The 2010-2011 NBA Season - Drewski's Blog

Drewski's Blog

The 2010-2011 NBA Season

Posted on June 7, 2011 at 01:49 PM.

DISCLAIMER: My first year in association was played in out of the box, pro settings. All 82 games, + playoffs, were played manually by me using 8 minute quarters. Year 2 will be 10 minute quarters, Redlogics sliders, and Hall of Fame difficulty.

Washington Wizards Depth Chart - 2010
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall	Kirk Hinrich	Gilbert Arenas
SG	Gilbert Arenas	Kirk Hinrich
SF	Josh Howard	Al Thornton
PF	Andray Blatche	Al Thornton	Yi Jianlian
C	Javale McGee	Hilton Armstrong

From the lottery, to striking gold, the Washington Wizards did the unthinkable and put together a season for the ages. What began as selecting John Wall with the first overall pick, ended with him being the youngest MVP, and finals MVP, in league history. How did this deteriorated franchise turn it around in the blink of an eye?

Offense

Flip Saunders was handed the daunting task of coralling a disgruntled Gilbert Arenas, and integrating the young and overwhelmingly talented John Wall, into a back court. What many felt would be impossible became the most dynamic 1/2 combo in the league.

"I talked to John, reached out to John, as soon as I got the chance," Arenas explained, "Alot of people thought this was a sign of me leaving Washington. I looked at it as a sign that I could finally revitalize my career by shifting to the two, to, you know, fit my abilities more naturally. Hibachi, baby."

And so it began. Flip Saunders spent time watching offensive set centered around Reggie Miller, and Ray Allen with the Celtics, and began developing schemes that would allow Gilbert to move off the ball and get quality looks. "He's a knock down shooter, from anywhere on the court, at any point in the game. You give him a good look and he's going to make you pay for it. It was good to take some of the bump and grind of the point, as well as not force him to try and move with some of those guys like Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook. It was important that he understood that moving him to the 2 wasn't anything more than a strategic move to best utilize our talents, and once I told him my plans with the offense, he was all in. It was like a whole new man when we hit training camp.", Flip had to say about the mercurial Arenas.

As for Wall, his raw athleticism and passing abilities were a perfect fit along side the Hibachi man. Wall thrived in dribble penetration, whether it was putting it up at the rim, or kicking it out to the open man (oh, did we forget to mention that the Wizards just so happened to be owners of the highest 3 ball percentage last season?), John Wall was superb. And, to top it off, three quarters of the way through the season, Wall picked up what Flip Saunders was hoping for. A jump shot.

"Gilbert, you know man, is just an unconscious shooter. He can miss twelve straight, then make twenty straight, in the blink of an eye. He's got such great form and confidence in every shot he takes. And we spent hours... I wish we kept track man... in the gym just working on my shot.", Wall tells us.

As the Wizards bulled their way through the regular season, their offense was humming each and every night. But it wasn't all offense, and it wasn't all the back court.

Defense

"Javale is an extremely talented big man. He has athleticism, instincts, big hands, and a hard nose. Everything you want in a prototypical anchor." - Flip Saunders, Washington Wizards Head Coach

Javale McGee has been widely regarded as a prospect whos head just never allowed him to make the most of his natural gifts. A wingspan any center would love to have. Senses in the post area that rival the best of
big men. Amazing help defense, amazing man defense, and the leagues best blocker, Javale McGee set the tone every night defensively for the Wizards. "Its my job to protect the paint, because when Javale serves up those soft post move, it opens up the fast break for our guys to get in rhythm. It was a feast all year, but I'm pretty damn hungry for next year already.", the shot blockin' mockin' machine had to say.

John Wall's quickness, and steady hands, also helped on the defensive end. Finishing in the top ten in steals per game, between the rejections and the sprints down court, the Wizards created a great deal of their offense from defense - just like every great defensive team does (Oh, #1 ranked defensive efficiency, I think you're starting to see just how dominant this group was.

The Future

After sweeping the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the NBA finals, a new season was sitting at the doorstep, with new challenges. With a new GM entering the picture, and his only statements being "we have two untouchable pieces, take a wild guess who those two are.", the Wizards sound as if they're getting ready for a revamp. Strange, to say the least, considering the success they already had found. But with the innefectiveness at the small forward that was Josh Howard (and Al Thornton in stretches), a huge contract in Gilbert Arenas, and public outbursts from Andray Blatche asking for a bigger role, there is plenty of smoke yet to be settled.

It should be an interesting summer to say the least.