1. The chemistry, energy and communication was all off last night. I don’t know if missing Kanter on offense inside or Mitch on defense explains it all, but it was obvious that the wizards were more comfortable inside the paint during this game. As a sidenote, Kanter nor Mitch is fixing the multitude of miscommunications and poor rotations. But the extra possessions and interior pressure was absolutely a huge hole that one or both of those guys would help with and especially Kanter.
2. Alonzo Trier and Trey Burke shouldn’t be paired together. Both guys tried hard on defense but weren’t good on defense (although Burke really deserves props for his effort). On offense it’s an isolation show for whichever one gets the rock and neither guy has great vision. Both of them know how to manipulate a defense, Burke only sees what’s in front of him though and trier seems to have decided he’s passing before he even knows what the defense is doing. I appreciate that he makes the decision to pass at times but the game flow and rhythm of everyone else doesn’t lie. Trier’s play picked up way more when mudiay was out there and he wasn’t competing for the same spaces to attack as his backcourt partner.
3. I gotta rewatch the first half, I feel like frank’s defensive weakness last night went severely overstated. The wiz were making jumpers, even wall and that forced defenders to get up on their men. Without consistent rotations or help defense, nobody was stopping the dribble drive including our defensive aces (not just frank but also lance). I'd like to see Fiz and Frank show more fight when they call light fouls. Sometimes the difference between good and great defenders is the refs showing some respect but Frank's gonna need to demand that.
4. Mudiay’s 4 assists in 10 minutes after the trier and Burke iso third quarter show was a display of why fiz tried starting mudiay and seeing if he could spark the kid.
5. Frank's aggression is what everyone is talking about. It was refreshing and clear as day that he was attacking more. So instead of harping on that, I just wanna point out the contrast of the offense in the first half when Frank was the primary ball handler vs how the game has flowed with other guys running the show. Frank was not always the player attacking the defense; but he managed to pick his spots and also let the attack flow through everyone else. He got Vonleh a couple of post ups, Hardaway some easy set looks, Knox actually got opportunities early and anyone who shared the floor with Frank could count on chances to be the man. He's the only PG we have that has consistently been getting EVERYONE involved and last night he added recognition of when he needs to attack. If that's the Frank we get this season, then he should be the starting PG no questions asked.
6. Props to Hicks on that weight loss...he looks like his athleticism can hang now. Still not NBA caliber all around yet but he scored 11 points in 10 minutes and has had some nice moments all preseason.
7. Dotson got that opportunity but let it slip. It didn't help that he was back in summer league watching the ball handlers ISO all the time but he's gotta assert himself; if not on the offense then on definitely on the defensive end...he didn't do that.
8. Baker should prolly get an extended look. He's not as talented as many of his peers but he just seems like he might fit better since we have so many guards in the rotation that need the ball to be impact guys.
9. Isn't it crazy how you can feel and appreciate Lance's intangibles for about 15 minutes but once he pushes 20 it starts to feel like he's not doing enough to warrant being out there? I'll say this though, as weak as rotations and defense was while he and Frank were out there. Things REALLY get ugly if neither one of them is playing. That's worth keeping an eye on and another reason I'm curious about Baker getting a bigger look, might not be able to start both Lance and Frank if we want the bench unit to keep up defensive intensity...of all people Baker may be the man to mitigate that.
10. Hell yes I saved Knox for last. It hurts to take shots at the kid, but this is tough love. It seemed like the Wizards got up in him when he tried to handle the rock early and that discomfort threw off EVERYTHING. His jumper was flat, he was hesitant on decisions and it bled over to some really poor defensive tendencies. Fiz needs to spend a long film session with him but put some real focus on not getting down on himself. If he struggles shooting, he should drive and if none of that is working he should grab 3 more boards and focus on getting stops to make up for it. That will come though, he's young like the kid with the hurt elbow from Little Big League fam. We're seeing Hezonja make all sorts of poor decisions just trying to figure out how to assert himself effectively and he's been in the nba for years. Knox is gonna need time...it's better we figure that out early on.
11. Vonleh setting illegal screens in bunches is the strangest streaky performance tick I have ever seen.
12. Courtney Lee getting back could really be good for helping the second unit settle in.
13. Kornet gets a nice sequence of blocks and then the wide open lane game continues. Fake hustle.
14. Timmy is showing more signs of life, the three was crisp and he's so much better when he drives that I don't get why he doesn't do it more often.
!!
dumbo better go get a bucket & lock up on defense fukk outta here flexing for the camera*
