More fun to watch and having more fun playing

by Moonman @ Bullets Forever on Dec 3, 2007 12:39 PM EST

I have always been somewhat of a critic of Arenas so I don't know if I'm imagining this but since his injury the Wiz look like they're having a lot more fun playing and I'm looking forward toward their games for a change. The guys are sharing the ball, Butler is emerging as a borderline superstar (Jamison is coming up huge too), and players are moving without the ball cause they know there's a good chance with this offense if they're open they'll probably get it. Daniels is doing a great job running the team, although I agree with jvflail's earlier post that if he goes down we are in a gigantic amount of trouble with no backup whatsoever. If someone could explain to me why Daniels was out of the last two minutes of the Philly game that'd be great (did I miss a foul or injury). Our offense is a bit of a debacle when he's not there to get it started. Jamison was quoted in the post as saying "I'm having the most fun in my 10-year career" and it looks like the rest of the team is having a great time too. We are playing with more energy, more enthusiasm, and are more fun to watch because of it. I hope Eddie Jordan learns something from this and when Arenas does come back he starts and plays him at shooting guard so maybe we can maintain the chemistry we have going. Shoot first point guards simply don't work. Unfortuantely I don't see Jordan making the move or Gilbert accepting Daniels running the show.

Nick Young is looking like a phenomenal pick by the way.

This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.

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Pass-first PGs are rare in Wiz Land

Gilbert's been here what? 3 or 4 years. Before that we had the Hughes/Lue combo for Jordan's Wiz. I can't even remember who was on the team when Lenoard Hamilton coached. Anyway, my point is AD is fun to watch/play with because he's an excellent floor general, probably the best the Wiz have had since Darrell Walker. Strickland was good (did Hamilton coach the last year of the Strickland/Richmond disaster?), but he had a hard time keeping himself under control, never mind the rest of his team. Same with Gilbert (Don't mis-understand me. I'd rather have hay-day Gilbert than hay-day Rod, but neither one is a take-charge floor leader). Daniels makes good decisions, does not dominate the ball, drives the lane hard, and makes his free throws.

The big mystery to me about AD is his 3-point shot. I have a friend who always reminds me of his stint in Seattle, where he lit up opponents from long range. We could really use some of the yesteryear magic AD.

p.s. As long as we're talking about fun, one terrible by-product of Gilbert's injury is that my dream Wiz lineup of Arenas, Young, Butler, Jamison, and Blatche will have to wait. So what if they were completely lost on D. You're lookin at some Doug Moe Denver Nugget-type numbers w/ that lineup.

by jvflail on Dec 4, 2007 2:42 PM EST reply actions

Meh

Short answer: There isn't all that big of a difference between "pass-first" and "shoot-first" point guards. The former too often defines those who aren't as skilled, while the latter too often is a way to demean more talented players. Isiah, for example was a shoot-first point guard until he started winning, which occurred only when he finally got better teammates. Same with Earl Monroe and Clyde Frazier.

I think it's too small of a sample to determine whether this team is really better off without Arenas. I'd trust the larger sample, which has spanned the past few years, and indicates that the Wizards really struggle without Arenas.

Of course, Butler and Jamison are playing better than ever, but it's still very early. We'll revisit the question in three months.

(As far as whether this team's more fun to watch, I don't agree, but you're entitled to your own opinion).

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

by Mike Prada on Dec 4, 2007 3:10 PM EST reply actions

Not sold either

I didn't mean to imply that I thought this team was better off w/out Arenas. In my personal opinion, I think we're much, much worse. But since there's no way to compare how many games we actually win vesus how many we would have won had GA been healthy, it's not worth the time. Plus, as you pointed out, the sample is still to small. If we go out and win 20 in a row, I'll be happy to be wrong. If we lose our next 20, I'll be too mad to speak.

I was just pointing out that GA's skills are much more similar to Allen Iverson than to Jon Stockton. AD is good at typical PG contributions: valuing the ball, finding the hot hand, penetrating-and-dishing, and similar stuff. Gilbert does these things too, but takes more chances (and in my mind more shots) than he should. Many times, his natural ability makes those chances work, other times he presses, the offense stagnates into a jumpshot-fest, and the next thing you know, we're down 30. His aggressiveness gets him a ton of points and assists, but also a higher turnover-to-assist ratio than other PGs (especially AD, who was among the league-leaders in that category last year).

And while I miss GA's spectacular plays, I can see how Moonman enjoys AD's more structured approach to the game.

by jvflail on Dec 4, 2007 6:55 PM EST up reply actions

well....

ive always maintained that arenas (and to a certain extent jamison) are great players to watch and you can win games with them, but you cant win a championship with them. Defense toughness/leadership win championships and arenas (so far) brings neither.

I think what youre seeing is a team thats been galvanized by arenas going down, and this is only possible because of the toughness and leadership that jamison and butler bring. Off the court they might have been the leaders, but on the court arenas has always the leader because he was the best player and because he touched the ball so much. Now that butler and jamison are the on court leaders, the team is reflecting their attitudes and style. Jamison and butler might not be the best defenders, but they always do try hard (or at least give the appearance that theyre trying hard) on the defensive end and we are definitely seeing that.

by Wooz on Dec 10, 2007 3:27 PM EST reply actions