Links: Rashard Lewis Gets Heckled, Scores 15,000th Point

by Mike Prada on Feb 13, 2012 9:05 AM EST in Links

Today's links:

Rashard Lewis, who nobody realized was even going to play, did play and achieved a major milestone by scoring his 15,000th point. Even funnier: there was a Pistons fan (one of the few in the building) heckling him. [Wizards Insider | CSN Washington]
Video of the Wizards celebrating Lewis' milestone in the locker room after the game. [Wizards.com]
Recaps of last night [Us | SB Nation D.C. | AP | Washington Post | Washington Times | Washington Wizards Examiner | Wiz of Awes | Detroit Free Press | Piston Powered | Detroit News | M Live | Daily Tribune | Detroit Bad Boys]
Fun alley-oop, this was. [SB Nation D.C.]
Fun play by Jan Vesely, this was. [Truth About It]
You probably heard about this already, but according to Sarah Kogod of NBC Washington, a Wizards fan claimed LeBron James threatened him because he didn't like the heckling he was getting. This got picked up by a few places. [Deadspin | Pro Basketball Talk | Eye on Basketball | SB Nation D.C.]
As Marc Stein reminds us, three Wizards -- Nick Young, Roger Mason and Maurice Evans -- can't be traded until March 1 because you can't be dealt until three months after you signed your last deal. Young can also veto any trade. [Weekend Dime]
Gilbert Arenas worked out for the Lakers and apparently looked pretty good. [Woj]

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The little discussion between John and Wade & he who shall not be named

was more disconcerting to me than the little spat in the corner with the fan (who did seem to instigate and escalate the issue from my vantage point).

That looked a whole lot like recruiting visit to me…I hope it was more about Nike than telling him he can take the reigns in Miami in 3 years, as Wade finishes up and he who shall not be named hits 30!!!

by DavidDunn on Feb 13, 2012 9:38 AM EST reply actions

When King Cheat covers his mouth with his shirt, he definitely was recruiting John.

otherwise, why do so?

by thewiz06 on Feb 13, 2012 10:16 AM EST up reply actions

reebok would be mad???

There are options…but the simple explanation is disconcerting..

by DavidDunn on Feb 13, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions

Reebok is desperate for any presence, and DC is a large market for them, but they'd love to see Wall

in Miami catching lob passes from Dwyane and LeBron, and of course, Wall will throw lobs to those two as well..

Oh wait, I forgot that Chris Bosh was on the team too.

by thewiz06 on Feb 13, 2012 11:38 AM EST up reply actions

More than anything, i'm sure they just wanted a bit of privacy.

by Alpha_Snail on Feb 13, 2012 11:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

In the Lee's recap in the Post, he talks about Javale's asthma

McGee also appears to have broken out of a personal funk that came as a result of complications with his athletic asthma.

I hadn’t heard anything about new complications. Is there any other information on this?

If his condition can be managed and he can put on this sort of performance, then re-signing him should be much easier. On the other hand, if his poor play of the last few weeks (prior to recently) is because his asthma can’t be managed or because of something else, then that suggest caution.

by Elvin_is_my_Elvis on Feb 13, 2012 9:45 AM EST reply actions

the asthma may be the key to Mcgee's whole career

After the Wizards lost to New York last week, McGee finally decided to get checked out and his doctor discovered that the Wizards center was having some complications with his athletic asthma.

"They said I was breathing at like 75 percent," McGee said of the doctor, who prescribed a different medicine that has helped promote some of his most inspired play of the season.

In his past two games against Miami and Detroit, McGee has made his presence felt on both ends of the court, combining to score 46 points on 20 of 31 shooting (64.5 percent), grab 24 rebounds and block three shots.

After he dunked on Detroit eight times and finished tied with Nick Young for a team-leading 22 points in a 98-77 win over the Pistons, Detroit Coach Lawrence Frank acknowleged the game-changing 22-2 second-half run but said, "the MVP of the game was JaVale McGee.

"I feel a lot better," he said. "I feel I can stay out there longer now. I got to just take my medicine."

by DCrez on Feb 13, 2012 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

I just saw that under the NBA game score article.

Crazy. I really hope that if we do invest in him, we’re investing in trainer education. Our trainers always seem to be behind the curve on something.

by Craig_ on Feb 13, 2012 11:15 AM EST up reply actions

Seriously

They even know a about his “athletic asthma” and they can’t even treat it properly.

I'm a Wizards fan. We've been trying to tell you about Lebron for years. Hated the man before it was cool.
Follow @Dylan___V

by returnofswagger on Feb 13, 2012 12:41 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Excaclty

The medical staff is a joke. But then again, player personell, player development, scouting and coaching staff don’t quite stand out either.

Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge

What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh

by Dutch Hoopfan on Feb 14, 2012 5:26 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah Dcrez I read this

I could see Mcgee was laboring badly on the floor I knew something was wrong his production had begun falling drastically and he was tired after only a few minutes. When he has it under control he plays very well is attentive and active when he is winded its over he falls asleeps and coasts. He should be seeing a specialist find the best guy in the country and get a handle on this. He’s a totally different player when he has the stamina. Not sure why team trainers hadn’t been more aware of this. But the Wizards team doctors and trainers have been questionable going back decades.

He changes the way teams attack when he’s right.

by jazzy1 on Feb 13, 2012 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

My pet theory for the last year is that bad Javale happens most often when he has been on the floor for more than 4-5 minutes.

I’ve always wondered if maybe he would benefit from shorter runs. Not so much in terms of overall minutes just get him in and out on much shorter intervals. I’m not a doctor though so maybe that would be worse for his asthma.

by BayAreaBullet on Feb 13, 2012 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

bad Javale happens when you dont involve him in the offense

right or wrong, if you involve him, he tends to drift away much less…ignore him, even when he is open, and his mind wanders to places his game follows…probably some sunny beach somewhere

by les boulez bomber on Feb 13, 2012 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

Thats interesting

I almost feel like cooking up some Crow, JaVale was fantastic last night. If its asthma that is causing a good portion of that, maybe he is worth a decent investment.

by Maroon and Black on Feb 13, 2012 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

Has the lightbulb in John's head gone off re: looking for our Bigs??

I dont think he has ever looked for Javale that much in one game, let alone adding the number of sweet looks he got Ves….that is the most encouraging thing I have seen all season. Yesterday was the first time Wall truly made his teamates better, a lot better really and if this is how he goes at it from now on he’s turned a corner.

by DCrez on Feb 13, 2012 10:33 AM EST reply actions

absolutely

It is clear from their good play, that our record to a large extent is a reflection of their desire. They have done it enough times to know what they need to do to win. If they play like this and lose, so be it. That is a talent shortfall. But when they dont play like this, there is a reason in their head and not their skills.

by les boulez bomber on Feb 13, 2012 10:37 AM EST up reply actions

I agree

I have always wondered why Wall has spent more time trying to find guys on the perimeter and not the bigs in the middle of the floor. Maybe he’s figured out how to find the passing angles on the pick and roll finally Mcgee should always be a threat for the lob or an inside pass but Wall often overlooks it to try and find Young ,Lewis and Crawford.

He’d get more assists if he looked for the bigs in the high percentage areas more often.

by jazzy1 on Feb 13, 2012 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

personally I think it had more to do with Javale positioning himself properly and Monroe sliding way to early.

by BayAreaBullet on Feb 13, 2012 2:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

This.

Until recently, JaVale has spent a lot of time in the strongside low post, battling for position and calling for the ball.

Last night JaVale played almost exclusively in the weakside high post, setting picks (some good ones, too!) and looking to make quick cuts to the basket.

Playing in the strongside low post, JaVale clogs up the paint, turning his teammates into jump shooters. Playing in the weakside high post, JaVale leaves space inside for our entire team to attack the basket.

McGee, Wall, and Vesely all looked pretty good knifing towards the basket yesterday.

by yop32 on Feb 13, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

McGee did a good job of keeping his head up and finding the soft spot he had to be in.

Also Monroe isn’t super athletic and was playing pretty bad defense. He was committing on the help way to early making it very easy for the lob.

I do like having him in the high post because he just doesn’t do a very good job establishing low post position and can use his quickness to cut from that distance.

by BayAreaBullet on Feb 13, 2012 3:06 PM EST up reply actions

JaVale was much better last night

Played the right way, playing off of Wall.

Still a lot of room for improvement though. He made some productive cuts to the basket, but, as you said, a lot of those opportunities were there because of Monroe’s premature help D.

If JaVale can get better at playing this way, he has the talent to continue to get these kinds of numbers, even against good defenders. He should also start pulling down some more offensive rebounds.

by yop32 on Feb 13, 2012 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

i think Javale should get a couple iso's per game with him at the FT line

Most every C in the league would rather have him one-on-one in the post then towards the key, he definitely has the handle to take Cs off the dribble and has done it several times this season

by DCrez on Feb 13, 2012 8:10 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe as a change of pace

But iso-ing JaVale leads to trouble, just like iso-ing Nick. Tunnel vision is a death mark for an iso player.

Just like with Nick, we need to get the ball to JaVale in a way that lets him get his shot off almost instantly, before the defense can react. And just like with Nick (last year, anyway), if the shot isn’t there, he shouldn’t force it or try to think about a plan B. Just kick it back out to Wall and reset.

by yop32 on Feb 13, 2012 11:40 PM EST up reply actions

great observation!

by les boulez bomber on Feb 13, 2012 8:01 PM EST up reply actions

I disagree Mcgee did the same thing to the Heat and it had to do with how Wall wa attacking not where Mcgee was positioned

Wall was coming off the screen in more of a straight line he wasn’t being angled off laterally by the big on the screen and roll and he also fought harder to come straight down the lane Mcgee is always available for the lons.

Mcgee doesn’t clog the ;lane making guys perimeter scorers thats ridiculous. Nick Young wants no real parts of the paint he brings the defense to him wherever he goes, He’d have less people around him if he passed it more to Mcgee,Booker and Vesely in the paint. The defense would be forced then to play it more straight up then.

by jazzy1 on Feb 13, 2012 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

2nd rounder and cash...

Young would be a nice fit off the bench for a contending team. His role would obviously be to provide instant offense with his ability to shoot three-pointers as well.

The trick is, would a team be willing to acquire Young knowing he is a free agent and would possibly walk after the season? Young could be a rental for a team making one last run at a title and that’s certainly a risk. Is a team willing to take it?

A league source told me the best-case scenario for the Wiz would likely be a second-round draft pick and cash in a deal for Young.

http://www.csnwashington.com/blog/wizards-talk/post/Wiz-must-be-sellers-come-trade-deadline?blockID=649916&feedID=10480

Boy…would we see some low scoring games at that point…Wall would see continuous double teams…

not disagreeing about getting something if you know he is leaving, but the final games will be tough to watch if we just get a draft pick back…

by DavidDunn on Feb 13, 2012 10:44 AM EST reply actions

yeah as well as John played yesterday the fact still remains

when Nick’s shot is falling we look like an nba offense, when it’s not, we suck

by DCrez on Feb 13, 2012 10:50 AM EST up reply actions

Second round pick of a contending team?

I’d rather see decent basketball the rest of the season than pick up a 57th pick.

by Elvin_is_my_Elvis on Feb 13, 2012 11:10 AM EST up reply actions

Really.

I expect EG will do better than that by Nick…

by khrabb on Feb 13, 2012 11:31 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed for different reasons

You need to surfing your prospects with talented enough players or you risk stunting their development. A late round first is a good enough compensation for any setback for Wall/young bigs downgrading from Young to run-of-the-mill 3 and d nbdl player. A late second? Nope.

by zeke5123 on Feb 13, 2012 12:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Surrounding

iPhone…

by zeke5123 on Feb 13, 2012 12:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Even though I am not a fan of Nick Young's overall game

Nick Young is the only player on this entire roster who can consistently score and hit a jump shot so trading him for just a 2nd round pick from a playoff team and some cash wouldn’t benefit the Wizards at all at this point. Without Nick, they would have trouble scoring 90 points on most nights.

by jf90 on Feb 13, 2012 9:15 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Mack would pick up the slack. He is shooting same percentages as Nick...a little higher actually

by les boulez bomber on Feb 13, 2012 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

Correlating shooting percentages from garbage time and the extremely small sample sizes...

does NOT equal Nick Young’s production.

by Craig_ on Feb 13, 2012 11:33 PM EST up reply actions

Of course not, but watching him play tells you a lot if you have watched a lot of basketball. And Mack is solid despite his limited minutes. He will be a starter in this league before he hangs up his sneakers for good

Many people here undervalue actual production. Mack is a winner. He is the most accomplished player on the roster, despite JW playing with four other first round NBA picks…

In Mack’s 3 years at Butler University he played as the point guard in a total of 108 games. Butler made two appearances in the national title game, but lost them both. In the first of his national title game appearances the team lost to Duke. Mack had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. In his other appearance in the game, a loss to Connecticut, he had 13 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. During his tenure with Butler he averaged a solid 14.1 ppg (points per game).

by les boulez bomber on Feb 14, 2012 1:05 AM EST up reply actions