Player of the Game - Wizards vs Nets (10/31)

[gesa2]

1.Gil
2.'Dray
3.Foye
Great day for Andray, but he got a little out of control in the second half, took a few shots out of the offense. And Arenas' efficiency was incredible. No way NJ could get back in with GIl living on the free throw line the whole 3rd quarter.

[toughjuice03]

1.Gil
2.Dray
3.Foye

Missed the game but set it to record and it didn't but by looking at the box score Gilbert gets my vote he played well and shot a very high % but my boy Dray with a close second I knew he would have a breakout year.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

another "attaboy" for seven day dray

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Ooooh... Jarvis Hayes - DNP - CD, ouch. Is he injured?

[edit: The first two games of the season cost the Nets two rotation players. Jarvis Hayes(notes) strained his left hamstring in the season opener and then in the second game, Devin Harris felt a sore right groin that troubled him in preseason get worse. Hayes is out up to three weeks. Harris is down for seven-to-10 days—the Nets hope.]

[montestewart]

If player of the game is simply the best, than Arenas, but I'm starting to believe he will soon be the Arenas of old, with a few new wrinkles (better team facilitation, more defensive effort) so I'm looking for players whose performances surprises me--something totally unexpected or hoped for but not fully realized. Playing above my expectations:

1. Blatche (sure, it was the short-handed Nets, but he was nearly unstoppable)
2. Foye (not just his stat line, but he ran the offense better than I expected)
3. Stevenson (that was a bit of the tough 07-08 player; nice surprise)

[LyricalRico]

I gotta go with the Seventh-Dray Adventist.

[JWizmentality]

I gotta go with the Seventh-Dray Adventist.

WTF was he doing playing on a Saturday?

[yungal07]

Gilbert did that in 29 minutes. Think what he would have done playing his normal 39...

[Ji]

[keynote]

I gotta go with the Seventh-Dray Adventist.

WTF was he doing playing on a Saturday?

We Adventists (I attend an Adventist church, which is why the name came so quickly to me) observe Sabbath from sundown to sundown; so Saturday night games fall on the first day of the week.

Of course, it may also explain why Blatche had an off game the night before, since Friday night marks the beginning of a day of Sabbath observance. Hmmm.... Between the lackluster Friday night performance and the revamped healthy diet (Adventists recommend avoiding pork, shellfish, drugs and tobacco)... Who knows?

[DaRealHibachi]

We Adventists (I attend an Adventist church, which is why the name came so quickly to me) observe Sabbath from sundown to sundown; so Saturday night games fall on the first day of the week.

Of course, it may also explain why Blatche had an off game the night before, since Friday night marks the beginning of a day of Sabbath observance. Hmmm.... Between the lackluster Friday night performance and the revamped healthy diet (Adventists recommend avoiding pork, shellfish, drugs and tobacco)... Who knows?

Nice to see a fellow Adventist!

[hands11]

Glad to see so many posters giving Dray his props.

1- 7 Day Dray: That was just a sick effort. While GA did have a great game, Dray was like 7-8 and really but a different kind of pressure on the Nets that really set the ton.

2- Gil v2.0: He isn't just back, he is the level headed, focused, no non-sense PG first Gilbert who is an example and a leader the way I always wanted him to be. Between Dray and Gil v2.0, I couldn't be happier.

3- M&M I see a lot of people went with Foye but I think M&M deserved props for his game of glue. He just plays so smart. Always in the right place. started 2-2 from 3 range. 11 rebounds. DAME.. 3 assists and 2 steals. He is a settling presence on the court. Great handles.

It was a great game with lots a great play from multiple players but you can only pick 3 so this was my take. Foye was awesome. Haywood did his thing. Hopefully he continues to get his FT shot back because that's going to be really important. DS played well also. And Berto continues to provide that vet effort. I love his court awareness. Hopefully he shows some more of his outside shot.

Ever additional piece we get working into this total picture just compounds our effectiveness as team have more to deal with and me have more to build momentum from.

My main focus right now is on McGee continuing to develop. That's were we have to most upside. He just comes in with so much energy. 30 seconds on the floor and he is dunking the ball. That really gets the fans going. Show up what you have young man.

[hands11]

Gilbert did that in 29 minutes. Think what he would have done playing his normal 39...

True.. And 7 Day did his in 28 mins. 15-18 PG 6 boards 2 assists and a block. +23 and only 1 turnover.

THAT IS FREAKN AMAZING

It's a close call between Gil v2.0 and 7 Day Dray but 15 for 18.... That's is amazing.

For the season Dray is 28-39 .718% FG in 32 minutes and only giving up 2 fouls.
Funny what moving a man to his natural position of PF with a true center next to him will do.

God I hate you EJ. Wasted years. Wasted years. Just happy it's finally over.

[no D in Hibachi]

To EJ's defense he didn't have a true center to put next to Blatche last year besides McGee, and you can't realistically say that McGee earned 25-30 min per night last year. In the previous season Thomas was injured the entire year so the only one able to play back up center was Blatche. EJ had his hands tied. Fortunately McGee is able to play 10-15 min as the back up center and Oberto can play center as well. This is the first time in Blatches career he can exlusively play PF and he's thriving because he's a PF not a C or a SF.

[NoVaO]

Funny what moving a man to his natural position of PF with a true center next to him will do.

God I hate you EJ. Wasted years. Wasted years. Just happy it's finally over.

When Antawn was injured, EJ did play Blatche alongside Haywood at PF. I suspect when Jamison returns, Blatche will go back to alternating between a back-up 4 and 5 because Jamison is going to soak up a lot of those minutes at the 4.

This is not simply Blatche moving to power forward and wow, now he's a superstar. He's actually knocking down open jump shots now. He took those same jumpers in previous years and he missed them consistently. Last night, he made similar moves he's done in years past, but he actually knocked down shots.

I don't know what to say if you think Blatche's emergence is mostly about a simple change of positions.

[LyricalRico]

I don't know what to say if you think Blatche's emergence is mostly about a simple change of positions.

Yeah, it's less about a change of positions as much as it's a change of philosophy. EJ's offense was designed to put guys in 1-on-1 situations. Gil, Caron, and AJ could take advantage of those. Blatche could not, although he tried. Now, we're seeing less of Blatche trying to create 1-on-1 Flip's offense is based on motion and sharing the ball. Much more conducive to Blatche's actual PF abilities (not his imaginary SF abilities).

[miller31time]

It's a combination of reasons. I don't think any of you are necessarily wrong.

- The change of positions from part-time center to full-time power forward
- The change of offensive strategy from EJ's isolation to Flip's more ball-movement-friendly one
- Blatche simply putting in the time necessary to be more consistent and effective
- Maturation, plain and simple

[keynote]

We Adventists (I attend an Adventist church, which is why the name came so quickly to me) observe Sabbath from sundown to sundown; so Saturday night games fall on the first day of the week.

Of course, it may also explain why Blatche had an off game the night before, since Friday night marks the beginning of a day of Sabbath observance. Hmmm.... Between the lackluster Friday night performance and the revamped healthy diet (Adventists recommend avoiding pork, shellfish, drugs and tobacco)... Who knows?

Nice to see a fellow Adventist!

Ditto! Small world.

[hands11]

It's a combination of reasons. I don't think any of you are necessarily wrong.

- The change of positions from part-time center to full-time power forward
- The change of offensive strategy from EJ's isolation to Flip's more ball-movement-friendly one
- Blatche simply putting in the time necessary to be more consistent and effective
- Maturation, plain and simple

Exactly. I've said all these things in other posts, just not that last one where I was simply pointing out that moving him to PF has helped a lot. He doesn't have to bang against other centers which no doubt wears him down. Tired shooter aren't as accurate as non tired shooter. Also as a PF he is out in space more which is where he is much better. He isn't an under the hoop player.

As for the EJ excuse that he didn't have a choice. I know we were thin at center over the years but there was no excuse for never playing Haywood and Dray together over a 6 year stretch. There were lots of times where that was an option. I think they may have played a grant total of about 20 minutes together over the years.

DSong was actually a better fit at center then Dray was. And before that there were other options as well. And even when we were thin, there were minutes to play them together when they were both healthy. Last year excluded because Haywood was out.

But EG saw this. That's why he went after McGee. It wasn't to replace Dray, it was so Dray could move to PF. It was longer term planning.

[Soup's Uncle]

Arenas
Dray
Foye

I gave it to Gil cus it was the 2nd night of a back to back and he did it in 3 quarters. I have been so worried about Gilbert. I keep scanning the wire for things like "Arenas Experiencing Soreness, MRI Tomorrow."

I guess I'm going to think that all season...