Agreed, Wizards need more respect, when healthy we led the East last season and have only gotten better since then. I expect us to make a run at the division title.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas)</div><div class='quotemain'>Agreed, Wizards need more respect, when healthy we led the East last season and have only gotten better since then. I expect us to make a run at the division title.</div> Until the pudding soft middle scares someone other than my grandmother I dont see any respect forthcoming. Gilbert, Caron and Antawnis a damn good trio. I will go as far as to say Caron is top 5 in the NBA for perimeter D, and Hibatchi is... a couple slices short of a pizza (but my god can he play) but the wiz allow far too many points in the paint and division rivals Orlando and Miami should be able to exploit that in their many clashes this year...</p> I hope it wont happen because the more Arenas antics in this league the better. However I do foresee the wiz lucky to make the second round of the playoffs, lucky to make the first if Orlando, Boston and New York Improve as much on court as on paper.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lukewarmplay)</div><div class='quotemain'>the cavs were also a second round playoff team, but they made it to the finals.</div></p> </p> Very true. I guess they were the luckiest 2nd round team in 2007. Health is part of being lucky. Who knows a healthy Krstic makes a difference, allows Kidd to get to the 4th quarter, giving him enough reserve to strangle the game as he did in our finals runs. Without Krstic, it forces Kidd to work harder to get shots. </p> </p>
I dont see the Nets really getting dissed because if i remember correctly, that the Nets were the ones favoured to win the Atlantic last year. The Wiz as well were projected to put upa fight against the Cavs
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GMJigga)</div><div class='quotemain'>Why can't we beat the Raps again? We beat them without our current starting 4 and 5. I really can't stress that point enough. 40% of our starters are brand new.</div> Cue up the pointless hype machine... </p> </div> </p> Getting 2 players this offseason who are better than what we had before is not means to get excited? We got a whole new front court!</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RaptorFan#1)</div><div class='quotemain'>I dont see the Nets really getting dissed because if i remember correctly, that the Nets were the ones favoured to win the Atlantic last year. The Wiz as well were projected to put upa fight against the Cavs</div> </p> ...and then injuries happened.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GMJigga)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'> The 2005-2006 Nets were a 49 win team and a second round playoff team. Last season's team if healthy was a 48-51 win team, but still a second round playoff team.</p> </p> The Nets are still who they are, a second round playoff team </p></div> Which it wasn't.</p> For a team who has been lacking up front players to match their wings, we really cannot stress how important it is that both starting big men on our team next year...weren't there last year. </p> </div> It doesn't matter, the Nets still got to their ultimate level last season in the playoffs.</p> You are putting way too much faith into Magloire. I don't see any upgrade on the roster with him unless you are comparing him to Ilic</p> </div> </p> Yeah that team did, but this is a different one! We had players leave and players come in, with a net postitive result. And its not just about magloire, its about Krstic too.</p>
As a casual Wizards fan, I think if they're healthy they're pretty good. They ought to go out and get themselves Brian Skinner. Not that he's the end all and be all, but he's a big body who actually plays defense. </p> They need to obtain some closure on the whole Haywood/Thomas fiasco and unload one of them. Skinner's a decent enough player that he'll fill that hole, because obviously they're not going to get a big back by trading one of those two bozos.</p> Darius Songaila is not awful, and he missed most of the year last year. It was hard to get a read on him. I think Blatche will be able to consistently get minutes this year. He's like 6'11" and 250, and athletic, so unless he's a complete mental midget, he should be pretty good. The downside is that, with a history scary (getting followed home and shot) and stupid (picking up hookers) history of bad judgement, he may very well be a mental midget.</p> I think Oleksiy Pecherov, their first round pick last year who will actually be here this year, will be a mild surprise. Maybe I'm wrong, but he really seems to have a nose for the ball. If he turns out, he might be a Drew Gooden-like player. Not a star, but a you could do a lot worse than an athletic 6'11 guy who rebounds and has range all over the court. </p> So you add those three guys up, and I think you've got cause for hope in the froncourt. Jamison is about as unorthodox a 4 as they come, but I think he's somewhat overlooked too. Truth is, his defense is average, not bad, and he's very smart player.</p> Butler is everything you could ask for in a 3.</p> Arenas, I worry about him not being fully recovered from the knee injury, and I worry about him being a nut. But what are you gonna do? He's still one of the best players in the league otherwise.</p> Antonio Daniels is a very good 3rd guard to have.</p> Deshawn Stevenson is pretty iffy IMO, hopefully Nick Young puts him on the bench. Young is a guy I'm not all that sure about, but I guess he was a pretty good value where the Wizards picked. I probably would have gone with Jason Smith just because, if you're going to pick on guys that aren't sure things, you might as well pick the athletic 7 footer. </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid Chocolate)</div><div class='quotemain'> 4) We've improved (Mags)</p> </p> </div></p> </p> I disagree </p> </p> </div></p> </p> Hate.</p> </p> How can you possibly say that doesn't improve our team?</p> </p> I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to go fill up buck nasty's mom's water dish.</p> </p>
Magloire is not that huge of improvement, but im hoping he is. And we still dont know how Krstic will play post surgery. We lost two solid contributors in house and Adams, but a thing to look forward to is the improvement of the other youngsters. Are we better than last year? Yes. Are we going past the second round? Most likely not unless we get lucky. Also take into consideration that even when krstic played last year we were barely a .500 team. Yes, we always have struggles in the first month of the season, but for the most part we were healthy excluding the inexperienced rookie Boone and House.</p> </p> Again we have improved, but Cleveland still has LeBron and a great rebounding frontcourt. I do not see how we are better than the Pistons and the Bulls. As I stated before, Boston will be a nightmare for anyone in the playoffs, and if Miami comes playoff time healthy-then they should be on our level. They dropped off a bit because they lost Kapono but I doubt Posey leaves. They are just playing the waiting game with him. Oh and the Raptors finally know what the playoffs are about and wil be more prepared. Not only that but again, they have improved. Their rookies have now a year of experience under their belt just like ours, and as far as im concerned-Kapono and Delfino is an improvement over MoPete.</p> </p> I know its early, but i think by playoff time these will be the seedings:</p> 1) Bulls(50-55 wins)</p> 2) Cavs(50-52 wins)</p> 3) Raptors(49-52 wins)</p> 4) Pistons(48-50 wins)</p> 5) Celtics(45-48 wins)</p> 6) Nets(44-47 wins)</p> 7) Heat(42-45 wins)</p> 8) Wizards(42-45 wins)</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (L)</div><div class='quotemain'>We are still a second round and out team. If you think we can beat the Raps again then think again. We might get the Cavs to a seventh game but lose ultimately. Celtics are more suited for the playoffs rather than the regular season, and the Pistons are still a top team in the East. I cant make a call on Miami but i'd say we are at the same level as them currently.</div></p> </p> This is something I've been thinking about; what makes you think so? </p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lukewarmplay)</div><div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (L)</div><div class='quotemain'>We are still a second round and out team. If you think we can beat the Raps again then think again. We might get the Cavs to a seventh game but lose ultimately. Celtics are more suited for the playoffs rather than the regular season, and the Pistons are still a top team in the East. I cant make a call on Miami but i'd say we are at the same level as them currently.</div></p> </p> This is something I've been thinking about; what makes you think so? </p> </p> </div> </p> ....and what if the celtics don't even make the playoffs?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lukewarmplay)</div><div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (L)</div><div class='quotemain'>We are still a second round and out team. If you think we can beat the Raps again then think again. We might get the Cavs to a seventh game but lose ultimately. Celtics are more suited for the playoffs rather than the regular season, and the Pistons are still a top team in the East. I cant make a call on Miami but i'd say we are at the same level as them currently.</div></p> </p> This is something I've been thinking about; what makes you think so? </p> </p> </div></p> Well, I look at this way: in the playoffs, a halfcourt stlye of play is mostly played. Unlike our big 3, all three of theirs all function best in the same stle-halfcourt. Our big 3 is quite mixed-Carter is utilized best in the halfcourt, however RJ and Kidd's games are more suited for a more fullcourt running game. As for Boston, instead of having just one reliable player to score and open things up in the halfcourt, they have 3. Granted, beyond Garnett, Allen, Pierce, Rondo, Perkins, House, and Tony Allen, there isnt much depth but if their big 3 doesnt burn so many minutes in the regular season and if they stay healthy, they can make up for it. Also, take a look at the Cavs. They have a bunch of average players around a superstar but they were able to make it to the finals. Shouldnt that also bode well for Boston since they have 3 great players that can work at best in the halfcourt? </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lukewarmplay)</div><div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (L)</div><div class='quotemain'>We are still a second round and out team. If you think we can beat the Raps again then think again. We might get the Cavs to a seventh game but lose ultimately. Celtics are more suited for the playoffs rather than the regular season, and the Pistons are still a top team in the East. I cant make a call on Miami but i'd say we are at the same level as them currently.</div></p> </p> This is something I've been thinking about; what makes you think so? </p> </p> </div> </p> ....and what if the celtics don't even make the playoffs? </div> haha, then bump every team on that list one spot and choose either the Knicks, Bobcats, or Magic for the eighth seed! </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'> the wizards should trade etan thomas.</p> to the nets. </p> </div></p> I guarantee you no offer, however pitiful, would be refused. </p> </p>
[quote name='L'][quote name='peg182'][quote name='lukewarmplay'] [quote name='L']We are still a second round and out team. If you think we can beat the Raps again then think again. We might get the Cavs to a seventh game but lose ultimately. Celtics are more suited for the playoffs rather than the regular season, and the Pistons are still a top team in the East. I cant make a call on Miami but i'd say we are at the same level as them currently.[/QUOTE]</p> </p> This is something I've been thinking about; what makes you think so? </p> </p> [/QUOTE] </p> ....and what if the celtics don't even make the playoffs? [/QUOTE] haha, then bump every team on that list one spot and choose either the Knicks, Bobcats, or Magic for the eighth seed! </p> [/QUOTE] orlando will make it</p>
The Wizards went into last season with exactly the same question marks they have now. They had a tremendous season before attrition wore them out. At onle point they were in second or thrid place, and I believe were playing etter than the Cavs. Why are people so sure that they will go back to being a marginal team?
