I was pretty dead after a red-eye flight back home, so I didn't watch the Wizards' Summer League-closing win over the Knicks too carefully. JaVale McGee starred in the stat sheet, but I didn't notice him as much as I did against the Clippers, particularly defensively. I really think it was just a case of JaVale being a man among boys against the small Knicks frontcourt.
Still, McGee's emergence at the end of Summer League was a big plus. He impressed outsiders too. Here's what True Hoop's and ClipperBlog's Kevin Arnovitz (who's an absolute delight, by the way) had to say about JaVale:
JaVale McGee should help Washington's frontcourt rotation a good deal this season. He's got so much agility on both ends, a soft touch, and actually knows how to backpedal against a speedy guard coming off a screen. He got the better of DeAndre Jordan tonight and, prototypically, the guys have similar profiles. McGee put up a gaudy line: 19 points (9-for-11 from the field), seven blocks and four rebounds.
That was after the Clipper game, but the same could be applied to the Knick game. He's finally figuring out how to be a force on defense and not just a pogo stick. He also looks a little stronger, which numerous commentators and such have pointed out on the airwaves or to me personally this past week.
Anyway, here are links to the entirety of Bullets Forever's coverage live from Las Vegas, for those who missed it.
- Wizards beat the Cavaliers 96-93 (first game recap)
- Bullets Forever talks to all-star forward Antawn Jamison
- Andray Blatche is comfortable, confident and (eventually) under control
- Rook's Summer League Game 1 observations
- Ernie Grunfeld says Dominic McGuire will play some power forward this year
- Bullets Forever interviews Ernie Grunfeld
- Wizards lose to Denver 77-70 (second game recap)
- Wizards lose to Minnesota 89-82 (third game recap)
- A conversation with assistant coach Don Zeirden about JaVale McGee
- Bullets Forever talks to Brendan Haywood
- JaVale McGee stars in the 74-64 win over the Clippers (fourth game recap)
- Nick Young's offensive game is changing, slowly but surely (still pending)
- Summer League grades (still pending)