Washington Wizards (nee Bullets) Team Thread

[FreoRicci]

Very very quiet on this front, given the incredible past two games this team just had. In the midst of an unbelievable form right now.
Down by double digits late in the game, not once but twice and turned those into overtime wins.

Back to back road games are never easy, and especially late ones at that. Yesterday was a brilliant win, Beal just turned it on in the last quarter to get 21 of his 38 pts in both the fourth and overtime periods. John Wall was yet again huge against Sacramento, 25 pts and 12 assists to go alongside Beal's 38 pts and 10 rebounds.

Today's game though was another story. Portland were hot hot hot in the first half and seemingly had the game won at half time, up 70-49. 21 pts is surely no way to comeback and win. Nope not to these Wizards. On a back of a stunning 15-0 in the 4th, Washington got back into the contest and then dragged the lead out to 6 pts with 1.20 to go. John Wall had a personal 8-0 run with two clutch mid range jumpers and a casual 3 to show why he should be the best PG in the East, heck even the whole damn leage! Lillard and McCollum exploded with their 3 range but Porter/Bodgan kept the team in it. WallStar had a chance to win it on the buzzer beater but came up short. Another overtime and Morris finally got a buzzer beater with some smart coaching by Brooks to ensure Portland double teamed Beal with Morris wide open.

Now with 4 wins on the road, within the space of 5 days, have to say Washington are serious contenders right now. Also have the best East record against Western conf. teams. Wall is legit a top 5 MVP candidate at least, given where the team is right now. Trading for Bodgandovic is looking like a masterstroke given how much Wall creates chances for those outside the perimeter.

One final Western conf. road trip in two days against Minnesota, to come away from road period 5-0 would be incredible.

50 wins this season is looking more and more each day- and equaled last season record of 41 wins with 17 games left this season. What a brilliant season so far, can't wait for even more over the coming week

 

[RockJobster0312]

 

[Judd2Sewell]

IMO Wall is the most underrated player in the league.

 

[FreoRicci]

All of a sudden this team is back to the Wittman days.. FFS! Loss to Charlotte, Boston, Dallas and Minnesota. Just one win of the past 5 games.
Atlanta next. Can't win that one then the alarm bells will be ringing again. Really need to beat a fellow division team and take that no. 3 spot. Really want that 50 win season.

 

[FreoRicci]

John WallStar just had argubaly his best game of his career. Dominated Cleveland all game, with near perfect shooting and just obliterating Kyrie (Best PG in the East? COME ON ). Was at 9/9 FG at one stage before he missed a shot. Ended up with 14/21 (66%) with 37 pts and 11 assists. Yup chalk up yet another double/double. Beal also quietly had a good game 27 pts and 6 assists.
Kelyl Oubre had a beast of a 4th quarter, grabbing offensive rebounds and harassed Cavs into making mistakes. Huge step up for him.
So this season we've beat both Cavs and Golden State. Not bad for a season like this.
Playoffs clinched, sitting 3rd in the conference. Back to back LA games, starting against Lakers on Tuesday morning then same place but against Clippers on Wednesday.

Would love as close as to a 50 win season, as it has been one of the best for a long long time for this franchise

 

[FreoRicci]

So that's the real season done. Finished with a record of 49-33. 4th Seed in the Eastern Conference. 9th best in the league overall. Would've been great to have gotten that 50 win season. But hey can't complain.

John Wall had a huge MVP-like season- finished with 23.1 Points per game, 10.7 Assists (Finished 2nd overall in that category, behind Harden) and 4 Rebounds. Also a handy 2.01 steals (2nd in that category behind Draymond Green). Top 5 best PG in the league, if not among the best 3 behind Westbrook and Harden.

Bradley Beal had his real first injury-free season- playing 77 games (missing only 5 games) and with that had his best season to date. 23.1 Points per game, 40.4% from 3pt and with 48.2% FG (which is elite among the shooting guards.)

A great season - after that really shocking start which went out to a 7-13 record.

Playing Atlanta Hawks again in the playoffs, but this time with a healthy John Wall and Beal and Hawks don't have Korver, Horford, Carroll and Teague. But Hawks will still prove a tough team to beat so definitely not the easiest teams to face in the East.

Game 1 is at Washington at 1pm (Australian EST 3am - Yikes late as )

Should be a ripper playoffs- hopefully Semi Finals and push Boston (if they easily dismantle Bulls, which they will anyway).

 

[FreoRicci]

Solid home game 1 win last night.. First since 1970s I believe..
John Wall showed why he's the best PG around- career playoff best game 32 points, 14 assists. Just manhandled Bazemore and Hardaway whenever he could. Markieff Morris also had a great game, keeping Millsap to 19 pts while scoring 21 points of his own, including some huge alley oops.
Loved the Washington Star-and-stripes home uniform.. Obviously moving away from the WIZARDS on the front. Quality

Bit of a break for Game 2, next tip off on Thursday morning (Australian time.)
More of the same please

 

[Mazza12346]

John Wall best point guard in the East hands down

Love watching this guy play, reckon the Wiz are the big smoky and a huge chance to take out the East this year

 

[FreoRicci]

So 3-2 in this series, dominated by both teams' perfect record. Game 6 at Atlanta. Let's just snag this one and move onto the next round. This is getting too close for comfort.

Wall has been balling yet again.. But Kieff and Gortat have been rather poor, particularly on the road. Morris in lots of foul trouble, whereas Marcin is getting bullied in the paint

Let's match them in the shooting, not get too far behind and overtake Hawks on the final stretch. Beal/Wall will get this team over the line, Otto and Morris are huge keys for this game. One final push.

 

[largebus]

42 points to the East's new Point God.
I'd back them to get over Boston--it will be an interesting series. They're probably the Cavs' closest challengers in the East at the moment

 

[Embleberry]

Almost averaged 30-10 across the series @ 52.5% FG. Truly beasted it!

Short turn around for Boston game really sucks, especially considering IT circumstances.

 

[FreoRicci]

Almost averaged 30-10 across the series @ 52.5% FG. Truly beasted it!

Short turn around for Boston game really sucks, especially considering IT circumstances.

Yeah wont be surprised if both teams come out flat, Washington even more so considering the turnaround from Atlanta to Boston. Wall/Beal may be rested a little given how much gametime they got during the series.

Wall though, if he gets Wiz into the East final, then would be finally considered as an elite PG, if not already. Wills his team every game and a hufe reason why Beal is thriving with him. IT could have a difficult match up, may perhaps put Smart onto Wall, still leaves Beal on IT particularly outside of the perimeter.

 

[FreoRicci]

Well.. After the season we've had, ends so heartbreakingly. Game 7 and took Boston right to the wire. Proud of Washington, most successful season since 1979. Beal broke through and now an Elite SG. Was sensational today, actually all playoffs. John Wall, that man is a player. Sensational all throughout. Couldn't shoot today though, but that's not on him.

Morris and Gortat were big deficiencies and today even more so. Could be time to move on from Marcin Gortat- 34 this season and not getting any better. Has been solid throughout the season but playoffs just didn't stand up when needed.

A tough series to lose. Dominated Game 1 and 2, could've won at least one of though and win all remaining home games. Boston didn't really take charge of this series, bar game 5. Have the core now - Beal is only 24, John Wall 26, Markieff Morris 27. Otto Porter 24. Kelly Oubre 21.
Need one back up PG, a athletic Centre (perhaps go hard after Blake Griffin?) and a proper bench. A few more pieces to the puzzle

But losing to Boston? Have to say, dislike them a lot now. IT and Crowder ain't going to trouble Cleveland much at all. John Wall deserves to be in the ECF ahead of IT. But hey, don't get all the luck in this game.

A bittersweet ending to the season. Coulda, shoulda woulda.

 

[largebus]

Wizards' s***house start to the season (i think Wall was coming back from injury) arguably cost them a place in the ECF. 2-8 in mid-November, 6-12 after 2 December--making the top 4 was a huge achievement in itself, especially with that awful a bench (maybe that tells you something about the east)
There's no doubt this series would've gone the other way if wizards had home court.

 

[FreoRicci]

Anyone? Washington has had a nice first week of the season. 3-0 and keeping it rolling.
Morris still to come back.
Wall hasn't really shot well, Beal too. So still lots to improve and can't wait til they get hot.
Kelly Oubre is such an underrated gun.

 

[ClarkeM]

Bump.

Wonder if we have any other Wizards fans lurking around the board?

Most likely not .

 

[FreoRicci]

Bump.

Wonder if we have any other Wizards fans lurking around the board?

Most likely not .

Here. Forever lurking. It’s a rarity these days that’s for sure.

Can’t wait for Wall to come back next season. Wall, Beal, Hachimura, Bertrans and Bryant. Not a bad core.
Napier off the bench, Brown Jr will be nice.

Oh and Mahinimi off the books, at long last! Frees up significant salary.

 

[ClarkeM]

Here. Forever lurking. It’s a rarity these days that’s for sure.

Can’t wait for Wall to come back next season. Wall, Beal, Hachimura, Bertrans and Bryant. Not a bad core.
Napier off the bench, Brown Jr will be nice.

Oh and Mahinimi off the books, at long last! Frees up significant salary.

TBJ has been such a strange revelation for us. One minute he's unstoppable, the next, he's nowhere to be seen. His potential is high but it's whether or not he can maintain it.

How are you spending time in isolation?

 

[FreoRicci]

TBJ has been such a strange revelation for us. One minute he's unstoppable, the next, he's nowhere to be seen. His potential is high but it's whether or not he can maintain it.

How are you spending time in isolation?

Brown is a good prototype to have. He has improved a bit this season, brooks finally give him minutes. Has no choice really that Otto was finally traded, and Oubre shopped
Wish somewhat we kept Oubre. Hard with the salary with Beal signing on. Kelly wanted 20m.

Been watching a bit of Washington past playoffs. That sweep over Toronto in 2015 First Round playoffs was nice, so was the playoffs vs Atlanta in 2018. Dominated 2017-18. Should’ve finished with 55+ wins, Beal and Wall with Gortat was fire. Burned late to be 49-33.
That Game 7 vs Boston still hurts. Freaking Kelly Olnyk going nuts, is a rarity. Felt like would’ve troubled Cleveland more then Boston in the East Finals. IT was beast mode.

 

[ClarkeM]

Are Nets fans the worst fans? Beal isn't going anywhere! (I hope)

 

[Coach Karlis]

Out of completely curiousity, I wonder if I have any friends in here .
​

Obviously not the most popular of teams but there's no doubt that they have turned into an exciting team to watch these last two seasons. Currently around 2nd and 3rd in the East, the Wizards have bolstered their team with experience and youth and it seems that the chemistry is finally right.

I remember when I first decided to affiliate myself with the Wizards. It was back in 2007/2008 when I saw a YouTube clip of Gilbert Arenas' buzzer beaters and thought, "holy sh*t". Then I saw that they were a struggling side and not being one to generally bandwagon, I thought, why not give them a shot. Have stuck with them ever since. It's been tough but finally some of the hardship is paying off haha.

How did you come to support the Wizards?


inb4therearenootherWizfans

Out of completely curiousity, I wonder if I have any friends in here .
​

Obviously not the most popular of teams but there's no doubt that they have turned into an exciting team to watch these last two seasons. Currently around 2nd and 3rd in the East, the Wizards have bolstered their team with experience and youth and it seems that the chemistry is finally right.

I remember when I first decided to affiliate myself with the Wizards. It was back in 2007/2008 when I saw a YouTube clip of Gilbert Arenas' buzzer beaters and thought, "holy sh*t". Then I saw that they were a struggling side and not being one to generally bandwagon, I thought, why not give them a shot. Have stuck with them ever since. It's been tough but finally some of the hardship is paying off haha.

How did you come to support the Wizards?


inb4therearenootherWizfans

 

[Coach Karlis]

Latvian players Davis Bertans and Anzejs Pasesniks so talanted ball players, i am happy that they a in Wizards team.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Good win today..