[Steve Nash lures John Wall with a back dribble, then changes pace to attack the open lane while keeping the ball away from JaVale McGee with two hands before sliding in for a layup.]
This Wizards team is hard to dissect, and I don’t mean “take apart,” as Steve Nash did on Sunday evening on his way to captaining his Suns to a 125-108 victory.
The Wizards are hard to dissect in the sense of separating individual parts to determine why the team continues to lose in the worst of ways (and win by the skin of their teeth). Anything and everything could go wrong on a given night.
On offense, in general, the team wastes too many possessions with bad shots. Pretty simple to conclude that they could use a lot more discipline in this regard. On defense, it comes down to focus and will, something several Wizards have major issues with. When you combine the overall effect that has on the team with the stylings of the two-time MVP in Nash, you have a recipe for the Suns to have their way with the Wizards.
Nash was often seen casually strolling through the paint, slicing through defenders as shown in the above GIF on Sunday night. But really, there was nothing casual about it. Well, unless you’re talking about the Wizards’ defense.
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Pre-Wizards-Suns Game, UNC vs. Clemson
The end of the 1st overtime in the Clemson-North Carolina game: With about 1.2 seconds left, game tied, the TarHeels tried to float a pass from a side-out on the opponent’s side of the half-court line. Clemson got a steal under the UNC basket and the Tiger player threw the ball to the other end, a shot attempt. Now, I’m not sure if he got the shot off on time…..they didn’t show a replay. But the referee, upon seeing that the ball was falling short of the basket, snatched it off the first bounce.
I know this about the game of basketball: If a shot, or rebound, goes off someone from the defending team and into the basket, it counts. I’ll go on to assume that if the ball bounces off the floor hard enough and by chance goes into a basket, that counts for points as well. So, what’s to keep me from thinking that a shot taken from the opposite basket, which leaves a player’s hand before the buzzer, and is not touched by any other player on the court, should count if it bounces off the floor and through the net?
Basically, should the referee have caught that ball?
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On to the Wizards game….if you want a preview, head to Bullets Forever, or check out my Wizards Rundown.
1st Quarter
- No Gilbert of course, no Caron, no Antonio.
- DeShawn Stevenson’s left knee is swollen, but he’s still playing.
- 11:38 – Jamison nails the first points for the Wizards, a long 2 from the right wing. I’m thinking potential 40+ point game for him.
- 10:59 – Andray Blatche makes a confident baseline drive against the porous Phoenix D. The result is an assist for AB to Brendan Haywood.
- 10:05 – Haywood needs to step up or Jamison needs get through the screen. Either way, the Wizards can’t just give Grant Hill open jumpers. 4-4 game.
- Suns get a couple easies, Eddie calls timeout down 8-4, under 9:00.
- 10:21 – I guess we’re living with the outside jumpers from Amare Stoudamire?
- 7:38- Comcast is struggling with their coverage…missed a Suns fast-break point earlier and randomly threw the Wizards logo on the screen during a made Haywood jumper.
- The game is getting sloppy for the Wizards, a couple turnovers, a foul on a Suns fast-break….17-8 Phoenix lead. Amare Stoudamire set a pick that clocked Roger Mason coming down the court one time…..the Wizards need to raise their defensive awareness.
- Andray Blatche has been active in multiple areas: deflecting passes, hitting the offensive boards, looking for teammates.
- The Wizards are doing a fair job on defense as the Suns go a stretch of over 3 minutes without scoring, 4 minutes between FGs, both by Amare Stoudamire. 3:33 left, Suns up 17-14.
- But the spacing and patience for Washington on offense looks off on a couple possessions.
- 2:56 – Jamison rebound put-back…..he also has the potential to make Phoenix pay with his effort on the boards. 2 offensive, 4 total rebounds already. 19-16 Suns.
- The Wizards are scraping and keeping the packed house quiet. Game tied at 21 after a long Nick Young jumper, 1:40 left – 13-4 Washington run in last 5 minutes
- Phoenix scores the next 6 points to finish off the first 12 minutes, 27-21 Suns.
- DeShawn Stevenson limps to the bench. I mean really….what’s next?
- The Suns are shooting 57.1% while the Wizards are at 34.6%.
- Phoenix has only taken 3 three-pointers, making 1.
- The Wizards need to keep hitting the boards hard, 5 offensive rebounds so far.
- Eddie Jordan tells ESPN he wants Nick Young to be aggressive in the open floor. Let’s see if he complies.
- It would help if Brendan Haywood guarded Amare Stoudamire, he’s 6-6 with 13 points.
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Stepped up in the Verizon last night with my pops. Knew we were in for a tough one, not so much because Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns were in town, but because pops had himself a bad back.
But I took some notes, and got them organized for the blog. Now Let’s start the show.
First of all….
Big Tigger is out? Not a die-hard I guess. MC Styles looks lost.
Little known fact: MC Chris Styles used to throw some kickin’ middle school parties.
1st Quarter
A minute forty into the game and the Suns jump out with a 7-0 lead. It’s all a set up, amazing to watch. You don’t know what is going to unfold until it happens. Some plays you see comin’….but not this Steve Nash pass to a cutting Shawn Marion for the dunk.
10:00 – 2nd personal foul on Brendan Haywood. He picked up the first with a silly charge a minute into game. Wiz were trying to go to him early, and that’s good…but not if Haywood tries to force it. Looks like Eddie Jordan is going to leave BTH in the game with 2.
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No….not really. Wait, what I truly mean is, not yet.
Ok, what do you think of when you hear the name Jason Kidd?
- Great passer (career 9.2 assist per game average).
- Deceptively quick, one of the best in transition.
- Court vision…and he takes care of the ball, 3.18 TOs per game for his career – excellent for someone who handles the ball so much.
- Best rebounding point guard (actually, best among all guards — he’s averaged 6.7 for his career).
- He’s big, (6’4″, 210 lbs.) and this is part of the reason why he can see the court so well, rebound, and post up smaller point guards causing the opposing defense to adjust.
- Before his knee injury history slowed him down, Kidd was a premier league defender, still has averaged over 2 steals per game for his career.
The negative? Jason Kidd simply cannot shoot, and leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive end in general. Partially, this is a side effect of him being such a great distributor…he doesn’t exactly need to score. But then again, his lack of range decreases the amount of offensive spacing for his team. His career FG% is a small hair above 40%, barely 33% from 3-point range.
So, how about Steve Nash?
- Experienced. He’s a savvy veteran who knows all the tricks.
- Court vision (pretty much a prerequisite for all great pure point guards) — 2.57 career TOs per game.
- Much better scoring threat than Kidd. His shooting percentages (FG & 3P),along with his scoring average has improved throughout his career
- Great transition player, and in my opinion, he is better at getting penetration into the lane than Kidd. This is probably a side-effect of him being more of a scoring option.
- And not that Kidd doesn’t, he’s great at this also, but Nash seems more astute in knowing the passing angles, along with the timing of ball distribution (not to mention that great PGs must know their personnel. — How many times have you seen a bad passer feed the ball to a lumbering big man on the break, only to see a bumblin’, fumblin’ turnover or missed shot?
And the negative? Defense. Look, I’m sure you can blame many other Suns players as to why they are not a good defensive team. And I’m sure you could also cite an offensive system which is not conducive to lock-down D. But if you are making, or going down, a list of reasons, put Steve Nash at the top. As the point guard, usually defending the other team’s point guard, you are the first line of defense in either keeping that other PG from getting into the lane and thus, making your own defense avoid a shift and cover…or, at least keeping the other guy from easily getting his team into their half court set. (Gilbert Arenas, are you listening?) Steve Nash is fast in the open court, but he is not quick on D…..but he certainly has his “tricks”.
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From my previous post, Steve Nash is a Hypocrite, and He Should Be Suspended…..
The clip of Steve Nash tripping Raymond Felton has been made available. Come to your own conclusion.
Interesting post on Washington Post’s Nationals Journal today about media bribes and voting on MLB award winners. Where can I sign up?
New study that may or may not be right up my alley.
Speaking of dirty players….the Andres Nocioni Song!
(I say that he currently holds the title of Dirtiest Player in the NBA, what do you?)
Very interesting story found via ballhype.com
The “Unidentified Source” Behind the Kobe Bryant Trade Talk
from www.chicagosportsreview.com
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UPDATE: Found the clip of Nash tripping Felton.
Remember all that whining the Suns did last playoffs? Well, most of it revolved around Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw getting suspended. But….
*Side Rant* The rules for leaving the bench were implemented for a reason, a good reason. No exceptions should be made. Period.
And good for Commissioner Stern for not putting the rule up for discussion on the agenda for NBA owner meetings. For one, officials can’t always determine intentions when a player leaves the bench. But more importantly, neither can other players already involved in a potential situation. Plain and simple, fisticuffs in NBA basketball games have the ability to be defused easier and more quickly when you limit the possible number of players involved. And if the boundaries are broken, punishment should be handed down, no question.
But back to the Canadian.
I really don’t believe Bruce Bowen’s step-in on Nash last year…where there was incidental contact between Bowen’s left leg and Nash’s crotch…was that bad. Used to be, if someone was up in your sh*t on defense, you took the ball through their nose. Bruce Bowen has displayed many dirty defensive “tricks” in the past….but his reputation doesn’t always have to precede itself and translate to assumptions about every one of his questionable plays. So yea, call an offensive foul on Bruce in this instance…but otherwise, chill out.
And Robert Horry’s hip check. Bad foul, shouldn’t have happened. Call a technical, flagrant…whatever. But the reactions? Save that for TNT’s non-NBA programming. They know it.
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