Keys to the Palace: 2 Stars, Kind Of
by Jon Kelman on Feb 20, 2011 11:58 PM EST
in Keys To The Palace
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Keys to the Palace
| Player | Week 17 PER | Week 16 PER | Difference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Wall | 15.5 | 15.1 | 0.4 | Jimmy was terrific against the Magic, no question about that. His teammates shot 19-for-66 (under 29%), so he took it upon himself to be more of a scorer, which is why he wound up with 1 assist and 5 turnovers. Not only is it great to see that Wall can adjust his game on the fly, but his strength is taking the ball to the basket and it is good to see him getting back to his bread and butter. Being MVP of the Rookie Challenge outweighs a pedestrian performance in the Skills Challenge. |
| JaVale McGee | 17 | 17.3 | -0.3 | "I don’t know that there’s anyone else on the planet that can do this." Reggie Miller's words hold deep meaning for us Wizards fans. JaVale was obliterated by Dwight Howard, offering little resistance against the league's best center. On the one hand, I want to chalk it up as an impossible task for a young center, but JaVale's talents are so tantalizing that we expect more. Some of you will hate me for this, but I can overlook 1 bad performance because he put on a show in the Dunk Contest and did this franchise and us fans proud. I can tell you that Griffin shouldn't even have been in the final, and that JaVale was 1 dunk away from possibly winning the title, but those were 3 great dunks and he was bested by the hype machine behind Griffin. I advocate bringing JaVale back for next year's competition, maybe with our boy Young Sushi as a fellow competitor. |
Locked Out
| Player | Week 17 PER | Week 16 PER | Difference | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Seraphin | 8.3 | 8.4 | -0.1 | Fouling Superman is usually a good idea, so one would think he would be a good matchup for Seraphin. When JaVale goes out with 2 quick ones though, Seraphin has to be more careful. He picked up 2 fouls in about 3 and a half minutes, forcing Hilton Armstrong into the game just 6 minutes into the contest. Did I mention that Howard obliterated our bigs? |
| Cartier Martin | 12.9 | 14.5 | -1.6 | 2-for-13. I really shouldn't have to say more. |
| Andray Blatche | 14.8 | 14.6 | 0.2 | 6-for-17 and now shooting under 43% on the season. He did have 9 rebounds, but on a night with Nick and Rashard out of the lineup, we needed Dray to carry a lot of the scoring load. There was also the missed dunk/travel blooper. |
| Kirk Hinrich | 13.6 | 13.4 | 0.2 | He is one other guy who didn't have a horrific game, but he was not good or even great by any means. Crossing up JJ Reddick was superb, but does not a good game make. I don't see him being traded because I don't know what the Wizards could get back, but if he stays on the team through the end of the season, I advocate giving some of his minutes to Mustafa. |
| Yi Jianlian | 11.1 | 11.4 | -0.3 | I actually think he offers a homeless man's version of Ryan Anderson, so it was funny to see them guarding one another. The Magic's big man is a good player for Yi to model his game after, although Yi is slightly less mobile. The other bad news is that Yi is 1 year older than Anderson. |
| Trevor Booker | 12.7 | 12.9 | -0.2 | A ho-hum 22 minutes is an all-too-frequent occurrence when you are a glue/energy guy on a bad team. He also played a lot of those minutes during garbage time. Such is the life of Booker, but I am still very excited about him. |
| Mustafa Shakur | 17.4 | 16.4 | 1 | It was only 5 garbage minutes, and he didn't do anything wrong. As a matter of fact, he did a lot right in terms of keeping my interest at the end of the game. He cannot escape that ax this week though. Bare in mind that if Hinrich is indeed traded, Mustafa could start playing a big role on this team. |
| Josh Howard | 10.1 | 10.4 | -0.3 | The comeback started out well, but the 1-for-10 night against the Magic was as bad as it looks. |
| Hilton Armstrong | 8.6 | 8.9 | -0.3 | He was just a little cannon fodder for Howard. The 2 fouls in 8 minutes is almost disappointing when you consider Howard shoots 59% from the field and 58% from the free-throw line. |
| Al Thornton | 12.1 | 12 | 0.1 | I would have put him in the 'not enough minutes to be fairly evaluated' group, but the injury is significant. He is playing for a contract, and with some of the other guys taking his minutes, injuries are extremely costly. As Bill Parcells once said, 'you can't make the team from the (training) table.' |
NOTE: Nick Young and Rashard Lewis were left off this week's Keys to the Palace because they did not receive enough playing time for a fair evaluation.
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McGee lost for the same reason he's been losing all season.
He was outplayed when it counted. He did well for 3 dunks. Then he folded his tent and quit when the pressure was on in the 4th. When someone flexes and preens and the crowd starts cheering, the guy wilts. Oh yeah, and he was inadequately prepared.
Anyone who thinks there was a conspiracy (or “controversy”) is just being a homer.
Sure BG’s car dunk was all flash and no substance, but McGee’s was no flash and no substance. If he could have pulled out something half decent he would have had a chance. Instead he sulked up and just got it over with. Didn’t even put up a fight.
He had no chance at all.
The text voting probably isnt even true. This is the nba we’re talking about. It was the KIA car with Sprite stickers on it. This was Blake’s weekend, if it wasnt he wouldnt have even been in the Finals. I wouldnt be surprised if someone told Javale “you cant jump over roof of that car” after Blake’s dunk. Everywhere you look, writers and talking heads have said it was a predetermined contest.
Of course, that doesnt mean he couldnt have done something differently and better…but he wasnt going to win, it was Griffin’s coming out party
by DCrez on Feb 21, 2011 9:10 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think it's even more telling
that Blake was originally going to jump over the both the Choir and the Car – but “they” told him it would block the car from view…. and that they needed to see the Car…..
Of course, Kia is the official car of the NBA and Sprite is the sponsor of the NBA Dunk Contest…..
So – days before the event, the NBA is orchestrating Griffin’s final dunk…… Except, oops…. here come Demar Derozan and JaVale McGee, tossing monkey wrenches into the whole affair by throwing down some of the most impressive dunks in the history of the Dunk contest.
Well – the NBA can’t have that…. gotta get Blake into the finals – at all costs (and to make sure to get that Kia and Sprite commercial) – so Demar Derozan gets a 44 on a dunk that was easily, and I mean EASILY a 50…. and McGee dunks 3 basketballs – something that no one has done before and gets a 49….
Then – when he’s in the final, after all the Kenny Smith hype – and the singing choir…. and the Car… Griffin does a rather pedestrian off the backboard two-handed dunk while jumping over the hood of the car….
Hell – I’m 56-years old, with a bad knee, and I can jump over the hood of a Kia………….
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
by Rook6980 on Feb 21, 2011 9:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
“I was going to jump over the choir and Baron Davis suggested that we put the choir in front of the car. But the NBA said we could not cover up the car, so we put the choir at half court and I’m glad that it worked out the way it did.”
Keep in mind, this was during his practice sessions, well before the actual competition – and the NBA is telling him not to block the car from the cameras…….
After seeing that quote – that the NBA was involved in orchestrating Griffin’s final dunk – I knew that no matter what JaVale did – it would NEVER have been enough to win on that night……
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
Yeah but Javale made it easy on them by quitting.
I’m all for conspiracy theories, but honestly BG won fair and square in the final round. He was all flash and no substance. JVM was no flash and no substance.
He could have done a tripple summersault
dunking on a 13 foot rim…. and it would have made ZERO difference….
Serge Ibaka flat out stole one of JaVale’s dunks… causing him to move the two handed, double rim dunk into the first round. (just goes to show that you should NEVER allow someone to video your practice sessions)….
Had JaVale done the paper in the teeth thing in the first round – and the double rim dunk as his FINAL dunk, you think it would have made a difference? Not a chance….
Griffin was crowned the 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk Champion the minute his name hit the NBA web site as a participant. All that was needed was some creative judging to ensure Blake Griffin made it to the final…… and then (for the first time ever) let the fans decide (wink, wink)………….
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
I totally agree!
Like I said in a previous post – "McGee didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of winning because Griffin was already crowned before the contest begun!
Long-Time Wizard Fan
So - MR - say you've been practicing 5 dunks for the SDC
Yeah but Javale made it easy on them by quitting.
You practice… the Windmill, going away from the basket dunk…. the two basket dunk…. the three basketball dunk…. the paper in the teeth dunk….. and perhaps a foul line dunk (we know JaVale can do that one)….
Now comes Serge Ibaka – and he does one (or maybe two) of your dunks….. What then? Make something up on the spot? Make up a FINALS winning dunk, in like 20 minutes – off the top of your head…. on the fly…… without practicing it… Without knowing if you can even do it or not….
He didn’t quit….. he did the best he could with what he had left………after another player stole his dunk(s)
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
Wait...
Let me say that I don’t believe that Serge Ibaka actually INTENTIONALLY stole one of JaVale’s dunks……
But when THIS gets published all over the internet on January 7th…. It’s clear that JaVale was practicing that dunk for the contest….
By the way, all the way back on January 7th, Michael Katz of Fanhouse acknowledged that if the crown had not already been given to Blake Griffin, his money would have been on JaVale McGee – on Jan 7th…..
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
I think he should have just done the dunk anyway
It would have been better than the lame-o when he came up with at the last second. He should have had a 5th prepared, just in case there was a dunkoff or something.
I can’t believe putting a piece of tape about a foot behind the foul line was not one of this dunks, or foul line with a twist – I was banking on that one
Yeah
do the dunk anyway
…. Ibaka got a 45 for his “creativity”…..
And somehow McGee would get MORE?
AND I do think he had 5 dunks prepared…. I think he was going to do a foul line dunk – but Ibaka did that one too…. to the tune of 45 points…. (not enough to get to the finals) – and if JaVale had done those two dunks, his scores for “creativity” would have plummeted….
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
Shame he didnt spend more time preparing.
As I recall people were ‘thrilled’ at the prospect of him using his free time to work on dunks rather than boxing out. But yeah, he really should have had a few spare jaw-droppers up his sleeve…
Can we organize this?
Hell – I’m 56-years old, with a bad knee, and I can jump over the hood of a Kia………….
Like, Rook jumps over the hood of a Kia for charity.
Or next time BF gets together to watch a game, Rook drinks too much and tries to jump over a Kia? Please?
by HIBACHI GOLD on Feb 21, 2011 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
Well, at least...
even average NBA fans now know who JaVale McGee is…
It is safe to say that between his performance and Wall’s that overall audience perception of our team is much higher now than it was a few days ago.
Now let’s go out and win a few games, gents!
2 if not 3 of the best dunks ever in the competition
His 3rd dunk was a jaw dropper too.
Hopefully the notoriety buys him a call or two from the refs and he comes out strong this week. Same for Wall
loved the third dunk!
When you watch in slo-mo, it’s pretty amazing. Plus he didn’t have so many “misses” on it.
Best things for the Wiz this year
1) Wall’s performance in the rookie contest
2) McGee’s performance in the dunk contest
The third thing would be two good lottery picks, but EG needs to make a trade to get another one.
Lastly, I’ve given up expecting any improvement of the young players via Flip’s coaching, but maybe some changes are in store.
I'm sure this will surprise no one coming from me
But I think Kirk deserves a guest pass this week. Even if you only categorize the Orlando game as decent, it was closer on the continuum to John’s game than to the crap most of the rest of the team threw out there. He at least showed up to play.
Or maybe it’s fine to lock him out, but then some of his teammates should be banished to the stables for what they put out there last week.
I think you're right...
He shot 4-9 from the field with 3 assists…made his only 3 point attempt and turned the ball over only once… He played his normal “sticky” defense. Let’s remember, he didn’t start in this game…. Had this been Cartier Martin coming off the bench, I’m certain Jon would have given him a key for 10 points and 3 assists…
I think expectations are too high for Kirk – He’s expected to be a starter -when in fact, at this point in his career, he’s a back-up…..
It’s tough to give guys a key – especially after that poor performance against Orlando – but if anyone deserves one besides John Wall, then certainly Kirk does… for his performance off the bench.
He's "delightfully cranky"
I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.
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