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It's been a terribly busy week for me, so I haven't been able to do much in terms of writing on what's been going on around the D.C. basketball scene.
John Wall enjoyed his All-Star Weekend
Wall scored 22 points in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. It wasn't enough to win MVP -- one of his pregame goals -- but he still put on a show with granny-ball threes and showing off his shoe collection.
He also hung out with LeBron James and wants Kobe Bryant to mentor him. Check out our StoryStream for what was essentially my running blog while All-Star was going on.
Trade: Wizards acquire Markeiff Morris
The Wizards were involved in some NBA trade rumors this week with Ryan Anderson and Miles Plumlee. Ultimately, nothing materialized from those scoops.
But the Wizards ultimately did make a move at the deadline that caught our eye for sure..
Washington acquired Markeiff Morris of the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair, and a protected first round pick.
We have a ton of takes on it will come out today.
Wizards beat the Jazz in the first game of a back-to-back-to-back, 103-89 at Verizon Center. They play the Detroit Pistons tonight, AND the Miami Heat on the road Saturday.
The Washington Posts gear up for international play or practice
As you know, the Wizards have the House of Guards with Wall and Bradley Beal, but the Mystics have the Washington Posts with Emma Meesseman and Stefanie Dolson.
We've been waiting for Beal to make an All-Star jump, but for the Mystics, both of their starters have earned such nods. So as a group, you could argue that the Mystics' post duo is ahead of the Wizards' backcourt because they both have earned that league-wide honor.
Both of the Mystics' posts are involved in national team commitments at the moment.
Emma Meesseman suited up for Belgium and scored 18 points to lead the Cats over the Netherlands on Wednesday in a 67-49 rout on the road in Amsterdam. The Cats play the Polish national team on Saturday at home in Belgium.
With most of the top European women's basketball teams playing in EuroBasket qualifiers on Saturday, it also gave USA Basketball a chance to bring back their players for practice. Dolson will return to America to practice this Sunday, February 21 through February 23.
The practice will be held at Storrs, Connecticut, the Mecca of women's basketball. Storrs is the home of the University of Connecticut, which has the best women's college basketball program of all time. And Geno Auriemma is the Huskies' AND Team USA's head coach. Is that reason to believe that she may make Team USA?
Nope, so sorry UConn D.C. Alumni chapter.
Even if you are an anti-UConn conspiracy theorist who thinks "Auriemma wants ALL THE HUSKIES on Team USA," I just don't see Dolson making the final team barring injuries to multiple other centers who have played in the FIBA World Championship or Olympics. That said, she has a good shot to be in the 2018 World Cup or 2020 Olympic rosters if she participates regularly in these camps.
Best BF Features
L.W. noted that all hasn't been lost with the Wizards' season. However, there's a lot of work to be made if they're going to be playoff bound.
Jake wrote about the Wizards' most effective lineup in the 2015-16 season ... so far. At the small forward position, some guy named Garrett Temple was in it, along with a backcourt of Wall and Beal and a frontcourt of Dudley and Gortat. Hmmmmm.
Alan wrote about the Wizards wasting John Wall's outstanding season. With Morris traded to D.C. now, that changes things.
If there's one thing I'm not great at doing, it's predictions. Jon Munshaw revisited several preseason predictions and whether they became true.
Best FanPosts
wobbesam wrote about why the Wizards should just stop thinking about Kevin Durant. I don't think Durant will sign with D.C., and I never thought he would. But if the Wizards are making moves toward 2018-2020 as wobbesam noted, does that also mean another season or two of lowered expectations, and at worst, wasting more of Wall's prime away?
DCHero wrote about why the Wizards should have been traders at the deadline - He outlines a three-step approach in the post to lay out his point. Would you agree with his assessment? And does the Morris deal go in line with that? I think that that deal followed his approach quite nicely.
Best pieces from outside Bullets Forever
Kevin Broom wrote about the Wizards' playoff chances this season and he isn't optimistic, though L.W. took the "light at the end of the tunnel" approach. According to his analysis, the Wizards do have an easier schedule but are still facing a tough road to finish the season.
He even pointed this out in his piece when it comes to the Wizards' injuries:
So what about the injuries? The Wizards have indeed lost the NBA’s highest number of player games to injury so far this season. Unfortunately, the players who missed games weren’t the team’s major producers of wins, and their replacements did a reasonable job filling in.
Speaking of which, Broom also has an analysis of the Morris trade where he ran some numbers on how the Wizards would do with him. He predicted a 39-43 record that would still likely keep the Wizards out of the playoff race.
Adam Rubin of Truth About It wrote a two-part series on the 1996-97 Washington Bullets, the last Wizards team to be known by the old moniker. In the series, he chronicled the Bullets' rising swagger as a young team and their first round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls. The series was also written with interviews with several members of the organization including Juwan Howard, Rod Strickland, Bernie Bickerstaff, and more. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here.
That's all I have. Enjoy your weekends.
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