth degree more than Gilbert.
This isn’t fantasy league or NBA Live for xbox.
jdgreger,
please don’t condescend me and tell me that I don’t know anything because I will tell you that you don’t know anything. Please, find the quote where I said 1-on-1 is my measurement of a great player……can’t find it? Because I never said that. All I meant by that 1-on-1 comment was to say that Gil is our best player right NOW. Gil is a more complete player than Wall right NOW. That’s no knock on John Wall, the kid is 19 years old. Gil is a 28 year old 3 time all-star. Of course he should be better than any rookie, and he is.
by ToughHibachi on Jul 16, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't think Gil is
I think Gil hurts most teams, he holds the ball too much, misses too many shots and plays horrible horrible defense
Aim for the head baby Jesus
You're backtracking now
Wall is our best player because he gives our team the best opportunity to win.
Nuff said.
I realize that there is plenty of constructive criticism here
I didn’t mean to call out this forum or anything. I meant to say that I’m frustrated by the media. Not just nationally, but locally too. Everywhere you look they’re acting as though John Wall can do no wrong. He has plenty of flaws in his game, which is expected of a rookie, but very few people, whether it’s on Comcast or in The Post, seem to point that out. It just reminds me of LeBron a little, which is why I hate it so much. Whenever LeBron’s games were on ESPN, they would be so biased toward him, never pointing out his mistakes, that it was almost hard to listen to. I’m seeing the same things with Wall right now.
Wall will make a horrible pass into the middle of the defense, getting it stolen, and Chenier will say something like, “You have to like that he’s still being aggressive and trying to make things happen on offense”
Again like you said, Berger called this game his best game. Why would he even say that? Everyone is hyping him up, giving him the star treatment, which is good and all for Wizards fans, but I just remember how LeBron would get this kind of treatment too and how much I hated him because of it.
by ToughHibachi on Jul 16, 2010 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I think you're being hyper sensitive
I watched the first two games on NBA TV and they had praise and criticism for Wall and many other players. WaPo has mentioned his turnovers, his poor shooting last night etc.
And if you’re implying that media hype made Lebron become Lebron then you should look again. I would disagree.
It's like this with every #1 pick
They do this with Rose, with Yao, etc.
It’s early, the kid is full of potential, and he’s joined a team that was awful last year. That’s a recipe for hyping him up in the broadcasting a bit. We know that the squad isn’t gonna compete for a title this year or anything, so we focus on how good the future looks.
If the media only did that sort of thing with Lebron, I’d share your concern. But they do that with every young, high draft pick. So I say let’s sit back and enjoy summer league. The “Wall runs into a Wall” headlines will come in December or January, I promise.
[and Prada, can you spread the word to the other beat reporters that “Wall Runs Into a Wall” is too easy of a play on words, and that if they actually use it in their stories they will be made fun of on this blog?] :)
yup -
“It’s like this with every #1 pick
They do this with Rose, with Yao, etc.”
exactly – that’s how the NBA is set up now. Add ESPN as the extra marketing arm of the league, and it gets really annoying.
the local stuff doesn’t bug me as much
"hindsight is 50-50" - Steve Spurrier
by little stevie colter on Jul 16, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
think
Just thinking about the media attention this franchise has had over the last year, and you’re unhappy that the #1 pick in the NBA draft is getting too much media love? But you’re actually not hearing all the stuff you wish was being said… and around we go.
reminds me of a recent study, “”http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128490874" target="new">The Facts Don’t Matter".
NBA TV announcers
As someone who’s been watching from LA, I can assure you, they are not unbiased. They’re trying to pump up the league, and Wall is one of the brighter stars they have right now.
I can see why they do that from a marketing perspective,
I just don’t like it from a basketball perspective. Give credit where credit is due, not just for the sake of making some more $$$ via marketing.
by ToughHibachi on Jul 16, 2010 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Great game last night
Really competitive game last night, despite the score. The 4th quarter was very exciting.
Lin v. Wall was exciting in the 4th. Lin was taking it to him, and the team. In Wall’s defense, Wall was taken out of the game for awhile, and was out of rhythm a bit. This allowed Jones and Lin to have an advantage on him when he returned, I thought.
Wall is definitely having a hard time with some areas, most notably getting clean shots, whether on a drive, and is hesitant coming off picks. Not worried about that stuff right now.
McGee’s dunks were just outrageous. Nasty. Wall’s near-Oop was gonna be nice!
Booker’s 19-footer was also very nice. I really like him.
But all-in-all, it was great to see a nice competitive battle between Wall and Lin. Wall, you could tell, was getting frustrated by the match-ups as Jones was doing well against him defensively, and Lin made some nice plays down the stretch.
Don’t sleep on 3-0. It means a lot for someone like Wall, who is a fierce competitor.
i think it is less john wall and more about the nba wanting to create buzz during the offseason. even ted mentioned that the nba has been on top of the headlines…and it is baseball season.
i think they start with JW as he is the #1 pick. and he had a lot of buzz coming in. but if he were playing poorly, you would hear a mouthful about demarcus cousins or some other player playing well!
by les boulez bomber on Jul 16, 2010 12:42 PM EDT reply actions
I dunno about that
There are a few guys outperforming him – DeMarcus Cousins, Reggie Williams, to name two.
Yea they are doing well also, but they do not get the on court attention like Wall is getting IMO. PG is also much harder to play than the 3-4 spots.
I disagree
In Summer League, it’s easier to play PG because you’re basically asked to only run pick and roll and run the break. There’s a reason so many PGs do so well out here.
Correct me if I’m wrong but it looks like Wall is so far the best rookie pg out there and you could make a case for Cousins being the rookie MVP as of now. If anyone cares to check it out, there’s a a nice rookie ladder that keeps track of performance’s on NBA.com: http://www.nba.com/rookieladder/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
by purpleonblack86 on Jul 16, 2010 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't disagree
Wall is clearly playing great. But he also has an advantage due to the style of play.
plus, look at what they are saying…he misses shots, turns the ball over, out of control sometimes…compared to … no one can stop him in the open court, he almost always gets by his man, lockdown defender potential, pinpoint passer who loves to set others up
which do u think is easier to correct? also, evan turner stunk and cant seem to get by his man more than u want to see!
by les boulez bomber on Jul 16, 2010 12:45 PM EDT reply actions
Way too early guess but...
Blake Griffin’s numbers were pretty good last year at summer league and i believe he’s eligible for rookie of the year, could be looking at a three way race with wall, cousins, and griffin
question
will Griffin be playing with the Rookies in the Rookie-Soph game?
Read this, BTW?
“A Yahoo! Sports report, citing a source, suggested that Arenas was bristling over Wall’s becoming the face of the franchise. It’s true that the Wizards have labeled Wall the “Game Changer” and engineered their marketing campaign around him. But Grunfeld dismissed the notion that Arenas, who is spending the summer in Chicago working with trainer Tim Grover, is upset about Wall’s place in the organization. Wall said he talks with Arenas “one or two times a week” and that he hopes to work out with Arenas over the summer to develop the chemistry between them."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/07/16/vegas.notes/index.html?xid=si_nba
debunked
A veteran is upset that a rookie who’s done nothing in the NBA is getting all the attention? Oldest story in sports. No one local or around the team has picked up on any of it though.
This is a great situation for Gilbert. The brightest lights are off of him, yet th team will still market him and need him to produce 23-7 to compete.
Wall and Gil...
I read the comments above and I agree that Gil is a better player than Wall at this point.
However, I believe Wall will help the Wizards very much this year. And I think Wall AND
Gilbert will be a great tandem in the backcourt…very difficult to defend! I also think that
Wall, if he puts his mind to it, could be an elite perimiter defender.
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