The Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers may as well been two ships passing in the night last season.  The Wizardsbeat the Sixers twice in overtime early in the schedule, during a time when the Wizards looked promising and the Sixers were struggling mightily.  Later in the season, the Sixers defeated the Wizards twice by double digits, en route to a seven seed in the 2011 playoffs–the Wizards finished 13th in the Eastern Conference and 18 games behind the Sixers.

This season, the young Sixers will attempt to build on their first-round playoff exit while the Wizards will be looking to join the party.  Their respective journeys start tonight at Verizon Center, as they kickoff their abbreviated two-game, home-and-home preseason slate with each other.  But before that, TAI writers, John Converse Townsend and Rashad Mobley, along with Carey Smith from the ESPN TrueHoop Blog Philadunkia, address issues for both teams.  Three questions, three answers start now…

1)  According to the TrueHoop blog Philadunkia, Evan Turner has been working with a shooting coach and his shot has improved.  John Wall spent the entire summer showing off his improved jumper and all-around game.  Which player has more pressure to succeed in their second year?  Who will be more successful?

TOWNSEND:  Expectations are certainly higher for John Wall in 2011-12, but Evan Turner is under more pressure. Wall’s productive first season earned him recognition as one of the league’s brightest young stars. Turner, meanwhile, was largely forgotten, despite being the second overall selection in the 2010 draft; the 6’7” shooting guard struggled with his jumper, particularly beyond 10 feet, and failed to create consistently around the rim.

SMITH:  Nationally I think there is more pressure on Wall to take his game to that “next level.” He was the No. 1 overall pick and started nearly every game he played in last year. He is considered the face of the Wizards franchise, a rising “star” in the League and has a major shoe campaign. Unfortunately Turner doesn’t have that resume – yet. Therefore he does not have the national pressure that is on Wall.  However, at the local level I would say that there is significantly more pressure in Philadelphia on Turner to improve. And in Philly it’s about more then just seeing the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft improve as a player and live up to the status that comes with his draft slot. A majority of Sixers fans desperately want Turner to improve significantly this year because his speedy development would make Andre Iguodala and his monster contract expendable. Many, including myself, believe shedding AI9′s contract would get the Sixers closer to contending in the East. In short, Turner’s improvement is the key for the Sixers jumping from a playoff team to a legit threat in the conference. Now that’s pressure. Turner will be more successful at improving his play this year. Here’s why: Turner is a project who showed flashes of real potential last year. Thus, any improvements he made in the offseason will be very noticeable in 2011-12, highly praised, and as a result, his during-lockout work will be viewed as very successful.

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Usually this feature is called “Perfect Play” and breaks down an exceptional Wizard set from the game. Well, after last night’s blowout loss to the 76ers, business as usual just feels unnatural. It was a depressing performance from a team depressed by the impending trade of Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong to Atlanta.

The following play is one I would argue is exemplary of the reason the Wizards looked so terrible. It would be facile to just show Wall tossing a three off the backboard or an ugly Blatche isolation. The truth is, there is often real motion in the Wizards offense, it just doesn’t yield anything faintly reminiscent of teams like the Boston Celtics.

The Wizards were going through their offensive actions, but with no production, with no meaning behind the motion. It took eight frames to document this play from the beginning of the fourth quarter, I hope you stick around for the end, I’m sure you’ll be disappointed with the result (but hopefully not with the analysis).

On the floor for the Wizards: John Wall (2), Nick Young (1), Josh Howard (5), Trevor Booker (35), and Kevin Serphin (13)

On the floor for the 76ers: Lou Williams (23), Evan Turner (12), Andre Iguodala (9), Thaddeus Young (21), and Marreese Speights (16)

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[It's bad enough that the Sixers mopped the floor with the Wizards on Wednesday night... Making matters worse, this fan represented Washington in the city of Philadelphia.]

Tuesday night in Washington against the Indiana Pacers, Andray Blatche helped the Wizards dart out to a quick start and a 30-25 lead after one quarter by contributing 12 points himself. Then Jeff Foster did his best Dennis Rodman impression by grabbing seven rebounds against JaVale McGee in the second quarter, as the Pacers held the Wizards to just 19 points while scoring 33 of their own.  Just like that, Washington was down 58-49 at the half and never recovered en route to 113-96 loss.

Last night against the resurgent 76ers in Philadelphia, the Wizards started off with a strong effort once again. In the first quarter, John Wall had nine points and six assists, and Blatche and Young had eight and seven points respectively.  The score was 31-24 after one quarter, and it appeared as if the Wizards had quickly learned their lesson after a sluggish performance the night before — a performance that made Flip Saunders question who and was not entitled to playing time.

Then that evil monster called the second quarter showed up and decided to spook the Wizards once again. This time, Josh Howard was the main target. Kirk Hinrich was in street clothes and probably getting text messages about the trade of he and Hilton Armstrong to the Atlanta Hawks, which meant that when Wall came out of the game with 8:52 left in the second quarter with the Wizards up 33-29, Howard had to play backup point guard for the second consecutive night.

The first time the 6’7″ Howard got the ball, he attempted a 10-foot jumpshot and it was blocked by the 6’1″ Sixers guard Lou Williams. The next time down the floor, Sixers guard Jrue Holiday played tight on-ball defense against Howard (who clearly is not used to playing point guard, let alone having to contend with a lightning quick natural point guard), and it drew the Wizards completely out of their offense.  Still, Nick Young hit a tough shot and the game was tied at 35.  On the next offensive possession, Howard was not as fortunate. Rookie Evan Turner forced him into making a bad pass that was intended for Rashard Lewis. Then Thaddeus Young stole the ball, streaked down the court and Howard was forced to foul him. Young hit both free throws to put the Sixers up 37-35.

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“We fell behind and lost some of our confidence. We didn’t make plays, we didn’t make shots. Their guards got in the paint and destroyed us.” – Flip Saunders

On Wednesday night, the Wizards lost 109-97 to the Philadelphia 76ers, falling to 0-17 on the road. Despite Andre Iguodala’s absence and the entire Wizards roster being healthy for the first time, the script was familiar: 1) Washington keeps the game close until some point during the fourth quarter; 2) during a timeout huddle, the players collectively decide that “defense” is no longer as important as taking “contested, off-balance shots”; 3) Washington loses in a slow, plodding fashion, as the opposing team shoots free throws for the last three minutes of the game.

I tried something new last night: while drinking (not the new part), I attempted to chart each Wizards’ offensive possession. Though my notes deteriorated late in the fourth quarter as my IV of Knob Creek was nearly tapped out, there was some wisdom to be found in my possession tracking. The results of that sophomoric effort, and other random tidbits, in bullet form:

• Numbers that seemed important prior to the game: 1) the Wizards winning their last five games versus the 76ers, including two overtime games this season; 2) this was the 76ers first home game since December 17th; 3) the Wizards were 6.5 point underdogs
• The Wizards scored 97 points on 90 possessions. By my primitive math skills, this amounts to a 107.8 ORtg (points per 100 possessions), good for 11th in the League if Washington played an Iguodala-less Philadelphia for 82 games a season.
• Washington’s ball movement was good last night. The team recorded 26 assists on 40 made field goals and committed only 12 turnovers. But, some of the turnovers could have been avoided: three TO’s from Lewis/Blatche/Hinrich came on passes to no one in particular, where the ball sailed out of bounds. Hinrich tried to force a couple passes in the pick-and-roll, which were easily intercepted. Lewis was also called for a charge three times, though two of those were questionable.
• Kirk Hinrich, streak-shooter — he started 5-5 from the field and finished 5-11, going 0-4 with two turnovers in the fourth quarter.
• Kyle already did a nice job chronicling Andray Blatche’s amazing ability to put up a decent stat line and still frustrate the hell out of you. My game chart suggests that Blatche’s ability in this regard comes from his propensity to ‘get himself started’ in the offense by taking long 2s, making no effort to get to the free throw line, and letting Elton Brand dribble and rebound around him.
• See: Kevin Seraphin’s nine minutes of playing time in place of Blatche, a substitution which came after Brand dropped 10 points plus a couple offensive rebounds on ‘Dray in the first quarter.
• Reason why the Wizards lost: 0.567. This number represents the 76ers free throw rate (free throw attempts divided by field goal attempts) last night. Philly shot an absurd 38 free throws on 67 field goal attempts, while Washington shot 18 free throws on 82 field goal attempts. John Wall and Kirk Hinrich accounted for 11 of the 18 free throw attempts.
• As point guards, Wall and Hinrich cannot be the only players making a concerted effort to get to the rim, especially when they are the team’s best (only?) perimeter defenders. When Wall or Hinrich misses in the lane, it can lead to easy transition opportunities for the opposition. Last night, Jrue Holiday killed the Wizards in precisely these kinds of transition situations. Holiday finished the game with 26 points on 10-14 shooting, four rebounds, and nine assists.
• Something which Flip Saunders should read and send to all the players: this Sports Illustrated article on Ohio State — the team that leads the nation in free throw rate. Can you imagine if each Wizards player had to review the film from each of their fouls? McGee and Blatche would never leave the team facility.
• Good quote from the SI article. To borrow a phrase from the critically acclaimed film Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood — “MESSAGE!”:

Matta’s secret to whistle-avoidance goes beyond merely having long, athletic players and telling them not to foul. One of the foundations of his philosophy came from something he heard while serving as an assistant at Butler in the early ’90s, and listening to the Indianapolis radio show of then-Pacers coach Larry Brown. “If you can guard your man when he doesn’t have the ball,” Matta recalls Brown saying, “then it’s 10 times easier to guard him when he gets the ball.” The point being: You avoid fouls and play effective D if you’re in quality position ahead of time, not reacting after your man catches a pass. That kind of preparedness can only be achieved through a combination of effort, mental sharpness and advance scouting.

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It’s not like these things just started happening. Andray Blatche missed that layup against the Bulls on December 22, said he was in one of the worst funks of his career, said it got his head messed up, and that mentally, he just wasn’t right. I hear him. I’ve played basketball before, plenty of times. Confidence is a huge part of the game. Maybe Andray needs a hug.

Blatche has also earnestly admited that trade rumors bother him. ‘Blatche in a funk, trying to clear his mind,’ said a Wizards Insider headline on Tuesday morning. A funk indeed. But really, and again, it’s not like these things just started happening with Blatche — been this way for years, it seems. Just now, at lesser levels of understanding. But hey, you do what you can do and try what you can try. In an unrelated but could be related matter, Blatche got a new pattern cut into the side of his head.

Blatche looked okay(ish) … sorta … against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in a 109-79 loss, which made Washington 0-17 on the road for the season. Actually, he looked ‘okay’ early, then typical, then encouraging, then same ol’ same ol’, then, and finally, I don’t remember him. He had a basket at the 10:41 mark of the third and a hoop with 6:11 left in the fourth … and that was it for the second half. He finished the game with 17 points on 8-18 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, two turnovers and four fouls.

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Due to Thanksgiving holiday travel, my pictures from the November 23 Wizards-76ers game are a bit tardy. But considering the Wizards have not won a game since, enduring two embarrassing blowouts in the process, reminiscing a thrilling victory could be a good remedy for Wizards fans. Enjoy.

John Wall & Gilbert Arenas stand out during the national anthem.

76ers top pick Evan Turner trying to get one of his threes to drop during pre-game shoot around.

Wizards Rookie Kevin Seraphin is much more jovial to be around than this shot depicts.

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The most dependable aspect of Nick Young’s game, perhaps, has become his 3-point shooting. No, he’s not knocking them down at a career-high rate (36.6-percent this season compared to 38-percent total in his first three NBA seasons; he shot 40.6-percent from deep last season), but he is taking them at a higher volume, so that certainly could take some getting used to for him. In his first threes seasons, Nick averaged 3.5 3PA per 36 minutes, making 1.3. This season he’s averaging 5.7 3PA per 36 minutes while making 2.1.

But the ultimate factor involving the higher-volume long-range Nick is that he’s shooting 48.6-percent from the field this season, a career-best by far. In NBA seasons 1-3 combined, Young shot 43.4-percent from the field. Nice improvement, I’d say.

The assists still aren’t there for him, he’s now averaging a career-worst 0.6 assists per 36 minutes (and that’s on top of an already horrendous career when it comes to passing). However, the turnovers aren’t there either. Up to this season, Young has averaged 1.97 turnovers per 36 minutes. This year he just has four turnovers in 258 total minutes (0.6 per 36 minutes). Wizards fans will take improvement from Young wherever they can get it, especially when he hits game winning bombs.

And to think, it all could have something to do with Nick’s lucky fox tail. Or not.

Nick Young talks about his first game winner:

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There was 3:31 left in the fourth quarter, the Philadelphia 76ers leading the Wizards 98-89, when Andre Iguodala threw a pass that was stolen by Kirk Hinrich.  The ball eventually found its way into John Wall’s hands, who looked up, found JaVale McGee, and hit him with a  perfect pass.  McGee, as he does so well, took the ball strong to the hole, and dunked it with authority on Elton Brand, who was late in his rotation.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, not only was Brand late rotating, but he was forced to foul, and foul hard — so hard in fact that McGee violently crashed to the ground and immediately grabbed his back in agony.  The referee wasted no time whistling Brand for a type two flagrant foul, which meant an automatic ejection from the game.  McGee, even as he was still on the ground in pain, managed to taunt the departing Sixer by waving goodbye to him as he left the court.

The flagrant served as a turning point in the game, as the Wizards outscored the Sixers 15-8 after that, and eventually won in overtime 116-114.  When asked if that was indeed the turning point, Sixers coach Doug Collins vehemently disagreed:

“Guys, with 8.5 seconds to go, we were shooting two free throws and they [the Wizards] had no timeouts.  So we can talk about it [Brand's flagarant foul] all we want, but we were still in a position to win the game, they had no timeouts.  At the end of the day, we stil l had a three point lead shooting two free throws and with 8.5 seconds to go.”

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[Some transition opportunities end with John Wall dunking and the other team watching, you're about to read about a different version of the break.]

Back in 1991, when I was playing varsity basketball and trying to fulfill my pseudo-NBA dreams, my coach used to always discuss his version of the perfect fast break.  As he saw it, this would happen when one player grabbed the rebound, started the first of four passes without dribbles, and then the last player would lay the ball in the basket (nobody on our team could dunk).  Our coach was so in love with this concept that he promised to take us out for ice cream if we ever achieved the milestone (we didn’t).

For years I’ve watched basketball on the professional and collegiate level, and every now and then, when I see the “perfect fast break,” I stop and marvel at its beauty.  Then I think back to my high school coach and say to myself, “Wow, my coach was right, this IS the perfect way to run transition offense!”

On Tuesday, John Wall and Nick Young showed me a different light, making me believe there’s more than one way to run a  perfect fast break.

With 57 seconds gone by in the fourth quarter, Sixers guard Evan Turner attempted to drive the lane, but Wall swiped the ball away–something he did nine times in his Verizon Center debut.

Then, as if Han Solo himself had made the command, Wall kicked into warp speed and started to glide up the court.  He shunned the traditional wisdom that says a point guard should lead the fast break from the middle of the floor and chose to proceed from the left side.

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[Jrue Holiday attempts to go behind-the-back to Andre Igoudala - photo: K. Weidie]

Doug Collins was originally scheduled to meet with the media at 5:45, so around 5:43, I left the main floor, and headed toward the Sixers locker room.  When I arrived, it was clear that his media session had been moved to 6pm, so I hung around and talked to some of the Sixers players while I waited.  Each time I walked in and out of the locker room, I saw Doug Collins chilling in the coach’s office, looking totally relaxed.

He had his feet up on the desk, he was watching a little ESPN, he was laughing with some of his assistant coaches; he looked the total opposite of what I imagined.  The words and phrases attached to Collins are “intense”, “annoying at times”, “hard on players”, and others I’m sure aren’t quite fit to print in this family(ish) blog.  On the flip side, the phrases attached to Collins the NBA analyst are “wise”, a “great talker”, and someone who knows a hell of a lot about the Xs and Os of basketball.

When Collins coached Michael Jordan and the Wizards from 2001-2003, he was basically viewed as a Jordan enabler, rather than an exceptional coach of young talent.  He was never really given a chance to put his signature stamp on the team.  However, when he was hired by the Sixers this summer, he was specifically brought in to guide the young talent, mainly the draft pick which turned out to be Evan Turner.

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Cartier Martin is like Clockwork. You need him to be that guy? He’ll be on time. Play defense, hit a corner three, box out and keep the other team from getting a second possession, hit a last-second, game-tying three? He’ll do it. I don’t know if “Clockwork” will stick, but that’s what I’m calling him.

Beautiful shot by Cartier last night by the way. He only sent the game into overtime, no biggie. Kirk Hinrich was supposed to be the decoy, Nick Young the first option and Martin the second, according to Flip Saunders. Let’s take a look after the jump:

To be a Debbie Downer for a second, that buzzer beater allowed the Wizards to have 34 points in the fourth quarter, bringing their total to 106. The Sixers had the same total at the end of four, but scored 40 points in the final period.

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It’s a different world now.

In a way, I feel like Frank Sobotka from The Wire. Just like Sobotka was witnessing the port of Baltimore and its potential crumble around him in season two, I’m witnessing the same happen to the Washington Wizards.

And yes, I realize that it’s very ironic for me to use the word “witness” considering who the Wizards will play in about an hour.

By the way, while I’m making comparisons to The Wire, I might as well call Gilbert Arenas “Ziggy” (Sobotka’s son in the show, not the cartoon character) … both self-destructive in nature and ultimately brought down by gun-play.

Last night’s Sixers game seems like so long ago, obviously aided by Gilbert Arenas’ indefinite suspension, but also because, among other things, I’m rushed into thinking about tonight’s game against Cleveland.

So, even though that Philly game is a distant memory right now, might as well commemorate it … because it could be the last game we ever see Gilbert Arenas in a Wizards uniform. Read more »

After Saturday’s Spurs game, reader Joe Sill emailed me some praise about Nick Young. And with perfect timing, Young put together a very solid 21 point effort on 9-14 FGs last night in a win against the 76ers, his plus-15 second best to that of Gilbert Arenas. Young came off the bench in the first half, started the second half in place of Andray Blatche, and overall did some nice things defensively.

Below is what Joe wrote about Nick and emailed to me this past Sunday.

Coaches’ take on Nick Young’s excellent plus/minus

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Got home, watched the first half of the Wizards-Sixers game, put it on pause, and left for the gym with thoughts of Groundhog Day dancing in my head.

I came back feeling better about myself because I got exercise and later felt even better with the pleasant surprise of a Wizards win, fueled by much improved play in the second half.

Washington has swept the season series with Philadelphia, a team just as bad in general and worse defensively. I’ll take it.

Below is what I saw.

Quick Thought:

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In anticipation of tonight’s Wizards game against the 76ers in Philadelphia, I exchanged some questions with Carey Smith of Philadunkia, the ESPN TrueHoop Network Sixers blog.

I answered a question from Carey about the Wizards’ struggles in general, and attempted to encapsulate the season’s problems in a nutshell. I also answered a question about Eddie Jordan and defense, which I spoke with the coach about when the Sixers played in D.C. on December 22nd.

Head over to Philadunkia to read my answers. Carey’s answers to my questions are below.

(TAI) — How is Elton Brand coming along? Has he overcome his slow start? Is he ultimately better coming off the bench?

(Philadunkia) — Brand has been a beast lately — three double-doubles in December and one near miss (25 & 9); 18 & 6 per over his last 4 games –, so I would say yes he has overcome what many perceive to be a slow start. If Eddie Jordan would just play him more and maybe call the occasional set play for #42, I’d bet that Brand would really fill up the stat sheet.

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