Hollinger Predicts 33 wins for us

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Wizards are talking about taking a step up and challenging the East's elite; I look at them and wonder if they aren't going in the opposite direction. Take a look at their three best players and tell me which of them are going to take a step up from last year: Arenas, who depends entirely on his quickness but is coming off knee surgery? Butler, who comes off a career year at 27? Or Jamison, who is 31 and has seen his numbers slowly declining the past couple years?</p>

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I'll go with "none of the above," and for that reason Washington's secondary players are going to need to step up in a major way. But here we have the same problem -- Daniels is a 32-year-old penetrator and nobody would be shocked if he hit the wall this year; while Haywood and Jordan have a prickly relationship that seemed to get even worse last season. The dynamic between Haywood and Thomas bears watching as well -- they fought multiple times last year, and it's rather shocking that one or the other wasn't traded this summer.</p>

One other thing to keep an eye on is the contract-year push. Jamison's deal expires after the season, while Arenas can opt out of his contract season's end and is likely to do so. The Wizards can theoretically give Arenas an extension, but because he isn't on a max deal it's in his interest to play out the season and then cash in. That could be a good thing if it causes both players to dial up their efforts in search of the next payday, or a very bad one if it causes them to play more selfishly -- this team already has had friction in the past as a result of Arenas' shoot-first mentality at the point.</p>

But realistically, if Washington is going to improve it will come from two things: The kids and the defense. Pecherov and Young are unknown quantities, while Blatche is another X factor. If one of them emerges as a major contributor then it's much easier to see Washington keeping up in the East.</p>

That's especially true if the team plays any defense, but to date they've offered no evidence that they plan to do so. One wonders if this will put Jordan on the hot seat at any point, or indeed if it already has; Washington's lackadaisical approach to this end of the floor is costing it dearly.</p>

But although there are many reasons the Wizards could be better, I tend to put more faith in the reasons they could be worse. I think this prediction is going to shock some people, but I see Washington in decline for at least a year or two until the youngsters are ready to step up, and if so I think the all-fun-and-no-defense approach of the past two years will be evaluated much more harshly.</div></p>

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/trainingcam...ardsPreview0708#</p>

It's an ESPN insider page. Are you kidding me John? The problems on defense will hurt us in the playoffs, but not in the regular season. The Wizards couldn't be any much worse on defense, but with the addition of Randy Ayers and the emphasize on defense this training camp(second year in a row), you know they're going to improve. Gilbert talked publicly that he knew they needed to improve on defense and you know if he's motivated, he can do just about anything. Caron Butler, Deshawn Stevenson and Antawn Jamison are more thanmotivated to step their game up on defense. I'm surprised he didn't mention Dominic's potential for this team, which shows how much he's been following the Wizards this summer. Personally, I think he'll have a bigger impact on the floor than Nick Young with his rebounding and defense, but he's also able to score down-low with his size.</p>

I wouldn't know if this defense will improve, but that's no case to put the Wizards in the 30 win column. You can predict a first round exit for the Wizards which I wouldn't be surpised, but the Wizards have proved they can win 40+ games with a lackadasical defense.</p>

 

He's an idiot..They'll be better than the heat imo.</p>

 

Get this, he predicted the rest of the Southeast win 40+ games this season. The Hawks and the Bobcats? I know they've improved over the off-season, but putting them ahead of the Wizards is still unheard of. Hollinger must've forgotten the injuries the Wizards had to have dealth with in the ending of the season that costed them many games in the last 12 or so. I'll get to reading ofhis previews later, but he obviously hasn't watched any of the Wizards last season.</p>

 

This is starting to get on my nerves. ESPN has shown the Wizards 0 respect since they finally pushed into the playoffs in 2005. I have yet to see ESPN even predict us to make the playoffs. Hollinger is an idiot, ESPN needs to get some new guys.</p>

 

I've been going on about this for years back on JBB. Do not pay any attention to ESPN. Simply put, they just don't know what the hell they're talking or writing about anymore. Been that way for almost a decade now. I notied that this all started once Europeanathletes became more of a factor into our popular North American sports leagues aside from the NHL, which had already established prominent foreign athletes for decades.</p>

 

Hollinger uses his stats to make um "educated guesses".</p>

Like most sports writers if your team is not considered elite, he runs his mouth.</p>

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Stein and Hollinger are very critical of the Wizards and have been for a couple years now. It gets frustrating seeing these predictions for the Wizards year after year. Hopefully this season will be the year we finally break out of the .500, first round exit shell.</p>

 

Welcome to Nets/Yankees territory.</p>

 

yeah, Hollinger has been doing this to the Nets for years. If he doesn't like somthing your team, he'll constantly rag on em.</p>

 

I sent Hollinger an E-mail about this, what do you think my chances are of it getting replied to?</p>

 

LOL..you guys are taking this to seriously! Hawks sometimes get it worst than this.</p>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (o.iatlhawksfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

LOL..you guys are taking this to seriously! Hawks sometimes get it worst than this.</p>

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Hello, Hollinger predicted a 40 win season for them.</p>

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shapecity)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

I sent Hollinger an E-mail about this, what do you think my chances are of it getting replied to?</p>

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What did you write?</p>

Look at it this way, if the other teams in the league don't respect you then you can sneak up and catch teams on off nights. Gil seems to thrive in the underdog role so this could be incentive for them to come out and silence the critics.</p>

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Basically went through his points and gave my reason as the why I believe they're wrong.</p>

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Asian Zero)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (o.iatlhawksfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

LOL..you guys are taking this to seriously! Hawks sometimes get it worst than this.</p>

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Hello, Hollinger predicted a 40 win season for them.</p>

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yeah, but trust me any hawks fan would tell you, we've had it bad from the media. But when you think about they have sucked so maybe they deserve to be criticized. Washington is just coming off a playoff season.</p>

 

I dont even remember the last time I took anything he wrote seriously.</p>