Category: Wizards

It’s been a while since we last posted about the Wizards, mainly for a couple reasons. The All-Star break was a snooze fest, the Wizards only played 2 games in the past 11 days, but then there was the trade deadline in which the Wizards made a move to acquire some bench help. I am feeling positive so in this blog series I am going to break it down to the good, the better, then the ugly.

Good

I am going to list Bojan Bogdanivic in the good category as of now. It’s too early to tell, this can easily move to the better or the ugly category. The Wizards gave up 2 players who haven’t played much this season, or haven’t lived up to their off season expectations and a protected first round pick for bench help and a developmental player in Chris McCollough. Bojan didn’t play too well in his first game as a Wizard on Friday against the 76ers, then picked it up against the Jazz scoring 15 points. Bojan hasn’t been able to create shots on his own, which is really what the Wizards needed. You have to give Bojan time to settle in, learn the style of play, the players, then see what he can offer. So far so good…let’s see what he can do mid March and beyond. I am excited to say the least.

Better

In this category one major thing happened, or I will say didn’t happen. None of the teams in the Eastern Conference really got better at the trade deadline. I was dead afraid of the Paul George to the Celtics rumors. That would make them a top contender in the East no doubt. They are still a scary team, but I would take my chances in a 7 game series. The Cavs you can say maybe got a little better with the trade in acquiring Deron Williams, a bona fide point guard. However he is probably past his prime, and who knows how the chemistry will work on that team. We all know that cry baby James is sensitive when things don’t go his way. In addition the team potentially took a big hit with the Kevin Love injury. Cleveland is still the favorite in the east but what we learned when they played here in D.C. is that the Wizards can contend with them. Then there is the Raptors who got better with a Serge Ibaka trade but got significantly worse today with the news of Kyle Lowry’s injury. I’ll never wish an injury on a player and I hope Kyle a full recovery, however this team is just not going to be the same without Kyle.

Ugly

There is no question about it, the Wizards backup point guard play is just plain old ugly. During Friday’s game against the 76ers, the ‘6ers pressured Trey Burke in the back court and he just had no answer. Pressuring your point guard and getting to him should not be a thing in the NBA. On Sunday Scott Brooks tried the Satoransky hand at PG, but that didn’t go much better. In turn having to pull John Wall off the bench after just a short rest. This is going to be the biggest Achilles heel in the Wizards lineup for the foreseeable future. Word on the street is that the Wizards are in play for Brandon Jennings’ services. At this point, I doubt it can get worse, so I am all in for it. The Wizards HAVE to find a way to give John more of a break, and this may be a possible solution. The Jennings watch has started..

Welcome to all the new fans and spectators of the Washington Wizards. We’ve been waiting for you. The Washington Wizards took the defending champs down to the wire on Monday in what was easily the most exciting game this season for the NBA. This game had it all, from lead changes to 3 point exchanges, and a shot at the end of regulation that to tie then ultimately lose. THAT is why a blog with this name even exists.

The Wizards win streak may have ended, but this is just the beginning. Monday was proof that the goal isn’t just to make it to the playoffs, its to make it deep into the playoffs.

Lebron James is good, he is also extremely lucky. Usually I would talk about how Monday night’s game is more proof that DC is cursed. Nobody should have been able to make that shot. Its inconceivable that we let Lebron score three times from long range within a 97 second span. On top of that was everything that went down in overtime. Lebron fouls out after 1 minute, DC fans celebrate…then Kyrie Irving decides to remind us all he exists. Kyrie scored 11 points in OT, the second-most for any player in an overtime this season, second only to Russell Westbrook, who scored 14 against Washington back in November. Despite those reasons, I’m not upset. I don’t think the curse played a part in the game on Monday.

The Wizards needed that game, and that outcome. Would a win have been preferred? Yes. I’m not an idiot. A win would have been huge. What I am saying now though, is that a loss can be used as fuel. The hunger will now be there after the all-star break. A win that big, this early, in this town….THAT is how the curse would strike. We can’t handle national attention. Not yet. Knowing this city, and our teams, a win Monday night would have quenched this teams thirst. If only for a little bit. I don’t want us to stumble a few games then fight our way back up the ranks before the playoffs.

The Wizards have something brewing and you’re all welcome to enjoy the show and cheer at the phone booth. Monday was your sneak peak. Buy your tickets, put your jerseys on, and rock your throwback Bullets snap backs. The Wizards are getting ready to make a statement. We’re coming for you Lebron…and next time that shot won’t fall.

The Washington Wizards are in the middle of a 15-game home win streak. John Wall was recently rewarded with an all-star appearance and won player of the month (December). The Wizards have the BEST record in the east since December 1st 2016. Scott Brooks was named coach of the Month in January. All this and I say the Wizards have a very important few weeks ahead of them. Why? Well 2 reasons, we will hopefully find out if Ian Mahinmi was worth the 64 million he was paid in the offseason, and the Wizards have some critical east match ups. Where if all goes well the Wizards can put themselves in a good spot in the East.

First, I will briefly touch on Ian Mahinmi. Ian is reportedly close to returning and it has been reported that he will play again before the all-star break. Can Ian be the Wizards bench player that can help the team excel deep into the playoffs? Or will the Wizards be forced into making a trade before the trade deadline on Thursday February 23rd? Personally, I don’t need to see Ian come out and crush it, be the rim protector that the Wizards need, but I need to see potential and hope that he will improve over the last few months. With Jason Smith playing the way he has been we really need Ian to come in and compliment Jason with his defense.

Next the Wizards have the next 5 of 7 games before the all-star break at home. If the Wizards can come out on top for the majority of these games it will put them substantially ahead of teams in places 5-8 and solidify them as a contender in the east. The Wizards are currently sitting in the fourth spot in the east. They are currently 1 game out of third place, 2.5 games out of second place and 5 games out of the top spot. One of these seven games are a nationally televised game against the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Why is it important to make up ground in the east right now? Because it looks like some of the teams are going to get better via trade. Rumors have it that Melo may be joining the Boston Celtics, which will make them significantly better. Rumors also have it that Lebron James isn’t happy with only having 2 other all stars on the team and wants more. Wait what????

(Just a small note on Lebron James, I promise) Lebron pretty much hand-picked his team, brought in the guys he wanted to play with and is now making a case about additional players he wants to bring in. Is he a player or a GM? That’s not leadership! That’s not knowing you are in the conversation of being an all-time great and putting your team on your shoulders and winning a title. That’s the cheap way out! That’s a loser’s mentality! I will equate this to when I was a kid playing Madden. I would be down in the fourth quarter, where I would pause the game, switch teams, and punt the ball.

(Just a small note on how unfair the NBA is structured, I don’t promise this) In my opinion the NBA should do something to increase parity in the league. There are too many superstar teams and with players like Lebron recruiting mid-season and like the Warriors did this offseason in recruiting KD. Teams aren’t rewarded for building through the draft like it is say in the NFL. The NBA should really consider having a hard cap, where teams cannot spend more than the cap, and get rid of this luxury tax garbage. The NFL does many things wrong, but I think they control parity the way it should be. There’s almost at least 1 new team in the Super bowl every year, where in the NBA it’s the same teams over and over again. The Cavs basically went from one of the worst team in the league to playing in the finals by using their $$$ and drafting no players.

Rant(s) finished, now let’s just hope the Wizards prove the NBA wrong and prove that drafting the right players, adding in free agency (responsibly) can work.