Washington Wizards 2016-2017 Season Thread - Thanks for a great season!

[jjs07]

Given the team we have though do you guys see us getting to the Eastern conference Finals?
Assuming we stay healthy (big assumption) and continue to play at least some what to this level, and avoid Cleveland until the finals...is it possible?
See us in the playoffs getting past Boston? Toronto? Atlanta? Indiana?

In all honestly if everything stayed the same health wise...i like us to make it more than anyone not named Cleveland or Toronto. I know we beat Toronto in the playoffs 2 years ago but that team is dangerous. And id like to avoid atlanta since they bounced us 2 years ago

IF this team can maintain their health, I don't see why making ECF is out of the question. We waxed Toronto with Wittman as coach. Let that sink in. Otto Porter gave Derozan fits (defensively) in that series, and for as much as Derozan has improved, so had Porter. I like our chances against ANYONE in the East. Team is rollin'.

*I think the team could use some scoring off the bench. If it doesn't require giving up a 1st round pick, I would love to see someone like Jamal Crawford as a target. Also, according to Brooks, Mahinmi is returning to practice tomorrow. His activation COULD be looked at as a deadline deal, considering he's only gotten game action once. That's the rim-protector we badly need. He'll be a good anchor on the second unit as he gets his legs and conditioning up to speed.

I'm kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm not sure why the basketball Gods have been so kind to the Wizards as of late. I hope they take pity on the landscape of DC sports and just let this one play out. As Wizards fans, we never have nice things, and when we do, the life gets sucked out of us for one reason or another. So just keep knocking on a lot of wood.

 

[broncos19dm]

Another W 

 

[joe cool23]

I wanna believe so bad, but...they're still the Wizards

 

[broncos19dm]

 

[jking0821]

I wanna believe so bad, but...they're still the Wizards


View media item 2320991

this was kind of the basis of my question

Like some one convince me we can make the ECF...i want so badly to believe...but we are DC sports fans....so if you know the skins...or the Caps....or the Wiz....disappointment is right around the corner

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I like the fact that they are flying under the radar with virtually zero national coverage...let alone local.

Who would have thought back in November sitting at 2-8....3-9 that this would be the case now?

Phone Booth actually has a Home Court presence!? Wow!

People are definitely paying attention on a National Stage. Espn has been giving them their due justice

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Given the team we have though do you guys see us getting to the Eastern conference Finals?
Assuming we stay healthy (big assumption) and continue to play at least some what to this level, and avoid Cleveland until the finals...is it possible?
See us in the playoffs getting past Boston? Toronto? Atlanta? Indiana?

In all honestly if everything stayed the same health wise...i like us to make it more than anyone not named Cleveland or Toronto. I know we beat Toronto in the playoffs 2 years ago but that team is dangerous. And id like to avoid atlanta since they bounced us 2 years ago

The Wizards will Wizard

Team reminds me of how HOU fans probably felt the year they won 22 in a row but everyone knew tat wouldn't translate into much during the post season

 

[jjs07]

Given the team we have though do you guys see us getting to the Eastern conference Finals?
Assuming we stay healthy (big assumption) and continue to play at least some what to this level, and avoid Cleveland until the finals...is it possible?
See us in the playoffs getting past Boston? Toronto? Atlanta? Indiana?

In all honestly if everything stayed the same health wise...i like us to make it more than anyone not named Cleveland or Toronto. I know we beat Toronto in the playoffs 2 years ago but that team is dangerous. And id like to avoid atlanta since they bounced us 2 years ago

The Wizards will Wizard

Team reminds me of how HOU fans probably felt the year they won 22 in a row but everyone knew tat wouldn't translate into much during the post season

This team was most likely a healthy wall/beal away from reaching the ECF 2 years ago. And that was with Wittman as coach.

IF this squad can keep their health and if EG can find some scoring off the bench, I have no reason not to believe that this team is the 2nd best team in the East. A team capable of pushing a series vs. the Cavs to 6 or 7 games.

A lot of "ifs," but for whatever the reason...this team seems different.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

NBAonTNT crew discussed whether #Wizards are for real.

Spoiler: They are.

Barkley and Shaq: They are 2nd best team in Eastern conference. https://t.co/9LLR8LEdQb

 

[broncos19dm]

Might be going to the Pelicans game for Student night 

 

[broncos19dm]

Not bad for $45! (Student Night).

Was kinda worried during the middle of the game... but we stepped up in the 4th. 

Very fun! 

Was supposed to go to Greene Turtle before but was too packed 

.

 

[Sonny Corinthos]

Let's go Wiz

 

[broncos19dm]

Big game tonight.

A win here would be awesome. 

 

[Methodical Management]

 
Big game tonight.

A win here would be awesome. 

It'll be a big test.  There's been some slippage over the past few games, but they're catching Cleveland at a good time, too.  

The Wizards want to prove that they're elite, not just hot.  Meanwhile, it's just another game for Cleveland.  They get everyone's best shot and "it's on" isn't exactly bulletin board material for them.  We'll see if the disparate stakes have any impact on nerves or energy.  

 

[Nelson C]

*Waits for the Wizards to blow Cleveland out and the ensuing LeWhining."

 

[broncos19dm]

 
It'll be a big test.  There's been some slippage over the past few games, but they're catching Cleveland at a good time, too.  

The Wizards want to prove that they're elite, not just hot.  Meanwhile, it's just another game for Cleveland.  They get everyone's best shot and "it's on" isn't exactly bulletin board material for them.  We'll see if the disparate stakes have any impact on nerves or energy.  

For sure

 

[broncos19dm]

Nervous... 

 

[broncos19dm]

TRULY a heartbreaker...

But we played our hearts out.

Def have things to work on. 

 

[extraordinary swag]

That was gut wrenching but I'm proud of this team. Why didn't Beal foul Lebron before he got the shot off? They shouldn't have even had anyone guarding the inbound, only the three point line

 

[INTLplayers]

absolute killer.

you have GOT to love the heart this team is displaying...man we need a scorer of the bench.

best game so far this season.

 

[ROYGBiV]

Game was great. Wish I could contribute more but I know nothing about basketball.

 

[Methodical Management]

There are certainly worse ways for the streak to have ended.  Hopefully this is something that will prove a growth experience for the team.  If you're winning games against bad opponents, you can start to pick up bad habits and we did see some of that creep in at times in the last few games.  In a close loss, you look at every little mistake as that could've made the difference.  

It's not the sort of loss where your "leader" will whine about roster composition, for example.  It's one where everyone, hopefully, will look in themselves and see how they can improve to try and close what was, on this night, a relatively narrow gap. 

The team will need that sort of motivation heading into a very challenging stretch.  In the next ten, we've got Toronto twice, Indiana twice, Golden State, and Utah.  That's a much tougher schedule than the one that vaulted us 10 games above .500, and, as close as things are in the East, we can't afford to drop games against conference rivals. 

How the guys respond may very well determine the outcome of the season.  Not one person in our preseason poll predicted a 50 win season.  .500 ball from here out would get us there.  To fall short of that will probably send the Wizards back to the level of mediocrity that most of us anticipated - albeit with a bit more hope, now that they've shown some flashes of their true potential.  

 

[broncos19dm]

Stings... 

 

[jjs07]

Proud of the way the team battled last night. There is no quit and the competitive fire is right there. It took an out-worldly shooting performance from the Cavs, punctuated by the miracle 3 by Lebron to get out of DC with a win. Even though we lost, I can live with the circumstances from last night. No reason for the guys to hang their heads. They went out on national TV and proved that they can play and are, IMO, the 2nd best team in the East. As Methodical Management pointed out, they have a very tough stretch coming up, so it's going to be important to win at least 6/7 out of the next 10 games.

One thing that's obviously apparent is the absolute need for scoring off the bench. I don't know what EG will try to pull off, but that second unit needs some serious help. I think we'll be priced out of the Will Barton sweepstakes (they'll most certainly ask for the '17 1st,) but maybe someone like Jamal Crawford would help fill that void.

I also heard an interesting point someone made on the radio today that I never really considered (in regards to attendance.) The Bullets/Wizards haven't had a top-3 finish in the conference in 40 years or so. There really hasn't been a reason for folks to come out and support the team when they've been awful for decades. That being said, this Wizards team seems different. It's like they actually know how to play basketball. It's been a long time coming, but hopefully the crowds continue to come out to VC and embrace the squad.

 

[INTLplayers]

Proud of the way the team battled last night. There is no quit and the competitive fire is right there. It took an out-worldly shooting performance from the Cavs, punctuated by the miracle 3 by Lebron to get out of DC with a win. Even though we lost, I can live with the circumstances from last night. No reason for the guys to hang their heads. They went out on national TV and proved that they can play and are, IMO, the 2nd best team in the East. As Methodical Management pointed out, they have a very tough stretch coming up, so it's going to be important to win at least 6/7 out of the next 10 games.

One thing that's obviously apparent is the absolute need for scoring off the bench. I don't know what EG will try to pull off, but that second unit needs some serious help. I think we'll be priced out of the Will Barton sweepstakes (they'll most certainly ask for the '17 1st,) but maybe someone like Jamal Crawford would help fill that void.

I also heard an interesting point someone made on the radio today that I never really considered (in regards to attendance.) The Bullets/Wizards haven't had a top-3 finish in the conference in 40 years or so. There really hasn't been a reason for folks to come out and support the team when they've been awful for decades. That being said, this Wizards team seems different. It's like they actually know how to play basketball. It's been a long time coming, but hopefully the crowds continue to come out to VC and embrace the squad.

Junkies right? I was listening to that same segment and the caller who mentioned that point. I was at the game vs. the Lakers and I was absolutely disgusted at the amount of people booing John Wall at the free throw line.

Am I surprised that it's usually 50/50 or 60/40 when big market teams come to town? Not really, as that caller pretty much nailed it.

I was however, really surprised at the amount of support we received last night at the phone booth. I hope VZ continues to support the Wizards.