In early mid-April (the 12th to be exact), when asked as part of an ESPN.com 5-on-5 roundtable which NBA star would have his legacy enhanced the most in the 2011 Playoffs, I wrote:

“The health of Andrew Bynum won’t affect Dirk Nowitzki’s hunger, but Nowitzki’s stomach did just growl. One could argue that Dirk’s legacy has the deepest hole from which to climb. Since blowing a 2-0 series lead on Miami in the 2006 Finals, the Mavericks have been bounced in the first round of the playoffs in three of the past four seasons. A championship isn’t wholly necessary to repair Dirk’s playoff legacy, but if Dallas fails to make the Finals, he may have to live with the label of a regular-season MVP who can’t come through in the postseason.”

Now, I’m not here to exactly toot my own horn as a prognosticator of all things basketball — seeing as I predicted last year’s Wizards to achieve 34 wins (only off by 11 wins), and the bastardly 2009-10 Wizards to achieve 55 wins (yes, I was off by a whole 29 wins here… like I said, “bastardly”) — however, in the same ESPN poll, in reponse to a query on the most surprising thing that would happen in the Western Conference playoffs, I wrote:

“It won’t be surprising when each of the top four seeds in the West move into the second round with relative ease. Nor will it be surprising when the conference semifinals and finals all get pushed to seven games. What will be surprising is when the Dallas Mavericks come out on top in the West and Mark Cuban holds a party for all his friends in the media.”

OK, so I was wrong about the top four seeds advancing to the second round (thanks to the San Antonio Spurs), and about each of the conference finals going seven games (both went five), but hey, Dallas, right? I am still, however, wondering if Mark Cuban will hold a media party. At least he shut his mouth during the latter stages of Dallas’ run, thanks to Nowitzki suggesting that he do so.

None of this is to exactly say that I “picked” Dallas to win it all, although I do have a $20 ticket on the Mavs to do so at 25-1 odds that I got in Vegas during the NBA Summer League last July (I also put money on the Spurs and Nuggets, FWIW). So there’s that:

But what about the Heat? In regard to potential surprising Eastern Conference events, I wrote:

“Miami will handle Boston with relative ease in the second round — we’re talking sweep or a 4-1 series win. Sure, the Celtics were 3-1 versus the SuperFriends during the regular season, but two of those wins came within Miami’s first nine games and the third came with Kendrick Perkins still a Celtic. Perhaps more surprising is that Boston won’t be as affected by wear-and-tear old tires, but rather by the inability to produce points.”

Yep, sorry Boston, but I’ve never been fond of you. But enough of my semi-lucky, semi-basketball semi-predictions, where does LeBron leave us after this NBA Finals loss? Well, pretty much right where we started…

This is what he said after the game (as you’ve likely read):

“At the end of the day, all the people that were rooting for me to fail … at the end of the day, tomorrow they have to wake up and have the same life that [they had] before they woke up today. They got the same personal problems they had today. And I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do.”

Disregarding LeBron’s assumption that everyone who dislikes him leads much shittier lives than him because he’s rich and good at basketball, he is at the same time giving himself too much credit, yet not enough. People are happy to see him lose. Well, let’s get this straight, it’s not all about LeBron, as his Highness the Oblivious One seems to believe.

Dallas’ win over Miami was also a victory over instant gratification, over-abundance, and non-humble, self-absorbed obnoxiousness (not about who on which team celebrates when). And that is more than enough reason for many of various demographics to rejoice, LeBron’s snobbish assumption of regular-people problems be damned.

Sorry dude, it’s not totally about you, but it is. Thanks for being involved and everything. Thanks for making rooting against you go down so smoothly, but if not you, likely someone else. We all need our villains, especially those of legenday proportions. You’ll be back LeBron, don’t worry… And we’ll be waiting.

All of this begs the question, is anybody today thinking about poor Mike Bibby and the $6.2 million he gave back to the Wizards so he could chase a title with Miami (the same Bibby who was replaced by Mario Chalmers and Eddie House in the lineup for game 6)?

Other reads from Truth About It:

• June 9, 2011 -- LeBron… But He’s ‘Our’ Villain
• June 3, 2011 -- Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, and Bells of War
• June 12, 2011 -- The Camouflage King

["What he did? Told them he cut his eye ... in sparring." -Wu-Tang Clan, Bells of War]

I kept telling myself, even Tweeting, when Miami was looking like unstoppable beasts for all but about seven minutes of NBA Finals game two, “Is Dallas the type of team you don’t want to let hang around?”

Of course they are. The Mavs are a unit well-versed in veteran composure, lest they would have had a seven game series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But Miami isn’t Oklahoma, in so many senses.

Late in the game, after countless amazing dunks with little defensive resistance, Miami finally pulled away and took an 88-73 lead on a Dwayne Wade three. After nailing the shot near Dallas’ bench, Wade held his follow through and slowly walked toward his own bench, as Mavs coach Rick Carlisle had called a timeout. LeBron came over to give Wade celebratory chest jabs.

At that point, we all thought it was just about over… and I’m taking the entire series, not just the game. I wasn’t quite traveling toward the doomsday scenario of the Heat shutting down league competition (lockout and team parity be damned) with unforeseen future domination, but figured that they were the scariest, most unimaginable basketball animals alive and the Mavericks were simply prey in their territory.

I then thought back to the first quarter. After a Miami turnover midway through, the ball found itself in Shawn Marion’s hands with mostly open court in front of him. Well, when LeBron has an angle in transition, you can’t say “mostly” — but Marion didn’t attack the basket on the break against the bigger foe with reckless abandon, as LeBron or many other NBA players larger than 6’6” would do. It was a game of calculation and deception with Marion able to deftly sneak past LeBron for a quick layup because his intentions, aside from wanting to score, were relatively hidden.

Sure, James already had one foul (and three turnovers) at that point six minutes into the game. And sure, James wasn’t chasing the block from behind like he’s done successfully so many times before. Still, thinking back to that one instance when it all but looked like Miami’s game midway through the fourth period, it seemed like a rare instance where the lamb just happened to be able to escape the wolf.

But if Miami was so dominant, why was Dallas allowed to “hang around” (even lead) for most of the game? The game was tied at 28 after one quarter, the largest lead being 12-6 Dallas. The game was tied at 51 after one half, the largest lead being 51-42 Dallas (Miami closed the second on a 9-0 run in the final three minutes). The Heat led 75-71 after three quarters, their largest lead in the period coming at 71-61 before the Mavs closed on a 10-4 run in the final three minutes.

The Heat can’t look so easy on the eyes with dunks and a show worthy of an All-Star game and still not be blowing the game wide open. ‘What was Miami doing wrong?’, I wondered.

What was Dallas doing wrong? They looked sloppy. They looked like the scars from the 2006 Finals, along with the vagabond, non-championship careers of other team veterans had been magically removed by a new-age product. Dallas finished the game with 20 team turnovers (Nowitzki and Kidd had five each) that led to 30 Heat points (almost a third of the Miami points). Those are Washington Wizards numbers.

After that Wade three and the subsequent Dallas timeout at the 7:14 mark of the fourth,  the Mavs committed just one turnover that didn’t lead to any Miami points. And all of a sudden, Dallas went from the sloppy blood bath of trying to gut and clean a chicken with a plastic knife to the precision of patient butchers with the finest Honyaki knives. Their 22-5 run to close game two 95-93 in South Beach could go down as one of the epic NBA Finals memories in my lifetime (Dallas has to win first, of course.) If there’s a patience switch, the Dallas Mavericks players and coaches have it on their chest.

And the basketball beasts of the Miami Heat? Those who like for every little thing they do to be seen on the scene and the big screen at levels equal to their talent? (You know, LeBron-a-Thon stuntin’ on the jumbo-tron…)

Well, they were reduced to animals on the chopping block. The calculated German butcher won. And I think Dwyane Wade cut his eye, at least that’s what he wants you to think. Maybe he should put a cold slab of meat on that.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• June 13, 2011 -- Picking Dirk, Picking On LeBron
• June 12, 2011 -- The Camouflage King
• June 9, 2011 -- LeBron… But He’s ‘Our’ Villain

**Cue the ESPN  30 for 30 voice**

What if I told you that two seven-footers battled this summer for a chance to play center for Team USA at the FIBA World Basketball Championships in Turkey? That the older one coming off surgery made the team, while the younger, healthier one was cut? Those same two players met earlier this year, and the one who got cut from Team USA was again dominated by the older, wiser center. Would it be a surprise if I told you that these same two centers squared off Saturday night, and again the younger center came up short, partially because the older one beat him at his own game in running up and down the court, catching alley-oops and making highlight dunks?

This is the story of Tyson Chandler’s dominance  over JaVale McGee.

Chandler came into Saturday’s game against the Wizards averaging 10.7 points an 9.5 rebounds and proceeded to score a season-high 23 points to go along with his 13 rebounds.  He also had a key offensive rebound and put back over McGee with 1:36 left in the game that put a stop to a furious Wizards’ comeback run and gave the Mavericks the lead for good.  In contrast, McGee, who had a monster game the night before against the Miami Heat with 18 points and 17 rebounds, had just six points to go with his 11 rebounds against Dallas.  To make matters worse, most of Chandler’s dunks came as a result of McGee’s defensive negligence. McGee often got caught watching the ball while Chandler consistently and easily rolled to the basket.

The brilliance of Chandler’s performance did not just lie in his ability to dunk the deft passes he received from Jason Kidd, but he was able to do the little things that elude the ever-expanding box score.  One of those duties was to keep a high defensive awareness and limit the ability of John Wall to get into the lane at will. Prior to the game, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle stressed the importance of slowing down Wall’s fast-breaking ability and how his team would go about doing that:

Chandler’s role in limiting of Wall was to stand on or near the foul line when the Wizards attempted a fast-break in order to thwart Wall’s penetration.  This worked to perfection in first half, as the Mavericks limited the Wizards to just three fast-break points (Wall was not to be denied in the second half, however, as he scored 16 points and the Wizards tallied 10 fast-break points).  In terms of offensive little things, Chandler also set several hard screens to free up both Kidd and Jason Terry on the perimeter.

Whether he was screening smaller players like Wall or Mike Bibby, or slightly larger players such as Nick Young or Josh Howard, his technique was the same.  Chandler would put his hands in front of him and solidly stand in front of the person he was screening until his man was freed.   This may sound a simple task, but if you observe any given NBA game with a close, watchful eye, you’ll see so many players go through the motions when it comes to setting a good, solid screen.  Chandler did the exact opposite, and Carlisle made a point to mention after the game:

“All night long [Chandler] ran the floor well. He defended the basket well, he made his free throws, he’s just really important to us.  Down the stretch he was big, and his screens will be something that is overlooked, but he set good screens and made a lot of good things happen.”

Kidd also took time to observe that Chandler was the Jerry Rice to his Joe Montana on offense:

“The big thing was he was running.  We knew they were coming off a back-to-back, and we needed the tempo to get in our favor and Tyson was out running. He can run with the best of the bigs.  He runs routes as a wide receiver, and he dips in, and the he goes to the rim. As a big, if you respond to him dipping in, then he has the advantage.”

The whole time I was listening to the Mavericks coaches and players rave about Chandler’s feats both big and small, I could not help but wonder why JaVale McGee could not assume that same type of role.  Like Chandler, McGee is athletic, he runs the floor well, and also runs routes to the basket like Chandler does for Kidd, being the beneficiary of many Wall assists. Unfortunately, McGee, who is just 23 and in his third year (and first as a full-time starter) has not been consistently great — often more style over substance, as Flip Saunders likes to put it. And against the Mavericks, McGee struggled. As the Wizards coach told it afterward:

“Tyson’s killed JaVale both games, last game I think he had 18 and 18, tonight he ends up with 23. JaVale was really tired tonight. He had problems running tonight, and had problems just as … as soon as you get tired, you lose some of your mental quickness. But he tried to compete…”

McGee will have games like he did Friday night against the Heat, where he is a dominating force on both ends of the floor; however, he’ll also follow those games up with an inconsistent performance or two. These are usually highlighted when he dribbles incessantly, racks up goal-tending calls, misses defensive rotations, ultimately drawing the ire of Saunders and/or Randy Wittman and finding a spot on the bench.

Chandler weighed in on McGee’s game and was asked if he thinks their games are similar:

“Yeah, I hear that a lot.  He’s more athletic than I was, he just has to understand how he can be effective, and it takes awhile. It takes him being around good players to understand that.  Not saying that the [Wizards] players aren’t good, but it takes getting in a good system and understanding what you’re able to do out there.”

I followed up by asking Chandler how long it took him to have that understanding of what he could and could not do:

“I kind of started understanding and learning my latter years in Chicago, and then when I got to New Orleans, I really understood.”

During Chandler’s latter years in Chicago, where he spent his first five season in the NBA out of high school (2001-02 to 2005-06), his starting point guard was the recently traded Kirk Hinrich, and in New Orleans, All-Star Chris Paul was delivering him the ball. Considering McGee had the services of Hinrich briefly and Wall full time, perhaps he too will start to really understand. Until then, he can just study the tapes of Chandler, who has thoroughly dominated him in their eight head-to-head match-ups.

Chandler has averaged 11.1 points and 9.5 rebounds during that eight-game span, and McGee has averaged 4.6 points and 5.4 rebounds.  This season alone, Chandler has averages of 20.5 points and 15.1 boards against Washington, while McGee has managed just four points and seven rebounds in return.  But the most glaring disparity in the Chandler-McGee matchup lies in the victory column.  Chandler’s teams (New Orleans, Charlotte and now Dallas) have eight victories, while McGee’s Wizards have none.

It’s the little things that Chandler does as a veteran center which help his team win. As soon as McGee starts playing more within his role and really works to limit his mistakes, the Wizards will be in a much better position to win.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 28, 2011 -- Kevin Seraphin’s Development: From Illegal Screens To Strong Post Moves
• October 6, 2010 -- Wizards Yays, Nays & Mehs > Preseason Game 1 vs. Dallas Mavericks
• August 14, 2010 -- Team USA: The Sudden Death Play That Was ‘So’ JaVale

It late in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks and Washington made a quick 7-0 run sparked by a John Wall layup, a Kevin Seraphin offensive rebound put-back and a Mo Evans three from the corner. The Wizards cut Dallas’ once comfortable lead to just four points at 76-72 and then got Jason Terry to miss a three with 30 seconds left in the period. But on Washington’s next possession, Wall turned the ball over and the Mavericks went breaking in the other direction with a seemingly easy opportunity. The old Wizards might have just let Shawn Marion get the bucket, spawned by their often seen habit of displaying a willingness to lay down for a superior opponent. Not newcomer Evans though.

Mo Evans has made a name for himself as a tough role player for playoff teams in Sacramento, Detroit, Los Angeles (for the Lakers, obviously), Orlando and Atlanta over the previous two seasons. He played for Wizards coach Flip Saunders on the 2005-06 Pistons team and as an undrafted rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2004-05.

As Marion glided down the court, the third quarter clock ticking with less than five seconds left, Evans tracked him down and wrapped him up. In the NBA of the past, such a foul was meant to not let the other team get something easy. They were a message sent to not take a team lightly, and in the Wizards’ case, that they weren’t just to be looked at as a bad, young, inexperienced squad.

Unfortunately for Evans, Marion went tumbling to the floor, his Dallas teammates Brendan Haywood and Jason Kidd reacted to the physical action, and despite no intent to truly harm in an absolutely reckless manner, Evans was hit with a flagrant foul. You could tell it was one of those “new” flagrant fouls because the Dallas players immediately reacted toward the ref, instead of Evans, and Mo himself immediately went to make sure Marion was okay, while trying to let the ref know that he meant no harm. Too bad, this is a different, more conscious about physical contact NBA, take it or leave it. Marion hit both of his free-throws, Dallas missed a final extra opportunity, and the Mavericks took a six point lead into the fourth quarter, ultimately winning 105-99.

Still, the act, the tone, the example set by Evans … it was all worth it. Sometimes it’s the little things which can help change the direction of consistent futility surrounding a young team into developing moxie, that’s aided by the behind-the-scenes presence of key veterans. The Wizards hung tough almost all the way to the end against Dallas, and if they keep fighting, the wins will eventually come.

After his home debut with Washington, I spoke with Evans and his role and new team:

Is being the “tough guy” a role you’re trying to create/bring to this Washington team?

“That’s the tone that we had in Atlanta. That’s the tone that I’ve had in Orlando and all the other … Lakers, Pistons … all the places I’ve played, that’s the type of mentality you have to have. So I guess that might be one of my things I can bring to this team, is a little bit of extra toughness and extra … spunk, I guess.”

What about young teams like the Wizards and how they try to establish themselves in the toughness department?

“All these guys are just trying to find out how best to channel all that energy. I remember coming in as a young 20-year old, 21-year old and having a ton of energy, but no knowing quite how to play, and I remember guys would always say that to me. And I think now these guys are going to see, just a little bit of how to play, how older players … it’s unfortunate that a lot of times the older players in the league, they figure it out, but then it’s time for them to go. And you know, it’s just that turnover.”

John Wall is the guy with the ball in his hands … you’ve only played with him two games, seen him a couple games … what are you learning about his game and what it takes to mesh with him on the court?

“I would love the opportunity to have even more minutes with a guy like that because he pushes it for you, you got to run with him, A), and you have to make yourself available because he’s looking to penetrate and kick. If you give him outlets, man, he’s going to find you all day. He has great court vision.”

Mo Evan’s flagrant foul versus Shawn Marion and the aftermath.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• June 3, 2011 -- Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, and Bells of War
• March 16, 2011 -- Under The Hoop: Washington Wizards vs. Milwaukee Bucks
• January 21, 2010 -- Caron Butler Going Rogue: Wizards Branded by Mavericks 94-93

[Andray Blatche, on the other hand, is going through a lot of personal struggles, mostly on the court which has bleed into off-the-court moments, which are magnified by losing. Blatche has missed the last two games because of what's being noted as a hip injury and was unable to face Haywood on the court on Saturday night.]

Brendan Haywood walked into the Wizards locker room to see some familiar faces. Most of them weren’t Wizards players. He greeted a couple team personnel of various sorts and then looked across the room to where his locker used to be.

“It’s a little different being in the visitor’s locker room,” Haywood told me from the locker room of the Washington Mystics, where the road team is hosted in the Verizon Center, before he later made his way over to his former haunt. “But the team has changed so much that it’s not as big of a culture shock as you might think because there’s only three guys on that team that I even played with. So that makes it a little bit, I guess, ‘easier’.”

Back in the Wizards’ locker room…

“My son!,” Haywood belted with a smile on his face as he saw one of the three holdovers from his time in Washington. He and Andray Blatche didn’t hesitate to go toward each other, quickening their step to meet for daps and hugs in the middle of the locker room over the Wizards logo.

“Honestly, we need you back here,” Blatche said sheepishly, yet almost also fondly remembering the days when the Wizards were full of veterans who commanded vastly more attention that he did. Blatche can no longer float by in his basketball life. His current tough times are sticking out like JaVale McGee attending a meeting of the Lollipop Guild. Haywood’s locker is no longer in the vicinity of Blatche’s, and he’s not there to share the brunt of losing.

Haywood hesitated for a second at Blatche’s proposition, taking in the name plates of all the new players, noticing that the locker of newly acquired veteran Mo Evans had been placed next to Andray’s. Haywood seemed to appreciate the lost camaraderie, but only for a moment. Reality quickly came to light in the form of a joke.

“Naw, I think I’m going to go get that playoff check over here,” Haywood said as he pointed in the direction one would walk to get to Dallas’ locker room. Laughter erupted amongst several in the room, both of the laughing at you and laughing with you variety.

It was a slightly uncomfortable, but true moment representing the rebuilding uncertainty of the current Wizards team with a significant face of the past. But nothing unique to Washington, scenes like this happen every year as part of the business that is professional basketball. Names change, faces change, but teams move on.

This year’s Wizards, as you know, are pretty bad. They’re on pace to become one of the seven worst teams in franchise history, one of the six worst teams in non-Chicago history, and one of the five worst teams in my lifetime as a fan.

In my DCist column published on Friday, I broke down those other five bad teams and just how much hope, or lack thereof, they had in comparison to this year’s team. To travel down the memory lane of losing with guys like Tom Gugliotta, Chris Webber, Scott Skiles, Don MacLean, Rex Chapman, Jim Lynam, Michael Jordan, Richard Hamilton and well, Brendan Haywood, please give it a read.

DCist: More Hope Than A Hopeless Wizards/Bullets History - by Kyle Weidie

[All photos: Kyle Weidie, Truth About It.net]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 28, 2009 -- Flip and Gil Got This: Wizards Take Mavs 102-91
• October 9, 2009 -- Wizards – Mavericks Preseason Game 2 Live Twitter
• October 3, 2011 -- Washington Wizards Suspensions & Fines Since 1995

I suppose that as long as Andray Blatche is around doing Andray Blatche things, people will around to criticize and point those things out, myself included. Although, admittedly, I should be more fair in pointing out the positive things he does, i.e., I probably should not have taken a shot at him in a post about Darrell Walker’s rebounding ability. Oh well. We want Blatche to succeed, we really do, but he seems to try hard at not making that want possible through not always trying hard … you know what I mean?

His positives get over-shadowed by his negatives, by far. But that’s the bed he makes … he’s not the next Gilbert Arenas, but he is. Only Blatche can shut his critics up, not the critics themselves nor his defenders. These are the facts, just like it’s a fact that many other NBA players do not respect Blatche. Taken from something TAI’s Rashad Mobley wrote after the Wizards lost to the Chicago Bulls in Washington on Dec. 22:

“But the strongest indictment of the Blatche’s play on this night did not come from any writer, blogger or coach, but from the other locker room. As Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau finished his postgame comments and the media filtered into the visiting quarters, there was a conversation between two Bulls players about the play of Blatche.  One player observed that he played with “no feeling” during the game, and the other player said, matter-of-fact, that Blatche has always played that way throughout his career.

One player involved in that conversation left the locker room before I could follow up with him, the other declined to elaborate any further on the record.  Still, their feelings about Blatche’s lack of effort in defeat were crystal clear.”

Blatche has made Wizards fans gasp at his play plenty of times … but isn’t it about time someone from the opposing bench gasps, and not laughs, at Andray? I think so. Let’s go to the video tape … keep your eye on the Mavericks bench and your ears in tune to what the last suited gentlemen to the left is doing, the one right next to balding Brian Cardinal.

As Blatche dribbles around, preparing to take a tough shot, the suited individual appears to be yelling, “Oh McGee! McGee! McGee! Take a shot! … RIGHT NOW!!!,” and then Cardinal enters with a beastly, fatherly noise as Andray makes an insane shot while falling to the ground. What trickery from both factions.

Also, “McGee,” if, in fact, that was name being yelled out by said Mavericks bench “dude,” is neither Andray Blatche, nor was JaVale McGee on the court during that particular play. But that could be more deceptive trickery from Dallas. In any case, suited bench guy and Brian Cardinal … boom, roasted. You guys have been so Blatche’d (which means when someone makes an ‘OMG how the eff did he do that?’ head movement before aligning their lap papers and moving on … or just when Andray Blatche does something very Andray Blatche-y). Oh, right, the video…

Great.

But where would we be if Blatche’s very own Wizards weren’t getting Blatche’d? Let’s go to the video tape again.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 19, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Pt. 2: On Booing Blatche, Inspiration From Marines & Help From Tupac
• January 5, 2012 -- Andray Blatche Goaltends A Free-Throw & Does Other Andray Blatche Things
• December 28, 2011 -- Andray Blatche Just Can’t Help Himself

When the name Denny Green is mentioned, the first image that comes to mind is the one you see above, and with good reason.  He’s flustered, he’s angry, he’s mumbling, and after 40 seconds or so, he stomps away from the podium.  But five years before that outburst, Green had every reason to be just as angry when he was fired by the Minnesota Vikings, despite leading them to the brink of the Super Bowl just three years earlier.  However, at his I-just-got-fired press conference, Green displayed nothing but class (with a splash of third person):

“If you’re looking for Denny Green, look on the high road, because that is where I’ll be.”

The same concept applies when examining the Washington Wizards 24th straight road loss to the Dallas Mavericks last night. It is easy, and dare I say lazy, to focus on the list of errors that led to their 102-92 defeat.  Everyone saw their 61.3-percent free throw percentage (Dallas shot 67.6-percent), the poor shooting nights for Andray Blatche and Nick Young (a combined 10-37), and the lack of a consistent go-to guy in the fourth quarter.  Those shortcomings, and others very similar to them, have been present throughout this road losing streak.

That being said,  there were plenty of positives to take away from last night’s loss, and if they are bottled up and carried into tonight’s game in New Orleans against the Hornets, perhaps the Wizards can get a win before they get loss number 25.  So join me on the high road as we examine a few positives a bit closer.

John Wall.

Michael Lee of the Washington Post said it best early in the second quarter, via his twitter account:

“John Wall is rolling right now. He’s got 10 pts & 4 assts. Hasn’t looked this energized & electric in weeks.”

It was not simply that Wall put up 17 points, four rebounds and 10 assists to two turnovers on the night, it was the way he did it.  Wall looked to be a bit more comfortable with his outside shot, he sped up and down the court at a much more controlled pace (with a few exceptions), and successfully found the open man when he needed to.  This was especially on display at the start of the second quarter, when the Wizards held their largest lead of 12 points.  Wall started off driving to the basket, drawing a hard foul on former Wizard Brendan Haywood and hitting two free throws.  The next time down the court he led the fast break, dribbled to the middle of the floor, and hit Al Thornton with a perfect bounce pass in stride for the basket and the foul.  After the Wizards and Mavericks traded missed shots, Wall led yet another fast break and found Rashard Lewis for yet another basket and the foul, and just like that the Wizards were up nine — and Dallas was forced to call a timeout.

After a sluggish December and an inconsistent start of January, Wall seems to finally be healthy, which means he’s able to get where he wants on the court again.  Now if only Flip Saunders would run some plays for him towards the end of games … sorry, high road comments only.

Flip’s Technical.

With 6:51 left in the fourth quarter, Dirk Nowitzki scored a basket and was fouled, but Saunders disagreed with the call and decided to share his displeasure with the referees.  He was promptly given a technical foul and Dirk converted.  Saunders was pretty vocal with the refs all night, and he’s lucky he did not get thrown out of the game, but still it was nice to see him show some sustained emotion.

It is no secret that coaches all over this league (former Cavs coach Mike Brown, current Buck coach Scott Skiles and former coach Larry Brown, to name a few) use the I-will-get-myself-thrown-out-of -the-game method to motivate their players when they seem to lack motivation.  Some of the Wizards writers/bloggers have suggested that Saunders needs to do the same, especially with their futile road record, and he took one step towards that by getting a technical foul last night. After the tech, TAI’s Kyle Weidie was not convinced:

“Flip got a technical? Not sure it’s the type to fire up his players nor does he have players who will necessarily get fired up.”

I agree with Mr. Weidie that one technical will not fire his up team sufficiently.  But if Flip gets two technicals in succession, allows himself to be restrained by Sam Cassell and Josh Howard in street clothes, someone on that Wizards roster will get fired up.  Last night, Saunders took the first step, and perhaps tonight in New Orleans — the second of a back-to-back and fourth game in five nights — would be the time to unveil that move.

Yi Jianlian.

On a night when Trevor Booker and JaVale McGee had nothing, and when Blatche struggled to find his shooting touch, Yi Jianlian came up big with season-highs in points (14) and steals (4) to go along with 11 rebounds in just 29 minutes of play.  In recent games, Yi seemed to be comfortable with taking jumpers from the elbow, with no regard for the flow of the offense.  Against Dallas, Yi still took a few of those, but he also mixed in some aggressive post moves (against Brendan Haywood no less), and some follow up dunks.

Like Wall, Yi has struggled with injuries as of late, but if last night is any indication, he’s ready to be a more consistent contributor off the bench. (Kyle has a further video breakdown of Yi’s game.)

So if we are sticking with this high road theme, we will forget about the Wizards loss to the Mavericks last night, and look forward to the Hornets game tonight.  Washington will get a major contribution from Yi, Flip will get thrown out in the second quarter, and Wall will take over from there to get the Wizards their first road win of the year.  If not, they will be who we thought they were … 0-25 on the road.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 1, 2011 -- Finally, A New Yi In D.C.?
• September 29, 2010 -- Enjoying The Fun of The Washington Wizards
• January 15, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Nick Young: ‘Ain’t nobody going to take it easy on us if we’re pouting’

What are these gents celebrating?
Well, the Microwave just cooked the game.

>>YAY.

John Wall. 21 points, nine assists, two turnovers and four steals in about 38 minutes. I guess it will do, statistically.

“When he competes, what it does is that our whole team competes.”
- Flip Saunders

Ah, that’s the thing too. Why, beyond statistics, Wall was worth drafting first overall. I hear DeMarcus Cousins had a nice night. And perhaps something he did sparked some energy in his team at some point. But overall, without the consistency and the label PG next to his name in the stat book, Cousins doesn’t come close to doing what Wall is able to do with his energy, effort, and passion for the game that’s absolutely contagious to his teammates.

>>YAY.

Gilbert Arenas. Who says this guy can’t be a shooting guard? 12 points on 5-9 from the field (2-4 from three), and three rebounds, just one assist, one steal and zero turnovers in 26 minutes says he can.

Four of his five makes were assisted upon; two of those came from running off-ball screening action, and two came as he made himself available at the three point line in transition and off an offensive rebound. The one non-assisted make came on a sweet baseline jumper against the mis-matched Jose Juan Barea (that natural scoring ability Gil still has).

Out of the four misses, only 1.5 accounted for “bad attempts” — The good misses being wide open in transition and when Marion gave him too much room at the top of the key. The bad miss came when he pulled up for three in transition when driving action clearly would’ve created something for Blatche down low or Hinrich in the corner. The half bad attempt was Arenas’ last as he tried to post his old buddy DeShawn Stevenson. It was a close shot, but going in the direction of help.

In terms of changing his game for the team, Gilbert might just be okay … but I can’t speak for him otherwise.

>>MEH.

JaVale McGee. He’s so close to being a ‘nay’ for reasons I’ll explain in a second. McGee brings so many unique aspects to the court that he must play a significant amount of minutes. Question is, how much is “significant”? JaVale will earn his team extra possessions by blocking a lot of shots, he had six in 27.5 minutes against Dallas. He also opens up game-changing offense — the chemistry between him and Wall is at an elevated level, evident by that backdoor cut for the open alley-oop with perfect vision from Wall, and slightly aided by the fact that Brian Cardinal was the help-side defender.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsDK6ZBB-zY

Then there’s the other JaVale that continues to look stubbornly lost in multiple defensive situations, and unwilling to compromise his penchant for speed jumping at every pump fake. Growth for him will be when he frustrates the coaching staff less. You know what “style over substance” means? It means that McGee needs to adhere to instruction more.

>>YAY.

Open space for Wall’s jumper. Not only did Jason Kidd leave him wide open on his first attempt from a distance, but he damn near ran away from Wall like the plague.

>>NAY.

Wall’s actual jumper. He air-balled that first one Kidd ran away from, but looks miles more comfortable, or more willing to shoot, than someone like Rajon Rondo. He did hit an elbow jumper and another long one en route to 6-14 from the field, but more importantly, he got to the free-throw line 11 times, making nine. I’d like to give his jumper area a ‘meh’, but it’s too soon. I do like the noticeable improvement in the consistency of Wall’s mechanics since summer league, and again, he showed that he’s willing to shoot without playing mental games with himself via hesitation.

>>YAY.

Yi Jianlian. WebBro @Unsilent Tweeted it … “Yeah, I don’t think I’m going to like Yi very much.” … and I know why. Yi loves that jumper, too much so, as he has in the past. Concern about him seeing the jumper as a crutch and not a gift has been noted. But let’s look at the sunny side …

First, Yi is a more dependable and aggressive rebounder than JaVale McGee. Part of it is that he’s stronger, but he also goes after it harder, with two hands. Yi had three blocks to go with his 10 rebounds. He also runs the floor very well. As long as he relies on his jumper in situations that are created for him, he’s going to be okay. And hopefully, as he grows NBA confidence, Saunders will find a way to get him the ball in the post. He’s shown the ability and willingness to score down low, and with not much in terms of team post game, Saunders will have to look in his direction.

>>MEH.

Three-guard lineup. Perhaps this should be a ‘yay’ …  Flip Saunders praised it after the game, saying, “We were very good defensively. Our three guards together were excellent. We rebounded well in that group. We actually got out-rebounded when that other group was in there.”

At first, I had my hesitations about the three-guard lineup, but Dallas never took advantage on offense (Hello? Caron Butler?), not all teams won’t … and that’s the key.

But as the game progressed, I like how they got after it on defense. Arenas still finds himself trailing way too much when defending over the top on ball screens, or at least not in tune with the team concept. But he’s trying, mostly from his displayed communication and knowledge of the concept by pointing his teammates in the right direction when that three-guard lineup put disruptive defensive pressure on Dallas in the backcourt.

>>NAY.

Al Thornton. What does he do again in those mid socks of his? Maybe Thornton is taken aback because Flip decided to go with a three-guard lineup when a lot of the talk was about him being the de facto guy at the three spot.

Unfortunately Al continues to lost on defense, and that will quickly find him out of the rotation. In one instance, it took him several seconds (were talking at least four) to turn around, go to the wrong, guarded man, and then find his man after Wall had specifically pointed him in the right direction.

>>MEH.

Nick Young. He shot 1-7 from the field and picked up five fouls … should probably be in the ‘nay’ category, right? This is where I’ll give Nick the benefit of the doubt. For the most part, he played within what the system provided. And as far as the fouls, they seemed to be more of the result of needed defensive aggressiveness than from complete ineptitude. I want to see Young some more … and it will really be interesting to see how he bounces back from this shooting performance, because there’s no reason to play him if he can’t knock down spot-up opportunities.

>>YAY.

Kirk Hinrich. He was pretty much who we thought he was … the guy who does everything in the background, yet has an overall positive influence on everyone — to the tune of a team leading plus-27 while on the court. Nine points, three rebounds, four assists, two turnovers and two steals in 28 minutes. This is probably around 70-90% of his average nightly line to come. I’ll take it … with a few less turnovers here and there.

And as my friend Mr. Prada puts it on Bullets Forever: “The nice thing about Kirk Hinrich is that he’s not afraid to let it fly.  That’s a welcome change from Mike Miller…”

>>MEH.

Lester Hudson. He didn’t look good in the beginning, leading some unfamiliar with his Wizards resume so far to immediately question him on Twitter, but he redeemed himself, in a sense, with the game winner. You can tell Hudson was trying to find that balance between being able to run the team (depending on who he’s playing with), and what he can/needs to do — to be that scorer who can heat up off the bench in a second. That’s why the Wizards have called him “Mini-Vinnie” since the Summer. Many think he may be caught in a numbers game, but I think he could eventually be stealing minutes from Nick Young.

>>YAY.

Andray Blatche. He actually looked better than expected (for someone who broke his foot in late June) … 22 points on 9-15 shooting in 26 minutes sounds nice to me, and he can surely improve on those five rebounds with better conditioning. He looked good on a couple jumpers, going 2-5 from the exterior, but it’s just splendid that Blatche did work inside, going 7-10.

>>YAY.

Flip Saunders. Nice debut with your young students sir.

“Mini-Vinnie”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUkI7O0aSSQ

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 27, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Portraits Of A Young Team & Wizards Picture Leftovers
• December 9, 2010 -- Waiting For Signs of Life From The Washington Wizards
• December 8, 2010 -- Chalk Up Moral Victory No. 3 In 115-108 Loss To Lakers; Should The Wizards Be Ready To Stand Behind Their Message Of Toughness?

[Rodrigue Beaubois stands annoyed after another foul was called on him.]

Before the game I ran my mouth off to just about anyone who would listen at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion that I was intrigued by the Roddy-Wall match-up, clearly, a Samhan-McGee ‘opposites attract’ battle, and finally, perhaps Hamady N’diaye versus Moussa Seck in a Senegalese throw down.

Well, Beaubois couldn’t do anything but foul Wall and was switched off him, the newly acquired Ian Mahinmi started for Dallas and mostly guarded JaVale, and Seck didn’t even see the court. Damn the summer league (just kidding, I love you).

Two things are below: 1) quick post-game chats with John Wall, Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones in video form; and 2) the second piece by Arish Narayen, a contributor to Truth About It. Arish previously broke down the Wizards’ small forward situation. Here he takes a look at summer league game three against the Mavericks.

Post Game 3:

Wizards vs. Mavericks, Summer League Game 3: Get That Man A Contract

by Arish Narayen

Cartier Martin scored a team-high 23 points, John Wall did his best Kobe impression (21 points, 4-19 FG 13-15 FT, seven rebounds, 10 assists), and the Washington Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks 88-82 on Thursday night.

The highly anticipated Summer League match-up between Rodrigue “Roddy Buckets” Beaubois and John Wall was a bit anti-climactic – Beaubois played less than 16 minutes, accounting for zero points, three turnovers, and five fouls. Wall took Beaubois out of his game early by making him work on defense, drawing five fouls on him in nine minutes. At one point, Roddy’s frustrated body language was palpable immediately after Wall drew two cheap fouls on Beaubois on two consecutive possessions. Shortly after that sequence, Dallas opted to play Beaubois on somebody other than Wall, and took the ball out of his hands on offense, letting a combination of Dominique Jones and Jeremy Lin run the point. Somewhere, Dallas fans are worried about Roddy B.

The Wall vs Beaubois sequence typified the entire game, as Wall consistently beat his man off the dribble and either created opportunities for teammates or got to the free throw line. He also cut down on his turnovers (three on Thursday after averaging eight through the first two games) while remaining aggressive, which shows that he’s already making adjustments and learning from his mistakes.

However, it wasn’t all perfect with Wall. After Dallas put the bigger Dominique Jones on him, he had a little bit of difficulty and couldn’t repeatedly dribble past or shoot over the more physical defender like he did Beaubois. However, after the game, Wall insisted that he didn’t change his offensive approach after Beaubois was off him:

“Nah, I didn’t change it up, I knew he [Jones] was going to be a physical guy, you know…that’s an aspect you gotta get stronger and everything like that. But I just kept trying to find my teammates and run the team.”

That last sentence is particularly telling, and it really speaks to how awesome of a point guard Wall is going to be. During the first half, he air-balled a jump-shot from the elbow. He shot 4-19 for the game, but attempted more free-throws (15) than anyone else. The most encouraging part: Wall didn’t get flustered because of errant shots; he kept drawing fouls and dishing out dimes. And clearly, as he gets more and more reps against NBA defenses, Wall’s shot will become more consistent.

In general, Wall had trouble defending Jeremy Lin and Dominique Jones off pick & rolls, opting to go under the screens rather than staying on his man’s hip. This led to some easy buckets for Dallas, poor decision-making on D allowed Lin to score 11 points in the fourth quarter. Like a more consistent jumper, learning how to properly defend the pick & roll will come with time (and is an area where Kirk Hinrich’s tutelage will be useful).

I can’t talk about Wall without mentioning JaVale McGee’s performance. Wall consistently found McGee around the rim. What I found most impressive was Wall’s ability to repeatedly lob the ball into the post in such a way that JaVale (18 points, 9-10 FGs) had a relatively clear path to the basket. While the Wall/McGee chemistry was very encouraging, as Mike Prada of Bullets Forever rightly points out, Dallas had nobody who could defend JaVale.

The real story of the game was Cartier Martin. His ability to move without the ball, find the opening in the defense, and spot-up for quality shots was impressive. Martin played a major part in putting the Wizards ahead early (they scored 15 straight points to start the game), as he scored 11 points in the first quarter. In the end, Martin led the team in scoring with 23 points.

Martin is making a strong case for a roster spot alongside Al Thornton at small forward, as his Summer League performances have become impossible to ignore. But more importantly is how Martin’s particular skill-set fits within the Wizards’ offense. The Wizards’ offensive plan seems to be predicated on Wall driving into the lane (via P&R or simply beating his man) and either taking it to the hoop, dropping the ball off in the post, or kicking it out to open guys on the perimeter.

While the starting unit can likely execute this offensive game plan effectively with Wall / Arenas / Blatche / McGee, it’s the bench that needs help with execution. Someone other than Nick Young has to be able to contribute. Intuitively, Wizards’ fans know this: the Wizards’ reserves have been abysmal for a few years now, offering inconsistent scoring and lackadaisical defense. Taking his Summer League performances with a grain of salt, Martin could provide depth as a decent scoring option behind Al Thornton. For a team looking to rebuild around inexpensive, young players with some upside, Cartier Martin deserves a chance.

Ernie Grunfeld needs to get this man a contract. And please, for the love of God, do not sign Adam Morrison.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 9, 2012 -- DC Council Game 26: Wizards 93 vs Knicks 107: Mission: Lin-possible
• July 29, 2011 -- Summer of Wiz Kids: New Relaxing With Social Media
• March 11, 2011 -- The Loose Ball Dive

Mike Prada of Bullets Forever writes “the” definitive piece on Caron Butler’s 2009-10 season, but with some historical perspective as well. Below I’ve put a great quote from the article, but the whole thing, “Caron Butler was a big part of the problem with the 2009/10 Wizards,” is much longer and is really a must-read.

So what’s the theme of Caron Butler’s season?  It’s very hard to function when you’re dogged by resentment and dreams of personal success.  Butler has moved on to Dallas, where he’s now shooting more than Dirk Nowitzki and generally wasting possessions like he did in DC.  His game has declined with age, sure, much like other 29-year olds who have been as injury-prone as him.

But this is not your typical decline.  Much like Kevin Garnett, Butler has declined while kicking and screaming about the wonder days that were.  He’s the last person to accept the fact that he isn’t the player he once was.  He never figured it out in DC and he doesn’t appear to have figured it out in Dallas.  Worse, his decline was accelerated by lingering resentment of his co-star that only grew when that co-star started missing games.  That co-star is now on a different team, but Butler still stubbornly pushes on, trying to show he deserved his past status.

And really, this is a story about how precious one’s state of mind is in this game.  Butler went from being one of the league’s most unselfish and professional players to one with too big an opinion of himself that resented his teammates.  It was a dramatic shift and it couldn’t have happened to a more unexpected guy.  If it can happen to Butler, it can happen to anyone.

Want more on Caron?

In a guest post I did on Hardwood Paroxysm, a fellow ESPN TrueHoop blog where I have very infrequently contributed in the past, I outline some numbers on Butler via Synergy Sports Technology.

Below is a excerpt, but head to H-Wood P. for more detailed stats on Caron’s isolation and spot-up offensive chances … and perhaps more importantly, sad face pictures of Brendan Haywood and Shawn Marion and an expletive spouting GIF of Mark Cuban.

Overall, on Butler’s offensive plays that end in FGAs, TOs or FTs, he scored 0.86 PPP in Washington, which ranks 334th, and in Dallas, 0.87 PPP, ranked 318th. Not the Tuff Juice Mark Cuban thought he was bargaining for, but certainly the guy Wizards fans became familiar with this season.

Ironically, in a New York Times Q&A with Howard Beck, Cuban credits Synergy Sports video as one of his best investments. Uh oh.

One More.

Finally, Ball Don’t Lie’s Dan Devine has a rundown of post Mavericks-Spurs game four criticisms of Butler. Here’s an excerpt:

Two things: A) Repeatedly taking contested 18-footers off the dribble seems like a flawed definition of “very aggressive” and B) That “had to” makes you wonder if Caron suffers from the same affliction as dudes like Antoine Walker, whose unshakable confidence convinces them that, at any given time, they are the best player on the court and should be the one taking the shots.

With the clock winding down and the game on the line, such self-esteem can serve a player well. But as the Mavericks saw last night, it can also put your season on the chopping block.

Not to make it ‘Pick On Caron Butler’ week or anything … I really wish it didn’t have to be this way. But as Tuff Juice once said, after declining to go with Flip Saunders’ play in favor of calling his own number, “Unfortunately it is what it is.”

And if you missed it the first time, here’s a run down of Butler ’09-10 Wizards interview highlights:

Finally, for the hell of it, Wu-Tang’s “Can It Be All So Simple”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sUEe4TMlcg

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass
• February 4, 2012 -- 3-on-3: Wizards vs Clippers: Randy Wittman Attempts To Pull Cigarettes Out Mouths of Wizards
• August 22, 2011 -- ShareBullets: Andray Blatche Had A Wizards Birthday Cake!

Times were different in December 2007. Well, not so much for Wizards fans. The turmoil was just getting started with the news that Gilbert Arenas would be having a second surgery on his knee just two weeks old. That December 3rd edition of ESPN The Magazine ironically had part of an NBA advertisement featuring a picture of Arenas and the words, “Where I’m back happens.”

In that same edition, which had Terrell Owens giving Tony Romo ‘bunny ears’ on the cover (Jason Witten was in the picture too), was the above ‘Got Milk?’ advertisement featuring two former Dallas Mavericks, coach Avery Johnson and player Josh Howard.

December 2007 represented some of the last days of NBA harmony for each Howard and Johnson. The Mavericks as a one-seed lost to the eight-seed Warriors the previous Spring, an ’06-07 season where Howard also represented the Mavs in the NBA All-Star game. But from there, it would go further downhill.

The Mavs finished ’07-08 as a seven-seed in the West, losing to the New Orleans Hornets in the first round. Johnson was fired days later. Howard would subsequently go through a tumultuous six-month span in 2008, including some off-court incidents that severely damaged his public image.

Things are different for all involved parties now. Well, not so much for Dallas. The Mavs are in the midst of a 10-year run of consecutive playoff appearances. And the Wizards are the Wizards. Johnson is working as an NBA analyst for ESPN and Howard is with those woeful Wizards, recovering from a knee injury which occurred in February, before he was supposed to enter the Summer of 2010 as a free-agent.

Howard’s career is now at a crossroads of the unknown … but at least he’ll always have that ‘Got Milk?’ ad.

Josh Howard’s 2010 Washington Wizards Exit Interview

[before the Wizards' season finale versus the Indiana Pacers on April 14, 2010]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 8, 2011 -- From The Other Side: Winning On The Road Easier Said Than Done
• December 20, 2010 -- The Fill-In Vocal Leadership of Josh Howard
• September 21, 2010 -- Josh Howard: Yes He Can? – 2010-11 Wizards Player Preview

{flickr/Keith Allison}

I’ve written about Caron Butler and Josh Howard being different players off the court. But what about on the court? To get the best perspective, I turned to Rob Mahoney of the ESPN TrueHoop Network Dallas Mavericks blog, The Two Man Game. In addition to his Mavs blog, Rob does great work all over the internet, including his contributions to Hardwood Paroxysm and NBC’s Pro Basketball Talk.

Below is the question I asked Rob about Howard and his answer, and then my response to his question about Butler.

Tell me about Josh Howard. I know about all of his off-court stuff. I know about some of his “can’t control what the ball do” statements regarding on-court stuff. I know about a debate between you and Mike Fisher of DallasBasketball.com over whether Cuban and the Mavs were coddling/babying Howard too much. Any other reasons why Howard fell so far from grace in Dallas? Did you get any indication that he was a disturbance in the locker room? Or can his down year mostly be attributed to injury issues? The Wizards likely see J-Ho as just an expiring contract, but he certainly will play. How healthy is he now? How motivated do you think he will be to contribute to his new, yet very, very bad, team?

That I understand; there’s a lot of pressure to return from injury early, a fact made even more clear when Howard attempted to do it earlier this season only to be pulled from the rotation again a few days later for rest, rehab, and treatment. These are limitations that make sense for a player.

But when Josh finally returned to action for good in early December, his play didn’t seem visibly altered by the injury. He seemed to be moving well, was putting in the effort, and looked to be — at the time, at least — to be shaking off a bit of rust. He airballed some jumpers, turned the ball over, and took every mid-range jumper he could find. But again, this made sense for a guy recovering from injury. Every move is made a bit more tentatively, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Except it didn’t go away. Josh just continued to slump and slump, putting up some truly awful shooting nights in what was likely the worst stretch of his Maverick career. He looks healthy and he insists that he’s healthy, so what excuse can you really offer a guy who suddenly plummets to the worst shooting percentages of his career? Who starts drifting on defense, and sacrifices the end of the floor where he could have (at least partially) redeemed himself? The most infuriating thing about Josh’s decline is that it really does seem random; part of it is shot selection and part of it is effort level, but so much of Howard’s woes have simply been based on execution.

To Josh’s credit, he’s been a true professional through the entire ordeal. He hasn’t pouted or made demands, didn’t say a peep when he was moved to the bench, and kept his concerns about himself and the team in-house. Howard has finally grown up (many can recall some news-worthy PR disasters that reeked of immaturity), and though his game hasn’t been what it was in seasons past, I think that’s a good sign. I’d expect Howard to arrive with something to prove, for sure; the guy has a long history of playing with a chip on his shoulder, and off-court events like this have typically triggered an on-court response from Howard. But the intent to prove his point and actually doing it are two very different things.

One of the things Josh has struggled with a bit this season is producing at the 2…which seems particularly relevant now that the Mavs intend to put Butler in a similar situation. I know Caron has played a lot of minutes at the 2 and 3 both this season and previously — is he demonstratively more effective in one spot than another? Does Butler have trouble keeping up with the quicker wings locked in at the 2?

But beyond that, I’m just as curious about Butler’s drop-off as you are about Howard’s. It’s definitely been a down year by Caron standards, but I haven’t seen any clear indication why. He didn’t seem to mesh well with Gil (in any sense), but he’s struggled even with Arenas out of the lineup. What gives? Is there some mystical secret to Butler’s drop-off that’s hidden in plain view? And do you consider his season an actual regression of his game, or simply a momentary lapse in his otherwise solid career production?

For one, let’s talk system. For his entire time in Washington, Butler served under the pro-style Princeton offense of Eddie Jordan. His version of the Princeton involved a lot of passing and cutting, as does the more traditional college version, but in Jordan’s scheme, you also saw a lot more shots taken as the coached depended on his talented players, especially his guards/wings, which would obviously incorporate Butler but also Jamison at the stretch four, to make basketball plays, taking it upon themselves to find the advantage and at times take an isolation shot.In comes Flip Saunders, whose massive play book incorporates a lot of options, including Hubie Brown’s Hawk Offense and traditional high pick and rolls, but also involves the ball being in the point guard’s hands much more than the Princeton. Flip demands that his point guards create plays for their teammates and direct the flow of the offense.

With Flip intending for the ball to be in Gilbert Arenas’ hands 80-percent of the time, Butler became dependent on finding his shots within the scripted offense, rather than being able to create more on his own. This didn’t exactly jibe with the way Butler had been conditioned, and it showed.

This season, when he got the ball in his comfort zones of the past, extended wings and deep corners, usually on the left side of the floor, you’d often find Caron using a myriad of jab steps and pump fakes, mostly of an unproductive nature, before seeing him jack a contested shot and missing. This essentially evolved to Butler driving when he should have been shooting the open shot or shooting the ill-advised shot when he should have been driving.

The adjustment began to affect Butler’s confidence. His decision-making got worse, evidenced by what seemed to be a ton more traveling and charge calls, and his ability to create for teammates dropped off significantly. His assists per 36 minutes fell to 2.1 this season after being 4.0 in ’08-09, 4.4 in ’07-08, and 3.4 in ’06-07, the season where Caron last played significant minutes with Arenas before this one.

This season, Arenas wasn’t the player he used to be, as he was trying to re-acclimate himself to NBA basketball in addition to adjusting his game for Flip’s offense. He had a long way to go before being suspended, but his numbers weren’t that bad and he seemed to be trying to adjust. His assist-percentage in the 32 games he played stands at 36.5%, up from 27.2% and 27% in the last two seasons where he saw the court for a significant amount of time (’06-07 and ’05-06 respectively).

Back in late-November, Gilbert said, “There’s about 15 players on the team, 14 get along.” Even though they evidently subsequently kissed and made up, most were able to conclude that Arenas was talking about Butler. An even more telling sign of Butler’s offensive issues also came when Arenas made the “14 get along” comment (and there’s a video of Gil talking about the Wizards’ early-season struggles on offense in the previous link). Arenas said, “I know what to do with Antawn [Jamison], me and him been playing for the longest … pick and roll. Caron, he needs isos. So now I gotta find a way to get him the ball without cutting the other four players out.” The clip got cut off/edited in the link above, but Arenas ended his quote with, “and that’s just been a big problem.” If you really want to see Gil say this, among other things, you can check out around the 3:30 mark in this video highlighting his best home-game quotes from this season … before real guns and finger guns of course.

But enough about the offensive system, what else? Well, there is a Caron’s ego. Most all NBA players have egos to some extent, and this year, I’ve come to find out that this does not preclude good guys like Butler. I’ve now seen how an ego might negatively affect a strong-willed, prideful person like Caron.

I believe that essentially carrying the team, along with Antawn Jamison, for the previous two seasons, and then having to go back to playing second fiddle to Gilbert Arenas (in terms of attention), and to an extent, a second fiddle to the entire team in terms of who dictates the offense, served as a blow to Butler’s ego and his game worsened as a consequence. Some, including players, accused him of aiming to get his 20 point average of the past first and foremost.

Small instances served as indications of Butler’s ego. There was the time in San Antonio in November, after back-to-back blowout losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Spurs, when Brendan Haywood was singing Beyoncé’s ego while Gilbert Arenas spoke of those with “hidden agendas” on the team. The way the story appearing in the Washington Post was written at the time, most inferred that Haywood and Arenas were talking about each other. However, it was later concluded, especially since Haywood and Arenas are supposed to be very good friends, that they both were likely talking/singing about Caron Butler. By the way, Haywood has denied ever singing, but I tend to believe the reporting of the Post’s Michael Lee. In terms of the relationship between Arenas and Butler, the Lee recently wrote, “Arenas and Butler were never on the same page (And that’s sugarcoating it. As one person close to the team told me, “Those guys just flat out didn’t like each other”).” Not good to hear if you’re a Wizards fan.

Another small instance occurred when I was in the Wizards’ locker room before a game late last year. One player commented on my Clark Wallabees, which are currently well worn since I’ve had them since around 2001. Meanwhile, a second player was confusing them with hush-puppies. The first player went on to explain that Clark Wallabees are better and more expensive. The only thing I could really say was that they are damn comfortable shoes and that I’d had them since college. The second player then said to the first player something to the effect of, “Who are you, Caron Butler … talking about the cost of clothing?” The two players then both had a good laugh.

No biggie, but certainly a telling incident of what Butler’s teammates tended to think of him at times, even though they may have liked the guy. It’s also worth mentioning that Butler is very into fashion, hence why I’ve referred to him as a fashionista at times. He and his wife sometimes pick out fabrics and patterns to custom design his clothes and he has also served as a fashion model of sorts. He was the only player on the team who would get dressed in his expensively tailored clothes in the training room, out of sight and access from the media. When he wasn’t quasi-ducking the press, making a beeline from the training room to the locker room exit while others such as Jamison attracted the media scrum, Caron would always look his very best for interviews. The skuttlebutt is that he ripped this method of dressing from Kobe who ripped it from Michael Jordan, but I can’t testify to how authentic that theory may be.

Might any of this perceived “ego” stuff really be meaningless, especially in terms of Butler’s contributions on the basketball court? Yes, it certainly could mean nothing. But does it serve as an interesting look below the surface? Certainly. Gilbert had a pretty big ego himself, being quite the attention whore. Now, he’s sitting at home losing millions.

Finally, I’ll mention Caron’s defense. He claimed before the season that he’d really focus on becoming a better defender. I didn’t really see it. Part of it is that Caron has a bad habit of gambling in the passing lanes, often over-committing himself. The other part is that with his body type, he’s simply not athletic enough and lacks sufficient lateral movement to keep up with most wing players. On the other hand, much of playing good defense involves hustle and hard work, which could take away from Caron’s efforts on the offensive end. The Mavericks might be better served having Shawn Marion guard the opposing team’s two-spot over Butler and have them reverse roles on offense.

I hate to feel like I’m trashing Caron. For a long time, he was my favorite Wizard, consistently filling up the stat sheet with rebounds, assists and steals, in addition to points. I’ll always have good memories of why he was given the nickname “Tuff Juice” by former coach Eddie Jordan in the first place. And while I don’t want to say that everything I’ve described above has tarnished my memory of Butler, it has certainly changed my perspective of him. I wish Caron all the best in Dallas and will be watching very closely to see how he performs in a new environment. If he is able to work with Kidd, Dirk & Co. with success, then I will be very proud of Butler’s ability to adjust, yet somewhat hurt that he couldn’t do it this year in DC.

{Caron Butler - flickr/Keith Allison}

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 23, 2009 -- Flip Saunders’ Wholesale Third Quarter Substitution: Wizards Top Sixers 105-98
• April 30, 2009 -- Questioning Antawn Jamison
• December 2, 2011 -- Who’s Asking About The Wizards?

The Edict Under Which Ernie Grunfeld Works

We already know Mark Cuban is a pretty smart dude. To get that rich, you gotta be. But we never figured he was smart enough to pull one over on Ernie Grunfeld, the man who spent years honing his trade in the Big Apple. Not only did Cuban (and Mavs GM Donnie Nelson I suppose) get everything they ever dreamed of in a trade with Washington, but they also got the Wizards to pay them “cash considerations,” and they didn’t have to send the Wizards their trade exception in exchange for Fabricio Oberto, as was supposedly discussed.

If you’re the Wizards ownership in limbo, guess you gotta spend money and give away value to save money, perhaps for the sale of the team. With part of potential majority owner Ted Leonsis’ ’10-Point Rebuilding Plan’ being to always seek a “pick and a prospect,” we now have some insight that, perhaps, Grunfeld was working under edict of the Abe Pollin estate to cut costs no matter how much it might set the franchise back in the future. Abe’s dream of his team winning another championship has been put to rest, now the Washington basketball patriarch’s squad could be being dismantled just to appease the financial gain of those he left behind.

Sorry Wizards fans, the legacy of Abe Pollin still haunts the franchise. Not until Leonsis takes over can you rest assured that the team you love will be firmly headed in a positive direction, or at least open with fans on that direction, which would likely sooth baffled impatience in these current trying times.

Mark Cuban, a brilliant cat he sure seems like right now. But he’s also a goober. You know, the type who hams it up beyond necessity while being unfunny and cutesy enough to make you roll your eyes and think, “this” guy. Some of this is evidenced in a video interview Cuban did with Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Sure, Cuban is probably a nice man, but he’s also annoying with a kitschy style of charm. Good for him, I suppose. He’s rich and most of us aren’t. He wins.

Mark Cuban On Brendan Haywood’s Media Knowledge

As you may be aware, Brendan Haywood has high aspirations for a career in the media after his playing days are over. He relishes radio appearances, he’s served as an analyst for WNBA games, and among other activities, he’s been a blogger, but is now retired. Blogging, however, has gotten Haywood into the most trouble. He wrote about the polarizing Michael Vick, and the team had a discussion with him about it. He wrote about and later spoke on the radio about Stephon Marbury and homosexuality, and the internet reacted. He wrote about the monetary motivations of Tiger Woods’ wife, and again received unwanted attention.

The night before a mid-December meeting with the Pacers, I informed Haywood that his teammate, JaVale McGee, had started a blog on the same YardBarker-sponsored platform as him. Brendan told me that if that was the case, he’d retire from blogging. The next day he did. Haywood’s retirement likely had more to do with him putting his foot in his mouth, but that still probably didn’t quell his ultimate media aspirations.

But what does billionaire Mark Cuban think of Haywood’s media knowledge? Needs work. In the clip below, Cuban recounts to NBA-TV’s Rick Kamla how Popeye Jones, currently a Mavs assistant and a teammate of Haywood during his first year with the Wizards, raved about Brendan’s work-ethic and how he took the rookie Haywood under his wing. Cuban then says, “And he’s a Twitter-er, and he gets out there. So we’ll educate him some on the media. But he’s a good kid with a good heart …”

Well, there you go Brendan. Cuban is going to learn you on all things media. Hope you’re ready. It’s worth noting that Haywood never has been on Twitter, he’s only blogged. So, perhaps Mark needs some sort of education on media matters himself, or at least he should be more knowledgeable of what his incoming players do and do not do.

The Dynamic Duo of Caron and Brendan

Bonus Clip: After Cuban, you’ll see an exchange between Kevin McHale and Chris Webber regarding Caron Butler.

“How happy is Caron to get out of Washington?,” says Webber.

“Oh … are you kidding me?,” says McHale while adjusting his sport coat in an equally uncomfortable way as the assumption of these two that Butler was a victim of his surroundings is uncomfortable to Wizards fans.

“He might be here now. He might have walked here,” retorts Webber.

“He’s on a bike. They said they saw him in Oklahoma City, he was peddling,” quips McHale, mimicking Caron pedaling a bike.

Laughter ensues.

This trade continues to be drenched in irony. Butler’s poor play wasn’t the cause of all the Wizards’ problems, but it was a major contributor. Bet he checks his wanna-be-prime-time ego at the door and adjusts his game for Rick Carlisle, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and title aspirations.

Butler and his trade buddy Brendan haven’t always been the best of friends, but for the most part, they kept it cordial when it came to basketball. But know this, Haywood is boys with Gilbert Arenas. NBC 4′s Lindsay Czarniak  spoke with Haywood after the trade and reported that Brendan and Gilbert are “very good friends.” Czarniak also reported that the two spoke and that Gilbert congratulated Brendan … for being one of the first to escape the sinking ship I suppose.

It’s also worth nothing that the Washington Post’s Michael Lee recently wrote, “Arenas and Butler were never on the same page (And that’s sugarcoating it. As one person close to the team told me, “Those guys just flat out didn’t like each other”).”

This could be seen as supporting evidence that Haywood and Butler might not like each other either since Haywood and Arenas are such good friends. It also could mean nothing. Regardless, to get out of D.C., Brendan would probably gladly sit on the handlebars of Caron’s bike for the entire trip to Big D.

Let’s watch …

LINKS: The best of what was said from around the web about the Wizards-Mavericks trade

[Dan Steinberg: Wizards' demolition is complete - DC Sports Bog, Washington Post]

The first D.C. sports team that really captured my imagination after the creation of this blog in the fall of 2006 was the goofy, wacky and yet somehow successful Wizards. That fall, the Nats were still following The Plan, the Redskins were missing the playoffs, the Caps were more than a year away, and the Wizards were fun and interesting and on their way to the Eastern Conference’s best record..

Well, that team no longer exists. Regardless of whether Antawn Jamison stays or goes, the team has been completely disemboweled. It is no longer recognizable in any way. There’s nothing there for the rest of this season at least; nothing to root for, nothing to call your friends about. Whose jersey on this team would you currently buy? There isn’t any acceptable answer to that question that doesn’t involve irony.

[Michael Lee: Fun is over: Wizards had to make a move - Wizards Insider, Washington Post]

It’s over. The last Wizard to call Michael Jordan his boss and teammate is gone. The Tuff Juice has been poured out on the corner. The swag has vanished. The Wizards as you once knew them are no more, and they haven’t been since before Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the rest of the season last month.

[...]

Arenas and Butler were never on the same page (And that’s sugarcoating it. As one person close to the team told me, “Those guys just flat out didn’t like each other”). The team was never unified this season. And, now it has been drastically altered.

[Mike Prada: Why the Wizards-Mavericks trade is an all-around epic fail - Bullets Forever]

To his credit, Ernie does throw a nod to “financial flexibility” in an interview with Mike Jones, but there’s also a need for “freshness” and how Josh Howard was an all-star three years ago. Then, there’s also the “retool on the fly” language from a couple weeks ago. I realize you don’t need to tell the truth with these things, but you also don’t need to outright lie. Emphasize the future, not the present. We’ll understand and appreciate your candor. Just note how young GMs like Kevin Pritchard in Portland and David Kahn in Minnesota have skillfully emphasized the future in their situations and have gone out of their way to connect with the fans. I know I’d feel better about our future if I heard more language from the horses mouth about it.

[Henry Abbott: Big Prize: Brendan Haywood - TrueHoop, ESPN.com]

The Wizards have been pretty miserable this season. But they have been dramatically less miserable with Brendan Haywood on the court. Basketball Value pins his adjusted plus/minus at better than plus-eight points per 100 possessions. That’s one of the top 30 ratings in the NBA, ahead of the likes of Ray Allen, Tim Duncan and even Caron Butler. 82games.com says that Haywood is part of the Wizards’ nine most effective lineups. When a player has those kinds of plus/minus statistics, but is not an All-Star, if typically means he knows something about playing D.

[Mike Fisher: Saturday Mavs Donuts: Late-Night Nuts And Bolts And Q's And A's On Butler/Josh Deal - DallasBasketball.com]

In terms of lining up firepower, Butler opening as the sixth man makes sense. In terms of keeping egos from being bruised, it makes (at least temporary) sense, too.

Of course, this is why Rick Carlisle makes the big bucks. … and it’s also the sort of thing that results in those “tension-in-the-locker-room’’ stories of the past week. Carlisle simply could not reach J-Ho. He’ll need to keep Jet as an ally and be on the same page with Butler, too. That’s Rick’s challenge here.

[...]

Two, some mixed emotions about Josh Howard’s departure … and the way he’s departing. I’ll summarize one conversation [with a player on the Mavericks] thusly:

“Is Josh bad in the locker room?’’

“No, but that doesn’t mean he’s good in the locker room.’’

I recently wrote about Josh’s paranoia (which had him thinking – correctly, of course – that he was about to be dealt). J-Ho thinks everyone is out to get him, that the locals turned on him, that he’s not respected, that the public is too hard on him. That doesn’t make him a bad person or a bad player. But that is a problem, in so many ways.

But it’s somebody else’s problem now.

[Ken Berger: Trade Buzz: Amar'e Watch - CBS Sports]

You may be wondering, as I am, why Washington chose this deal instead of another blockbuster that would’ve sent Jamison and Butler to Boston for a package including Ray Allen. According to sources, a handful of Eastern Conference GMs pressured Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld to shy away from the Boston deal for obvious reasons. “It would screw up the balance of power in the East for three years,” one executive said. One theory circulating in Dallas is that Grunfeld didn’t want to alienate other teams he might need to do business with as he continues dismantling the roster in the wake of the Gilbert Arenas firearms fiasco.

[Kevin Pelton: Transaction Analysis, Dallas-Washington - Basketball Prospectus]

Projecting ahead remains tricky because the exact salary cap won’t be known until July 1 and the pick Washington gets in the lottery will affect their available salary, but assuming the Wizards pick No.4 (where they currently are), Quinton Ross exercises his player option for next season and the cap is set at $53 million (the projection cap guru Larry Coon is currently using), I have Washington with $7.2 million available for next summer. That might not sound like much, but it would allow the Wizards to offer a player more than the mid-level exception. That’s why adding Stevenson was the key to making this deal work from Washington’s perspective. His $4.2 million player option was sure to be exercised, and Stevenson is worthless to a rebuilding Wizards squad.

[Craig Stouffer: Wizards make their first significant move of the season - Washington Examiner]

I didn’t cover the team when things were going right or when there was a good vibe in the locker room for more than one day in five or six. I guess I’ll never know how much fun the group was.

[Kelly Dwyer: Caron Butler to the Mavericks - Ball Don't Lie, Yahoo!]

Washington needed to do this deal. It’s not the most creative expunging of contracts we’ve seen, but the Wizards badly need to rebuild, and they have no use for a player in his prime, working with an eight-figure contract in 2010-11. Losing Butler’s deal and Stevenson’s player option (which he will no doubt pick up) for next seasson opens up more and more cap space for this team. Especially if Gilbert Arenas’ deal is voided, and (more likely than the Arenas void) Antawn Jamison is sent to another team later this week.

[Dave Berri: Dallas Makes a Contending Move - The Wages of Wins]

Now Washington has effectively blown-up their roster.  At the moment, the Wizards only have two above average players [Miller has a WP48 of 0.278 while Jamison’s mark is 0.108].  As noted, the Wizards will be able to add a very high draft choice.  But it looks like Washington is going to need more help than what they will find in the draft.  So although this move will save money, it looks like the Wizards have quite a distance to travel before playoff basketball once again returns to Washington.

[Tim MacMahon: Timing was right to move Howard - ESPNDallas.com]

No matter how many nice things the Dallas Mavericks say about Josh Howard, it wasn’t that hard to say goodbye.

It was simply a matter of maximizing his value on the trade market.

Give the Mavs credit for exercising extreme patience after Howard, a major asset to the franchise for most of his six-plus seasons in Dallas, took a significant turn for the worse a couple of seasons ago. They gave him as many chances as possible to revert to form while waiting until they got a great offer for him to pull the trigger.

[David Lord: For 'Now And Later': Mavs Trade Upgrades On-Court Chances And Off-Court Options - DallasBasketball.com]

Two twists: One, the deal does not include the Trade Exception. Dallas managed to hold onto it, and my impression is that the Mavs are glad they did, with anticipation of using it in the future. Two, Dallas got cash?! There’s a first!

[John Hollinger: Will deal put Mavs over the top? - ESPN.com]

Sum it up, and the logic appears more straightforward for Washington than for Dallas. The Wizards had a goal (cutting money) and accomplished it, though without the talent upside they might have wanted. The Mavs have committed to putting an extra $30 million toward their goal (winning a title), yet we’re not certain they’ve put themselves much closer to the promised land.

That said, we need a few more days before we can issue our final verdicts: The Mavs and Wizards still have until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday to make trades that cast a fresh light on Saturday’s big deal, and it’s those follow-up trades that might change the final score.

[Mike Jones: Wizards-Mavericks Agree To Deal - CSN Washington]

The Wizards may not be done dealing yet. League sources say that they are engaged in talks with several teams in regards to trading power forward Antawn Jamison before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat all have had discussions with the Wizards about trading for Jamison, who is making just more than $11 million this year and has two years and $28 million left on his deal. Seldom-used point guard Mike James, who is making $6.5 million this year also could be traded.

[Aaron Morrissey: Wizards To Ship Butler, Haywood To Dallas - DCist]

So yeah, the Wizards will probably be a worse basketball team after this trade. But, I don’t know, man — have you watched this team this year? It’s not like with Butler and Haywood, they were going to make the playoffs. That fateful game of bourre on the team plane was simply the first step toward preparations for next season, and this trade is simply the first big part of that long, painful transition.

[Marc J. Spears: Celtics want young talent for Allen - Yahoo! Sports]

The Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat were interested in acquiring center Brendan Haywood(notes) from the Wizards, but couldn’t put together an adequate offer before the Mavericks landed him.

The Blazers offered Steve Blake(notes), rookie Jeff Pendergraph(notes) and a first-round pick for Haywood. When Washington countered by asking for swingman Rudy Fernandez(notes), the Blazers declined. Blazers owner Paul Allen is a big fan of Fernandez.

Haywood turned down a four-year, $35 million contract extension from Washington last summer, but a source said the Mavericks hope to re-sign him after the season.

[Rob Mahoney: Falling Up - The Two Man Game, ESPN TrueHoop Network]

It’s honestly a shame to see the Josh Howard era end under such depressing circumstances, but the Mavs’ brass made a beautiful move. This is more than you could ever hope for from a trade deadline deal, and if the Wizards cut Drew Gooden loose only to re-sign in Dallas some 30 days later? The Mavs get that much deeper, with a pretty fearsome 10-man rotation. If Butler and Haywood indeed find themselves in Maverick uniforms, it might be time to get excited — this team will be absolutely tremendous.

[Kurt Helin: Caron Butler officially a Maverick - ProBasketballTalk]

The bigger upgrade, frankly, is Haywood. Right now the Mavericks put the incredibly pedestrian game of Eric Dampier out at center every night to start. Then they run into good front lines like the Lakers or Nuggets and he gets dominated. Haywood is not the second coming, but he is playing slightly above average ball. He can do a better job defending the Lakers bigs in the playoffs, and now they bring another big body off the bench (even if it is to soak up fouls).

[Sekou Smith: The Butler does it for us! - NBA.com]

The Mavericks made out like bandits, getting two players in Butler and Haywood, that could help jump-start a team that’s played uneven basketball (10-11 in their last 21 games) and looking to make a move in the rugged Western Conference.

[Brandon George: LeBron James high on Mavericks' trade, Caron Butler - DallasNews.com]

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James said Saturday that he’s a big fan of new Dallas Maverick Caron Butler. James said he thought it was a good trade for the Mavericks to acquire Butler and others from the Wiz. James said Butler is “tough” and will be a good fit for the Mavericks.

“Love him. There’s one thing about this league, you can’t substitute toughness,” James said. “He’s very good everywhere he’s been, in LA, Miami and now Washington. He’s a very, very good player who complements a lot of good players. He was an All-Star last year, and he’s definitely one of those guys you have to key on when you play him.”

Other reads from Truth About It:

• August 12, 2010 -- How The Wizards’ Future Has Changed: Power Rankings With Foresight From Hollinger and Ford
• August 27, 2009 -- A Young(er) Ernie Grunfeld and Wizards Web Hits
• June 17, 2009 -- Absurd Wizards Trade Possibilities and Rumors

“Character, Commitment, Connection”

-Wizards 2009-2010 Season Motto

The Wizards aren’t putting Josh Howard’s face next to that on a banner anytime soon … unless they want to ad a fourth ‘C’ for cap space. Like Caron Butler, Howard was once an All-Star. And like the one they call Tuff Juice, the one they call J-Ho has recently fallen far from basketball skill grace.

Both players were once considered untouchable by their respective teams. Both also represent very different persona off the court.

Caron was the guy who came from rough beginnings to make a community leader out of himself. He’s the family man who gives away bikes, owns Burger Kings, cries on Oprah and chews on straws. He made himself known by giving back to his hometown of Racine as well as his adopted hometown of Washington, DC.

He may still give back to the District, but his playing days here are over. Because Caron Butler was also the basketball fashionista whom his teammates criticized for having an ego, one going by the code name of Agent Zero publicly insinuating that Caron wasn’t on the same page as the other 14. Butler drastically diminished his basketball value by passing less, going rogue on his coach, and becoming the player who sought isolation plays instead of team-oriented offense.

In Butler, Dallas knows they are getting a former All-Star, but they don’t know if he’ll be compatible. Sure, Butler liked to be seen on the scene, but he always kept it classy. Caron Butler is a good guy with strong character. But can his game get along with Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki? Will he adjust for them as he did not do for Flip Saunders? Brendan Haywood has been playing motivated enough in a contract year, what happens to the games of Butler and DeShawn Stevenson in their respective fresh starts?

The Wizards don’t know what they’re getting in Josh Howard either. It’s unlikely he’d stick around past the next 32 games on the schedule. Howard, who is making around $10.9 million this season, is an expiring contract we are told the Wizards should crave, but not a true expiring contract. The franchise now holds an $11.8 million option on Howard for the 2010-11 season. Ain’t happening. Way too much for a guy who was once considered all but untouchable in Dallas, but is now yesterday’s news.

Howard may be able to revitalize his basketball career in D.C., but becoming an Ernie Gurnfeld reclamation project is highly unlikely. Players usually don’t sign for market value or less with the team that just decided not to pick up their eight-figure option. Hopes that J-Ho can become who he once was and stay a Wizard should be checked at the door.

But who is the guy Howard once was? Much different than Butler, and not necessarily worthy of a marketing banner. Sure, Howard is active in the community, but just about any NBA player with a large bankroll and an official website is. And sure this season Mavs owner Mark Cuban praised Howard for working harder to be a better teammate and for being a bit more “invisible” off the court. But hold it right there. What is this “off the court” stuff you speak of?

Howard has been caught street racing, disrespecting the national anthem, and admitting to smoking weed, which I don’t have a problem with, but him saying so publicly and then putting his NBA colleagues on blast for it is quite stupid. Just a couple of days after his weed admission, and after coach Avery Johnson had banned parties during the playoffs, Howard handed out fliers to his club birthday bash in the Mavericks locker room after they lost a game to the New Orleans Hornets, putting them down 3-1 in a playoff series. The game and party were on a Sunday, the Mavs had practice on Monday, and the next playoff game was on Tuesday. Dallas lost the series. Damn, Andray Blatche didn’t even do it that bad. At least his end of season party before the actual end of the season came in a 19-win season.

All of these issues with Howard came within a six-month span in 2008. He has been relatively quiet off the court since. Still, the Mavericks don’t want him. The fact that Howard is supposedly “sensitive” has even sparked a debate as to whether Cuban’s regime has babied and coddled him too much. Evidently there was an unofficial team policy of not mentioning Howard’s name in trade rumors for fear of affecting his psyche. Speaking of psyche, Howard once famously said, “You can’t control what the ball do, man!,” as if an inanimate object had a mind of its own. Sounds like the Wizards are trading Tuff Juice for cracked egg shells.

So what about Howard’s past. Who cares at this point. Close your eyes and imagine Mike Miller saying, “It is what it is.” This trade is not about Josh Howard’s contrast to Caron Butler. But it’s worth pointing out the irony.

Fans have been sold a credo of “Character, Commitment, Connection,” and in turn, they’ve given their money, time, and fandom to the Wizards and the game of basketball. But the trade isn’t about franchise feel-good marketing buzz words, nor is it even about basketball.

It’s about saving money while attempting to erase the memory of past mistakes with salary cap space. Just like cash received for a second round pick that could have been DeJuan Blair cannot get a rebound, neither can cap space.

I’m not anti-cap space. It provides GM-envious flexibility. With cap space, you can do things like gain cheap assets by just helping facilitate a trade between two other teams. Recently the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to get Virginia Commonwealth’s Eric Maynor from the Utah Jazz for just a second round pick and for being able to take on Matt Harpring’s retiring/expiring contract so Utah could reduce their 2010 luxury tax hit.

But with cap space comes risk. With more and more talented players on the market seemingly willing to take less pay to play for a contender, the Wizards run the risk of competing against high, frugal competition by over-paying for a free agent. Or, by throwing money at one less likely to pan out, especially possible since there are not really any building blocks. At least Wizards fans can (hopefully) trust Ernie Grunfeld not to pull a ‘Joe Dumars’ and throw money at a Ben Gordon or Charlie Villanueva-type player.  And hopefully the ghost of Jaromír Jágr has been exorcised from the Verizon Center.

Part of the rebuilding effort also requires luck in the draft, something the franchise hasn’t had in my living memory. When people start basking in the possible ownership of Ted Leonsis, which is something I can’t wait for myself, I still can’t help being a Debbie Downer by pointing out that the Washington Capitals got damn lucky to land the best hockey player in the world in Alexander Ovechkin. A friend also recently pointed out to me that the Caps have one of the best farm/player development systems in the NHL, if not “the” best.

Too bad the NBA doesn’t have an even ratio with the NBDL. Too bad the Wizards have rarely used their current NBDL affiliate, the Dakota Wizards. And too bad the team’s player development has a history of falling below expectations, especially in recent times.

Remember in the first Batman when the Jack Nicholson said, “This town needs an enema.” Well, the Joker is just getting started. If you’re going to do it, do it all the way. Trade Jamison’s contract, send him and his framed photo of the Larry O’Brien trophy to Cleveland for Zydrunas and a pick. The Mistake By The Lake can Keep J.J. Hickson. Or you could send Jamison to Boston with Mike Miller and Randy Foye for Ray Allen, Glen Davis, Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens. Trade them all. Send Andray Blatche to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin. You got to figure that Seven Day Dray would be more desirable to Larry Brown and Michael Jordan than rumor of a Big Baby from Boston becoming a Bobcat … I’m guessing, but now that I type that, who knows.

The demolition is likely not yet complete and remaining fans could see an even more ravaged team when Oleksiy Pecherov and the team holding the rights to Ricky Rubio comes to town next Wednesday. But the DC Sports Bog’s Dan Steinberg has a point, don’t get your Wizards lottery luck/John Wall expectations higher than anything past doubtful.

Farewell Tuff Juice.

Farewell Haywood formerly known as Brenda, who, with 579 games with the franchise under his belt, leaves sixth in games played behind Wes Unseld (984), Elvin Hayes (731), Greg Ballard (643), Charles Jones (595) and Kevin Loughery (591).

Farewell friend of Gilbert Arenas, man with the Abe Lincoln neck tattoo.

Hello flushing assets down the toilet. Hello new beginnings.

DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler & Josh Howard - flickr/Keith Allison

via http://drunkathlete.com/2008/09/06/josh-howard-having-way-too-much-fun/

Other reads from Truth About It:

• June 8, 2011 -- ShareBullets: A Man With A Plan
• June 6, 2011 -- Old Wizards: Butler, Haywood, Finger Guns, Arenas, Howard, Singleton, and James
• May 26, 2011 -- Ex-Wizards Head To NBA Finals, Some With Two Hats

Not exactly comforting to Wizards fans. Definitely not comforting to certain players in the Wizards’ locker room. Especially not comforting to head coach Flip Saunders.

After overcoming just 15 assists to 14 turnovers for the game and a seven point deficit with a minute left, the Wizards fell short by just one point to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Down 94-93 with 6.7 seconds left, just after Brendan Haywood drew a huge charge call on Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler had the ball in his hands to win the game, either with a shot or a pass to a teammate.

After receiving the inbounds pass, Butler halted any previously set up process and dwindled clock with unproductive bounces of the ball, something you can’t exactly afford when you’re down. He drove left against Shawn Marion into the strong side help of Jason Kidd. With good defense quickly closing up the lane, Butler threw up the only shot he could muster, a weak, fading attempt that was sent back in his direction by Marion. Game over. Fans were left baffled.

No, games aren’t won or lost on one play, but when it came down to one play, why did Washington screw the pooch in between taking it out for a nice seafood dinner and never calling it again? There must have been a better way for the Wizards to court their first three-game win streak of the year. Perhaps being on the same page as to how the final play was to be executed would have helped.

Flip Saunders wasn’t baffled. He was down right pissed, at least for the two minutes of his terse press conference. When asked about the game’s final play, Saunders said, ”That wasn’t the play we were supposed to run.” He reaffirmed his previous statement and followed with, “It’s not what was designed,” when asked how the play was supposed to be run.

Past the losing play, Saunders clearly wasn’t pleased with his team’s overall game execution. But when asked a general question about it, he couldn’t help but revert back to that game deciding instance. “To get the ball back with 6.7 [seconds], it’s disappointing to not really give yourself a chance to win it at that point,” said the embattled coach.

Are you picking up on the trend here? When all players don’t follow the plan set forth, the team will fail.

That last play resurrected this season’s pre-’Downfall of Arenas’ era when ‘Hero Ball’ dominated the court from start to finish. But now that Gilbert is gone, why does it still exist? Some Arenas accusers figured the Wizards would revert back to the ’07-08 Zero-less playoff state when roles were defined and sharing the ball was more abundant. Doesn’t seem like that has happened.

When Caron Butler egotistically assumes he’s the man on the court without Gilbert Arenas, or enviously wants to be the man on the court with him, he’s doling blows to his basketball persona that was shaped by tough beginnings. Butler isn’t the only Wizard who’s played Hero Ball this season, but he’s been more afflicted with the basketball hubris disease than anyone else by far.

No one player is at fault for the Wizards’ 14-27 record. Even problems such as ignoring the coach’s instruction tend to be more systemic than an anomaly. But when the wanna-be hero goes rogue and fails in a single instance, you can toss ‘games aren’t won/lost on one play’ clichés out the window. The lone wolf deserted his pack and should always take the blame.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• June 3, 2011 -- Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, and Bells of War
• May 26, 2011 -- Ex-Wizards Head To NBA Finals, Some With Two Hats
• February 1, 2011 -- Wizards Lose In Dallas, But Let’s Take The High Road

A focused pre-game Gilbert Arenas.

A plotting, thinking Flip Saunders.

Contrasting bench facial expressions.

Ernie Grunfeld, Tommy Shepphard, and …

A Typical Mavs Fan?

turtleneck, check …
jersey, check …
Corvette visor, check …
hair and beard styling product, double-check

{A Simple Big Bucket Play}

Dirk Nowitzki just hit a three to cut the Wizards’ 10 point lead to seven. Time for Flip Saunders to draw up an easy, dependable play.

Gilbert Arenas, leading and directing traffic, telling Randy Foye where to cut.

Foye’s options: Go baseline and use Oberto’s pick, or go up top using Haywood’s pick. With Jason Terry’s back to Haywood, it’s clear that Foye is about to correctly choose his own adventure.

Terry tries to go around the Haywood screen, leaving Foye with plenty of space. Gilbert makes the perfect pass in rhythm and it’s money from there.

{Old Decisions vs. New}

I particularly liked this decision-making by Gilbert Arenas. After Blatche got a steal, he pushed the ball up the court, with his head up BTW, and got the ball to Foye in the right corner. Foye, picked up by Barea on defense, assessed the situation, didn’t see anything, and pulled the ball back up top.

Enter a trailing Gilbert Arenas … Foye passed him the ball at the top of the key. Barea, although far away from Agent Zero, went to pick him up as Jason Terry continued to flounder in the paint. Time for a Hibachi Three-Pointer, right?

Nope, the old Gil takes that shot 67% of the time. This Arenas, however, seeing Foye’s feet set and the defense running at him, immediately fired a pin-point pass back to Foye who nailed the three.

{Note: Foye previously missed a three less than a minute earlier. Arenas showed confidence in the fourth year player by going right back to him.}

{Oberto Uses The Force}

It was early in the 4th quarter. Fab Oberto had just made a sweet bounce pass to a hustling Blatche cutting on the baseline.  Andray went strong to the opposite side of the rim and got mauled by Drew Gooden and Shawn Marion. No foul was called despite the act occurring in the direct line of vision of referee Ron Garretson. Blatche immediately took out his mouthpiece and swung his arm through the air. Then, all of a sudden … a slow release of frustration in a composed manner … a calming down. All thanks to the veteran magical Argentinian powers of one Fabricio Oberto.

{Best Cuts}

If you made it this far, congratulations. I present the best of what was said about Tuesday’s opener against Dallas …

The contributions came from all over, and they really had to, with Antawn Jamison sidelined with a dislocated right shoulder and out for a few weeks, and being on the road in one of the most difficult buildings in the NBA. Scoring also stands out, but the stats that really were impressive were the ones posted by Oberto, Foye and Miller, whose plus-minus ratios were off the charts.

['Wizards 102, Mavericks 91' - Michael Lee, Washington Post]

The Mavericks came awfully close to evening things up in the fourth quarter, but the Wizards would not relinquish the lead. In previous seasons, somebody would’ve have noticed the shrinking gap and attempted to win the game themselves. Last night, Foye, Arenas, Caron Butler, Francisco Oberto and even Andray Blatche hit big shots down the stretch. Even better, they held the opponent to less than 100 points while scoring over 100 points. That’s good conditioning, and an awareness of how to make their bodies work hard on both ends of the floor

['Wizards Build Vocabulary in Win Over Mavericks' - Jarrett Carter, Stet Sports]

I’m absolutely floored by how well we played tonight.  Never in a million years would I have thought we would play this well on opening night, without Antawn Jamison, with our rotation barely settled, on the road against a really, really good Dallas Mavericks team. I was excited before the season, but now, I can barely contain myself.  That was such a great performance.

['The Takeover Reloaded ... Reloaded' - Mike Prada, Bullets Forever]

The footwork, the touch, and that initial quickness … it’s all there. Now, all he needs is a few more weeks’ worth of reps to just build up that muscle memory. To be able to stick in the same place on jumpers. That comfort zone, stung quicker. To pull off his usual go-to moves with a better batch of confidence behind them. To dominate, offensively, again.

['Behind The Boxscore' - Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don't Lie]

And in the words of Flip: “The last guy was Mr. Steady, it was Caron. Caron steadied us when we had Gil out of the game. He was efficient, he was aggressive with the ball, which we ran a lot of isolation type stuff so he could stay aggressive when Gil was out of the game. And he did a nice job defensively on Marion, who killed us at our place [in the preseason]. And I thought that Marion got some buckets, but he didn’t get all of them on Caron. I thought Caron fought him and did a nice job. He really keyed us defensively.”

['Wizards kick off Saunders era with a win' - Mike Jones, Washington Times]

Washington trailed in the first quarter by six, 13-7, when Brendan Haywood dunked the first of the Wizards’ next three buckets on a feed from Gilbert Arenas. Arenas followed the Haywood dunks with a pull-up jumper to make the score 15-15, and from there, Washington controlled the game. Dallas took one more lead early in the second quarter, 25-23, on J.J. Barea’s and-1, but that was it. Fabricio Oberto put Washington back in front with a U-G-L-Y three-point play of his own, and the Wiz never trailed again.

['Wizards' first spell is magic' - Craig Stouffer, Washington Examiner]

When Steve Buckhantz broke out his first “Dagger!” of the season late in the fourth quarter of yesterday’s season-opening win in Dallas, all seemed right in the world for Wizards fans. It’s like last year’s disaster never happened.

The faces at the edge may have changed, but the man at the center of it all looked the same. Gilbert Arenas is back. The doubts you had about whether his rehab would sap him? Gone.

['Wiz Win; Gilbert's Back' - Chris Needham, NBC Washington]

Logging 38 minutes, Arenas instead managed to control the tempo throughout, with Dallas forced to scramble from behind for much of the evening after the Wizards rung up 35 points in the second quarter. The only displays of his old showmanship were nods in approval after a couple jumpers and teasingly leaving his shooting hand in the air after one late dagger from the perimeter.

['Agent Zero Returns as a Low-Key Hero' - Mark Stein, ESPN's TrueHoop]

Andray Blatche changes his number to seven this season to signify that he was going to think basketball seven days a week from now on. One thing is for sure, he was thinking basketball Tuesday night.

['Arenas Scores 29, Wizards Top the Mavs in Season Opener' - William Yoder, Agent Dagger]

Besides Arenas, Caron Butler chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds. He may have forced a few shots and didn’t shoot the best percentage (6-17), but Butler seemed intent on attacking the rim, even with a talented defender like Shawn Marion hounding him for much of the game. Brendan Haywood didn’t have the best offensive game (seven points on 3-10 shooting), but he played strong defense in the middle and also grabbed 10 boards. (He needs to work on that wild hook shot, though.)

['Arenas, Wizards look impressive in season opener' - Matt Kremnitzer, Krem's Sports Blog]

{The Other Side}

Rick Carlisle turned 50 on Tuesday and the coach really wanted to get presents from more than just Dirk Nowitzki.

But as it turned out, Nowitzki was the only Maverick who was kind to the coach and his monster game in the season opener wasn’t enough to save his mostly unhelpful teammates

['Mavs open with a thud' - Eddie Serko, Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

The mantra of the Mavs’ off-season was finding more help for Dirk Nowitzki. If you were to evaluate the fulfillment of that goal solely on last night’s performance against the Wizards, I don’t see how the assessment could be anything aside from “huge, embarrassing failure.” But hey, guys, this is the first game of the season. That means we’re grading on a curve, and “huge embarrassing failure” just so happens to round up to “pretty terrible, but I’ll get over it.”

—–

Gilbert deserves more praise than the cursory treatment I’ve already given him. Considering everything he’s been through physically and mentally, he was a revelation. He fully compensated for the absence of Antawn Jamison with a deadly pull-up jumper, and Gil’s forays into the paint emanated both creativity and resolve. Plus, Arenas had a way of answering every would-be Maverick run with a huge play of some kind, either with a dagger of his own or a perfectly placed pass. Maybe he wasn’t yelling “HIBACHI!”, but Gilbert Arenas was back in almost every other sense. As a basketball fan, that excites me. As a Mavs fan, not so much.

['Washington Wizards 102, Dallas Mavericks 91' - Rob Mahoney, The Two Man Game]

The Wizards, playing without co-star Antawn Jamison, dominated in the paint. I mean dom-uh-nate-id. During one ugly sequence in the second quarter center Brendan Hayward had uncontested dunks on three consecutive possessions. The Mavs tried Erick Dampier, Drew Gooden, Nowitzki and Krys Humphries at center, all with varying degrees of suck. At one point Carlisle looked down his bench, stared, then turned back to the game. Coulda sworn his thought bubble read “Damn, I wish I had Marcin Gortat.”

['Wizards 102, Mavwrecks 91: My Top 10 Observations' - Richie Whitt, Dallas Observer Dallas Sports Blog]

Jason Terry, on the other hand, looked very much like where we left him in the playoffs against Denver. His 4-15 night (including 1-6 behind the arc) was ugly. Honestly, I can’t remember the four shots he actually hit. In the second half, he killed runs with ill-advised threes, and just generally had a bad floor game.

['Five on Five: Mavs v. Wizards' - Zac Crain, Insider Corner, Zone Coverage of Dallas Sports]

Washington scored 35 points in the second quarter against Rick’s “your-guess-is-as-good-as-mine defensive aligment. So Carlisle largely gave up on trying to come back on the strength of his defense. Jason Terry started the second half and the move failed to work immediately and failed to work after that, too. With less than eight minutes remaining and Dallas trying to stay alive, there was Carlisle’s 3-PG Attack. Guess who drew the assignment of covering Arenas?

At times, it was Jason Terry. And it was like those two guys were playing two different sports

['All-Access Pass: Wizards 102, Mavs 91' - Mike Fisher, DallasBasketball.com]

{Other Links}

• NBA Captions 10/27/09 Wizards vs Mavs [Brain On Funk]
• Gilbert Arenas Is This Year’s Dwyane Wade [Dime Magazine]
• Arenas of old stars in Wizards’ opening win [Washington Times]
• Arenas, Wizards start off strong [Washington Post]
• What I Learned From One Glorious Wizards Game [DC Landing Strip]
• Statement win in Dallas for Arenas and the Wizards [examiner.com]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• July 2, 2010 -- CHECK MY STATS: Kirk Hinrich, Sioux City Shooter
• February 5, 2010 -- Screen Shots & Thoughts From Disgraceful Effort in New York, Wizards Selfishly Lose to Knicks 107-85
• October 28, 2009 -- Flip and Gil Got This: Wizards Take Mavs 102-91

There are two states Wizards fans should be in after last night’s game: anxiousness relieved and mid-range.

Between Jamison being out for the next ten games or so, and an inconsistent preseason where the Wizards’ major players didn’t really see a ton of court time together, fans really didn’t know what to expect on opening night … in hostile territory and against a team that many expect to be amongst the best in the West (after the Lakers and Spurs).

There are certainly many different types of swagger, just ask Dan Steinberg. What was seen last night was ‘Sustainability Swag’. Every time Dirk started heating up, every time you thought the Mavs might make a run, the Wizards’ veterans came together and withstood oncoming water like a brick wall. The Wiz didn’t dazzle and amaze. They simply looked good. They were poised. Such composure and consistency on the court has been a rare sight for this franchise. Enjoy this one folks, you deserved it.

But at the same time, it was just one game. Wizards fans should stay mid-range, which is the basketball version of ‘Staying Medium’ … via Jim Zorn. Not to associate the Wizards with Dan Snyder’s sinking Titanic. Zorn seems like a good guy, but aside from that, the philosophy of not getting too high or low after wins and losses is a good one. Yes, beating Dallas was a great win that puts others on notice. But again, it was just one game, this team needs something more sustaining.

Wizards 102 – Maverics 91 : Box Score

{Standouts}

Gilbert Arenas.
He looked great. I could say “he’s back” like everyone else, but it was a bit different. The knee definitely looks like it’s made a solid return. Arenas was stopping on a dime, pulling up for mid-range jumpers. Sure, a 36-year old Jason Kidd was guarding him on many of those, but Arenas looked so quick, so fluid in doing so. I don’t think many defenders could have gotten a good contest on his shot. Arenas also showed no hesitation getting into the lane, especially with the smaller J.J. Barea on him. All those inside shots Arenas missed in the preseason are long forgotten. He was playing the angles off the glass like Minnesota Fats used to play the angles on a pool table. Arenas got to the line (8-9), had good lift on his jumper, and most importantly, a 3-1 assist/turnover ratio.

Flip Saunders.
The floor spacing, the substitution patterns … they looked as comfortable as a warm bed next to your girlfriend (or wife, or significant other) on a cold winter day. Nineteen assists to 39 made FGs (a 48.7 basket assisted upon percent) isn’t great, but it’s decent. More importantly, the Wizards only had nine turnovers and shot a fair .464 from the field.

Last season, on only four occasions did the Wizards score more than 100 points, have less than 10 turnovers, and an Assisted FGs % over 48 (game #2 @ DET, game #15 @ NJN, game # 19 vs. DET, and game #77 vs. CLE). The Wizards won three of those games, losing to the Pistons in the second game of the season.

Flip’s footprint of efficiency was all over this game.

Brendan Haywood.
Three straight dunks? I’d say the wrist is back. But that’s not all. Haywood looked more agile and less robotic on the offensive end. At one point with about 4:00 left in the first, he caught a pass just inside the three-point line. Dallas center Erick Dampier foolishly gambled, not realizing that Brendan was hungry for the rim. Haywood turned around and saw a lane filled with a Jason Kidd and a Drew Gooden who wanted no part of him. He took one dribble and skied to the basket like I’ve never seen him do for his third straight dunk, marking the official awakening of Flip Saunders’ offense after a sluggish start.

Andray Blatche.
Blatche moved his feet, contested shots hard, and ran the court with purpose … all the things I like to see him do outside of picking up glamor stats like points, rebounds and blocks. I only remember two mistakes, an ill-advised airball with Dirk in his face and a lax moment in transition where Dampier, of all people, was allowed to jet down the court for a dunk. Both gaffes are certainly forgivable because of their small quantity.

But more on Blatche later …

Fabricio Oberto.
Oberto is just your classic hustling baller. Sure he picked up some fouls (five of them) –  I think part of it was the refs picking on him a bit. But Oberto’s defense on Nowitzki late in the game was much better than expected, he really seemed to bother Dirk. Fab finished second to Foye with a plus-15.

Randy Foye
I wish he was quicker on his feet on defense. And I wish he was better at running a team. But boy can Foye score. That jump shot is smooth like Billy Dee Williams. I’m starting to think like Mike Prada of Bullets Forever … maybe it’s time to punt the Randy Foye Point Guard Experiment because he is much better playing off the ball. Or maybe he’s just best with facilitators around him, such as Stevenson at the two and Mike Miller at the three. (BTW … I call Stevenson a “facilitator” because he doesn’t look to score. Yes, he took one bad shot last night, but otherwise, he didn’t really force any action and I liked how he got after it on defense.)

Mike Miller
As we know he’s capable of, Miller did a little bit of everything. He hit a couple big threes (his only points). But more important was his presence on defense. I noticed much of the team doing the little things such as communication through pointing and keeping heads on a swivel to see ball and man, which is a credit to Flip and his staff. But Miller seemed to lead the team in this area. He’s just a smart basketball guy.

Side Note:
Predictably, all Charles Barkley and Chris Webber could talk about during the Wiz-Mavs highlights shown at halftime of the Lakers-Clippers game was how disappointed they were with Dallas without giving the Wizards any credit. Wonder if they would have said the same thing if they, you know, actually watched the game

{More to come …}

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 29, 2009 -- Screen Shots From Dallas and The Magical Calming Powers of Oberto
• August 28, 2009 -- 10 Questions for the 2009-10 Wizards
• July 2, 2010 -- CHECK MY STATS: Kirk Hinrich, Sioux City Shooter

{The Dallas Skyline - flickr/Victor F}

Game night is finally here. It seems like only yesterday I was pouting about my favorite league in my favorite sport ending and it’s back already.

I must admit, just under three hours before the Wizards tip off their season against the Mavericks in Dallas, I’m not exactly as pumped as I feel I should be. A lot of it probably has to do with Jamison being injured and my current level of optimism being a bit more guarded as a result.

Meh … all of this will probably change once the ball is thrown in the air and I’ll be as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve (or whatever holiday you may celebrate where you know will be getting presents the next day).

GO WIZARDS!

BTW, if you listened to The Dagger Report podcast, I predicted the Wizards to win 107-106 in OT.

GAME CHAT:

Tonight, while watching from the comfort of my apartment in D.C., I’ll also be on CSNWashington.com chatting about the Wizards-Mavs. Of course, the game will also be televised on Comcast and brought to you by Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier. But if you’re online as well and want to talk Wizards, join me on Comcast’s website.

Things I’m Looking For:

• How the Wizards address Dirk Nowitzki on defense. He gave Jamison fits during their preseason matchup, and he’s a tough guard regardless of who’s trying to do it. Will Flip run more doubles at Dirk to get the ball out of his hands? I’m very curious to how the big German will be handled.
• Brendan Haywood’s mark. He dominated Drew Gooden when they faced off. Dallas is expected to start Erick Dampier, but I still think Haywood has the upper hand. If he’s able to camp out around the paint/rim/block area, he might really open the floor for his teammates.
• Watch out for Shawn Marion. He’s a sneaky dude and surely part of Flip Saunders’ game plan will be to not lose focus on Marion, especially on the offensive boards. It’s just about who on the Wizards will provide that level of focus.
• Gilbert Arenas is back! Hey, he’s certainly a reason to get excited. As I link below, Rick Carlisle and the Mavs will be throwing different defensive looks at Arenas … which, in my opinion, won’t matter too much. It’s all on Gil. Can he finish when he gets into the paint? Will he actually make his free-throws (.698 FT% during the preseason)?
• Dallas’ guards. Not sure how much Rodrigue Beaubois, aka ‘The Darker Tony Parker’, will play … but Jose Barea is also jet quick and Jason Kidd is no slouch, even at age 36. The Wizards traditionally aren’t good at dealing with quick guards and if Arenas gives Kidd too much space, it might come back to haunt him.
• Who steps up? Antawn Jamison will be out for a bit … so who is going to fill The Gentleman’s big shoes? There are a TON of eyes on Andray Blatche.

Game Night Links:

Mavericks preparing for Arenas – Dallas News.com

Rick Carlisle said today after shootaround that the Mavericks will use different players, and maybe different defenses, to try to contain high-powered Washington guard Gilbert Arenas.

Saunders always looks on bright side – Mike Jones, Washington Times

On the eve of training camp, Saunders gave each player a T-shirt and cap bearing the slogan “Our Time,” then stressed his expectation to establish a true winning tradition.

“It was to give them a sense of urgency, that every game is important and every game you have to go out and play,” Saunders said. “You don’t go out to play to win. You go out to play well because if you play well, you have a chance to win. If you don’t play well, you don’t have a chance to win in this league. You’re not going to play bad and win games. Just isn’t going to happen.”

Refreshed memories – Michael Lee, Washington Post

In many ways this “new era” is rooted in the hope generated from an older one. It was a week-long “era” — following a win over a Detroit Pistons team coached by Saunders — from Jan. 26, 2007 to Feb. 2, 2007, when Arenas, Butler and Jamison had the Wizards sitting atop the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for the Wizards, the season also began to unravel that same week, when Jamison sprained his knee in Auburn Hills, Mich.

That all-star trio hasn’t shared the floor at full strength since April 1, 2007, the day Butler broke his hand while slapping a backboard in Milwaukee. Three days later, Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace fell intoArenas’s knee, simultaneously setting back Arenas’s career and any hope of Washington’s ascension.

Other Links:

• Six Lessons From The Preseason [via Bullets Forever]
• Ex-Bullet Haywoode Workman will be reffing tonight’s game (along with Ron Garretson and Michael Smith) [via Dallas Basketball.com]
• Wizards – Mavericks Matchup [via Agent Dagger]
• Dallas Mavericks hope support can help Nowitzki [via Dallas News.com]

Random Posts

• August 9, 2010 -- POLL: How Many Wins for the Wizards in 2010-11? The Experts Give Their Opinion.
• December 4, 2008 -- Andray Blatche Has Found The Cure For Stank
• February 28, 2010 -- Michael Jordan: A Prototype For New Understanding

Caron Butler and a very tall clown {via WashingtonWizards.com}

Evidently on Sunday morning, Caron Butler was slated to co-chair the ‘Sister to Sister’s Bike For The Heart’ event with D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty at the Verizon Center in Washington. But the Wizards also had a preseason game in Toronto, Canada at 3 pm that afternoon. Event host Irene Pollin, Wizards co-owner, told Butler that he could attended that morning and just catch up with the team at their next stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The team’s other ‘co-owner’, Irene’s husband Abe, said “nope,” indicating he wanted Butler in Toronto, supporting his teammates. So Abe called up his private jet and whisked Butler, along with team president Ernie Grunfeld, to T-Dot after the event and in time for Butler to get in a workout before the Raptors game.

Wizards Preview

I contributed to a preview about the Wizards for a fellow ESPN TrueHoop Network blog, Nets Are Scorching. I’m not very high on the New Jersey Nets, but one of the writers, Mark Ginocchio, seems to be drinking the Kool-Aid. Can’t blame him, I’m probably a tad over-optimistic, yet cautiously so, when it comes to the Wiz. Mark gives Devin Harris and Brook Lopez the nod in their respective matchups against Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood. Seems far-fetched … we will see.

HypnoBro

The Wizards brought in a hypnotist/entertainer during training camp. The WizzNutzz speculates what would have happened if Flip Saunders had brought in a better hypnotist …

Convinced DeShawn Stevenson that his tattoos were alive: Everyone watched in amazement as DeShawn talked animatedly to Abe Lincoln about how the world has changed since the former president got “clipped”. John-Ivan lifted the trance before DeShawn could finish his walkthrough of season 3 of “Martin.”

Stats + Video = That’s How You Do It

On Friday, ESPN’s TrueHoop had a post about Kevin Durant and how his abilities as a player send conflicting messages with his ability as a teammate, basically outlining a problem with Durant’s ‘plus/minus’.

Well, Durant didn’t like this too much … and got defensive.

On Monday, TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott got back to work in response. He previously used stats to diagnose that a problem existed, and then went to visual evidence to outline possible causes of problem. The result was a damn fine post that should not only be required reading for Durant, but for just about any basketball player and fan alike.

Daily Thunder also opines on the Durant plus/minus.

Flip Gets A B-minus

Somehow Charley Rosen of Fox Sports was able to play teacher and grade all of the NBA coaches. Flip Saunders was given a B-minus a mere game into the preseason (Rosen’s grades came out before noon on Friday) with a brand new team.

I won’t even get into the silliness of grading coaches so prematurely, or how absurd the fact is that Rosen leads his piece by calling it “a rundown on the comparative and ultimate value of each of the NBA’s coaches,” when letter grades aren’t really a good indication of comparative value. Kinda reminds me of jerk professors who grade on a curve.

Lame?

I’m not the only one who thinks the NBA/TNT Rainn Wilson commercials, one of which features Gilbert Arenas, are kind of lame.
Ball Don’t Lie | Stet Sports | Mr. Irrelevant

Notes From Dallas Game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBiDO2vSpM

Prime Time Dirk

Yes, Nowitzki is hard for anyone in the league to guard … but he was making Jamison look absolutely silly on Friday. It seemed like Antawn’s entire body was on skates … chasing after Dirk with the uncertainly of trying to catch a wild chicken, falling for every little pump fake.

Jamison probably could have been more aggressive, but that would have taken away from his energy on the offensive end, right? Oh yea, and “it’s the preseason.”

Nowitzki had eight points in the game’s first five minutes. Wonder if the Wizards will run more doubles at him on opening night.

Groundhog Day Dray

Some have taken to calling Andray Blatche ’7 Day Dray’ because of his jersey number change from 32 to 7. He’s spouted off about it meaning “seven days of hard work” … or something like that. A lot of people might get excited by his 17 points and nine rebounds in just over 25 minutes against Dallas. But he really resembled the ‘old’ Blatche to me (and against Memphis as well).

Not putting a body on somebody/missing weak side assignments on the defensive boards … looking confused on where to be in the matchup zone late in the game with his buddy JaVale McGee … etc.. Blatche also picked up five fouls during his time on the court. Yes, a couple of those were ‘cheap’ … but on at least one of those, Blatche fell victim to a Drew Gooden pump fake, which his undisciplined ways also did later in the game.

Starting At The Two…

I thought Nick Young played pretty well against the Mavs. You definitely notice a concentrated effort on his part. On Thursday, Flip Saunders said he would bring Young off the bench to chase Jason Terry around, but Nick also made Terry do some chasing himself that Terry didn’t look too enthused about.

Young’s ‘+7′ against Dallas was also the best of all the Wizards. Mike Prada of Bullets Forever thinks Young should start, essentially saying during the game that he might be best served playing alongside Arenas. That’s something I might be able to get on board with … we’ll see how the rest of the preseason plays out. Check out Prada’s game notes on Bullets Forever.

At Appearance By Our Friend Oleksiy

Last year at the Verizon during a ‘Dance Cam’ timeout, they would show goofy members of the audience on the big screen while in each corner there would be footage of Andray Blatche doing a horrendous ‘sprinkler’ dance, and Oleksiy Pecherov doing whatever it is that he does.

For a brief instance on Friday, we got to see that familiar, pasty Stewie-esque face gracing us with his presence. Unfortunately, it was only for a split second, as somebody with the Wizards surely noticed the gaffe … rendering me unable to take a picture.

[Mavs 123, Wiz 115: News, Views And Reviews - Mike Fisher, DallasBasketball.com]

If I’m reading my own scribbles correctly, Shawn Marion scored 18 of his first 19 points from inside the paint, and made 11 of his 15 shots and all of those 11 were in the paint, shouldn’t be penalized for one long-range miss because it was a buzzer-desperation thing, and finished with three steals, five rebounds, two assists and 26 points.

And get this: The Mavs ran only two plays for him.

———–

Casual observers will take note of what seems to be Jason Kidd’s biggest contribution here: He shot 4-of-7 on 3’s and finished with 15 points and seven assists. But if you looked more closely, you saw Kidd fulfilling an equally important function: he is nurturing Beaubois at every turn, whispering to him, advising him, guiding him. … I lost count of the seemingly dozens of times Kidd gave Roddy a warm tap on the back of the head, J-Kidd’s sporting version of an Atta-Boy.

Keep An Eye On: Dallas’ Rodrigue Beaubois. The 6’0″ ’88 baby that the WaPost’s Michael Lee calls “The Darker Tony Parker” (they’re also both French) is going to be something else. George Panagakos of Washington Wizards Examiner has more on Beaubois.

Other Wiz-Mavs Links:

• New, quieter Arenas can still entertain … on court – Ken Berger, CBS Sports
• Game Notes: Dallas vs. Washington – Rashad Mobley, Hoops Addict
• Wizards lose to Mavs, Arenas Bipolar? – William Yoder, Agent Dagger
• New Look, Same Explosive Arenas – Tim Povtak, NBA FanHouse

Other reads from Truth About It:

• April 9, 2009 -- Wizards vs. Cavs: The Final Showdown in Screen Shots
• January 20, 2012 -- DC Council Game 14: Wizards 105 vs Thunder 102: From Subway To Chicken Wings
• January 29, 2011 -- Gunfight at the O.K.C Corral

{Gilbert Arenas in the now dead gold jersey - flickr/Keith Allison}

It was a tale of two quarters for Gilbert Arenas. In the first, he frustrated fans and probably his coaches and teammates alike because he didn’t even take a shot when opportunities were ample. Did he lose his offensive mojo and become the Agent Austin Powers instead of the one they call Zero? Arenas did have four assists to a sole turnover in the 9:12 he played first quarter, but that’s not exactly going to make the Wizards’ offense better.

Before the game, Flip Saunders said “I think with Gil, my thing is going in, playing in 10 minutes and that’s pretty much it. If he feels pretty good about where he’s at, then come back a little bit. If he doesn’t come back it doesn’t mean, ‘Oh somethings wrong with Gil.’”

With the ‘same’ passive Gil to start against Dallas, did Saunders really have a choice but to play him more?

“He needs to get that aggressiveness so other guys can get used to playing in that type of environment,” said Saunders after the game. When asked if he encouraged him at halftime, he said, “We all encouraged him. I told him, if he’s open and doesn’t shoot it, the next guy you pass it to is probably going to be covered.”

Guess it worked. In the third, Arenas came out moving with a purpose, scoring 12 points on 6-6 FGs, including a driving layup with a foul that drew a standing ovation from fans and teammates on the bench. In just over 21 minutes, he totaled  nine dimes to five turnovers, albeit a couple were careless/unforced.

It’s evident Arenas is still trying to gauge which combination of offense and facilitation will best make him comfortable and Flip’s offense tick.

Media, fans and team personnel keep finding it necessary to remind each other that “it’s only the preseason.” So, rest assured that the offensive flow will come as soon as the pipes are cleared with the bottle of Drano® under the sink.

But the defense, which gave up 103 points after three quarters and 123 total for the game, well … the professionals are getting the toilet jack from the truck. This is going to take awhile.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• October 29, 2009 -- Screen Shots From Dallas and The Magical Calming Powers of Oberto
• October 28, 2009 -- Flip and Gil Got This: Wizards Take Mavs 102-91
• December 9, 2011 -- A Couple Washington Wizards Training Camp Musings