The Time Is Now - Washington Wizards 2k19 MyLeague

[Cruzerr]

[38-9] Golden State Warriors 135 @ 121 Washington Wizards [31-15]
Warriors | Team Stats | Wizards

The Champs come back and beat the Wizards
January 24, 2019

The Golden State Warriors showed why they are the team to beat every year, as the silenced the Wizards crowd. What at first seemed like an easy victory for Washington, turned into a DC nightmare very quickly.

The Wizards took a very early lead in the first half and came out of the gates swinging. Both Beal and Wall were unstoppable, as their quick pace wasn’t matched by the Warriors, which allowed them to get easy looks. The first quarter ended with a 20-point gap, and it seemed like it was going to be all Washington from here on out.

However, the Warriors put on a similarly impressive performance in the second quarter, with Kevin Durant leading the charge. Both Curry and Cousins were in foul trouble, but that did not stop the rest of the cast to take over the game. John Wall tried to rally back later, but the Wizards were just no match for the reigning champions.

Washington will host the Magic in their next game, while the Warriors go up against the Boston Celtics.

News of the week

• AD with 34 points and 13 rebounds in the OT victory over the Grizzlies
• Westbrook (44 PTS) vs Lillard (42 PTS), Trail Blazers come out on top
• EASTERN CONFERENCE POTW – John Wall (Washington Wizards)
• WESTERN CONFERENCE POTW – Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)

[trekfan]

Warriors gonna Warrior -- tough loss, but expected. Washington just needs to worry about what's in the East right now, there's no need to look too far ahead to a potential matchup against the Warriors.

[Cruzerr]

Monthly Recap - January

NBA Standings - Updated: Feb 3, 2019
EAST PLAYOFF RACE	W	L	GB	DIV	CONF
Toronto Raptors	42	11	--	8-1	25-7
Washington Wizards	35	17	6.5	7-3	24-10
Philadelphia 76ers	32	21	10.0	6-5	21-12
Brooklyn Nets	30	24	12.5	6-6	18-6
Boston Celtics	28	24	13.5	6-6	17-17
Chicago Bulls	27	26	15.0	6-5	16-16
Indiana Pacers	26	26	15.5	4-5	16-19
Atlanta Hawks	25	27	16.5	5-5	18-16
Orlando Magic	25	28	17.0	6-3	19-12
Detroit Pistons	23	28	18.0	4-5	14-18
Milwaukee Bucks	22	29	19.0	5-5	15-18
Charlotte Hornets	22	30	19.5	3-5	14-20
Miami Heat	20	31	21.0	3-8	10-23
New York Knicks	17	34	24.0	2-10	11-24
Cleveland Cavaliers	17	36	25.0	6-5	12-22
WEST PLAYOFF RACE	W	L	GB	DIV	CONF
Golden State Warriors	42	10	--	11-0	26-6
Houston Rockets	35	17	7.0	6-5	20-12
Oklahoma City Thunder	33	18	8.5	3-5	21-11
Utah Jazz	33	21	10.0	8-3	19-13
Minnesota Timberwolves	29	23	13.0	8-2	21-14
Denver Nuggets	29	23	13.0	2-6	16-17
Phoenix Suns	28	26	15.0	6-4	20-13
Los Angeles Lakers	25	28	17.5	4-7	16-21
San Antonio Spurs	25	29	18.0	8-4	17-21
Dallas Mavericks	24	28	18.0	3-5	16-16
Sacramento Kings	22	30	20.0	3-8	13-20
New Orleans Pelicans	22	31	20.5	8-5	14-20
Portland Trail Blazers	20	32	22.0	3-8	14-21
Memphis Grizzlies	14	39	28.5	2-8	8-24
Los Angeles Clippers	14	39	28.5	3-8	12-24

NBA League Leaders - Updated: Feb 3, 2019
Points Per Game		PPG	Rebounds Per Game		RPG
	1. Damian Lillard	27.9		1. Hassan Whiteside	13.7
	2. Russell Westbrook	27.9		2. Andre Drummond	13.4
	3. Devin Booker	27.7		3. DeMarcus Cousins	12.4
	4. Kawhi Leonard	25.7		4. Dwight Howard	12.3
	5. Stephen Curry	25.2		5. Enes Kanter	12.3
Assist Per Game		APG	Steals Per Game		SPG
	1. Chris Paul	12.0		1. Kawhi Leonard	2.4
	2. James Harden	8.5		2. Paul George	2.3
	3. Lonzo Ball	8.2		3. John Wall	2.2
	4. Kyle Lowry	8.2		4. Chris Paul	2.2
	5. Stephen Curry	8.2		5. Jimmy Butler	2.1
Blocks Per Game		BPG	Field Goal Percentage		FG%
	1. Kristaps Porzingis	2.6		1. Clint Capela	.614
	2. Hassan Whiteside	2.4		2. Bam Adebayo	.614
	3. Rudy Gobert	2.1		3. Ben Simmons	.612
	4. DeAndre Ayton	2.1		4. Jayson Tatum	.594
	5. Joel Embiid	2.1		5. Dwight Howard	.586

Eastern Conference Player of the Month


Giannis Antetokoumpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
24.8 PPG - 11.3 RPG - 5.3 APG - 1.8 SPG - 1.8 BPG - .496 FG%

Western Conference Player of the Month


Chris Paul (Houston Rockets)
20.2 PPG - 5.1 RPG - 12.0 APG - 2.3 SPG - 0.0 BPG - .494 FG%

Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month


Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
23.0 PPG - 2.1 RPG - 4.8 APG - 1.2 SPG - 0.1 BPG - .429 FG%

Western Conference Rookie of the Month


Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
14.0 PPG - 7.1 RPG - 7.2 APG - 1.5 SPG - 0.4 BPG - .402 FG%

[Cruzerr]

My Thoughts on January

Washington Wizards Stats - 2019
Player	GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TPG	FPG
Bradley Beal	52	30.5	21.3	3.1	4.2	1.0	0.4	1.5	.517
John Wall	45	30.4	20.3	3.0	7.4	2.2	0.9	3.0	.529
Markieff Morris	52	29.0	13.8	6.0	1.9	0.6	0.8	1.2	.584
Dwight Howard	52	30.2	13.1	12.3	0.7	1.0	1.5	1.2	.586
Jamal Crawford	15	18.0	11.1	0.5	2.5	0.5	0.0	0.7	.496
Jeff Green	30	22.1	10.0	3.5	0.9	0.4	0.8	1.0	.509
Austin Rivers	52	21.6	9.6	1.0	3.2	0.9	0.0	1.3	.459
Otto Porter Jr	49	28.7	9.0	5.0	1.6	1.4	0.4	1.7	.493
Kelly Oubre Jr	52	18.0	7.1	3.8	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.7	.363
Tomas Satoransky	52	17.9	5.5	2.2	3.5	0.4	0.2	1.2	.473
Jodie Meeks	10	9.7	3.5	1.5	0.5	0.2	0.1	0.5	.308
Troy Brown Jr	45	10.0	3.3	1.9	1.4	0.3	0.1	0.9	.377
Ian Mahimni	52	11.1	3.1	3.8	0.3	0.5	0.7	0.6	.534
Jason Smith	3	1.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	.000
Devin Robinson (GL)	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	.000
Thomas Bryant (GL)	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	.000

Here we go with my thoughts once more! Obviously, I will post this month's "10 questions" as well, but I figured that to get my creative juices flowing, this would help out, so let's do this!

Pros

+ Our position. Considering the games we had this month, which were quite difficult, we did very well, and are sitting second. Obviously too early to tell who we would be facing in the playoffs, but still, I am glad that we are sitting second. Can we take the top spot? Maybe, if the Raptors have a complete meltdown

+ Wins this month! I won't say much about the Atlanta game, it really wasn't difficult. Trae Young is a baller, but no match for John Wall and the rest of the crew. The Thunder game was super difficult, and probably one of the more fun games I've played, if Adams wasn't out for the season, it might have gone the other way.

Beating the Raptors though was so tasty. Kawhi is unstoppable, but the rest of the team really didn't feel like they should be that far on top in the East. Lowry vs Wall is such an easy matchup. However, while I ain't as scared of facing the Raptors in the ECF now, I am more scared of facing the Sixers in the second round.

+ John Wall is a big game baller. He stepped up great in both the Thunder and Raptors game, and almost pulled us back into the game vs the Warriors. The guy will be great for us come playoff time, and while I knew the whole time that his numbers don't really mean much - he can explode at any point, it was nice to see that.

Also, side-note, Beal doesn't give two f*cks, he just scores. Such a good player.

+ Jamal Crawford is fantastic. He handles the ball very well, can get to the line with ease, has a good pass on him, and is so impactful off the bench. Also, with him in, it is easier for Rivers to have open shots and for Satoransky to defend. Really happy with this lineup. At times, yes, we are a bit small-ball, but it doesn't really worry me that much.

+ Jeff Green is back at the start of this month! Just happy to see him back and really want to try him out coming from the bench with Crawford feeding him.

+ All-Star break is here! Soon you will see the team's and the participants for the events, and I think you will all be both pleasantly and unpleasantly surprised!

Cons

-The Warriors loss. It hurt, it really did. We were up by 20 in the first quarter, and I was so cocky - I knew were going to win. And then when they started pulling it back, it really hurt. They are something else.

- Who are we facing come playoff time? If you look at the seeds 5-8 and on from there, it is still really close. And some of those teams I'd want to face more than others. I feel like e.g. Hawks, Bulls or Magic would be a good matchup, but at this point, we could easily get the Bucks, Celtics or the Pacers. Some clarity in regards to this would be nice.

That is about it really. Probably would have more points to discuss but that is all that I can think of at this moment. Next month will have a few interesting games, but the main focus is of course on the All-Star break!

I hope this format was fine, let me know if you want more detail or have any other questions.

[Cruzerr]

10 questions - January


Watch out everybody, it is the Monstars!

1. Are the Raptors and the Warriors staying at the top of the conference?

The two teams have enjoyed being at the top for quite some time now. The Raptors are 6.5 games in front of the Wizards, while the Warriors sit 7.0 in front of the Rockets. Unless they suffer from a complete meltdown, it does look like the first seeds are locked in already.

2. Who is going to be the MVP?

While there still are so many games to play, we have to start quietly considering who will be the Most Valuable Player this season. Pundits have both Warriors, DeMarcus Cousins (23.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG) and Stephen Curry (25.2 PPG, 8.2 APG), Houston's Chris Paul (19.9 PPG, 12.0 APG), Thunder's Russell Westbrook (27.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG) and Toronto's Kawhi Leonard (25.7 PPG, 7.0 APG). With the second half the season coming now, these players need to make a push in order to secure those honours.

3. Is Lillard really happy?

Damian Lillard is putting together a season of highs. His assists might have dropped (5.3 APG), but he is averaging career-highs in points (27.9 PPG), FG% (.528) and 3PT% (.438). But the Blazers sit at the bottom of the West, with a record of 20-32. Sure, McCollum has struggled with injuries this season (as he is out with a broken leg currently), but should the Blazers really be that low? Can Lillard really be that happy with the situation?

4. Are the Suns going to reach the promise-land?

The Suns currently sit 7th in the West, and while they do have a bunch of teams right around them, they have looked solid so far. Devin Booker is enjoying another fantastic season, while Ayton (12.1 PPG, 11.4 RPG) and Jackson (14.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG) are contributing as well. It might take a miracle for them to make the playoffs, as they still have a tough road schedule coming up and Booker is going to miss some time with a sprained ankle, but I think the Suns' fans should finally be happy that their team is competing, rather than taking a beating.

5. Should the Celtics be that low?

Last years ECF runner-ups were a team ran by a rookie Tatum, a sophomore Brown, and a bunch of unsung heroes like Smart and Rozier stepping up big at times. Now, with Irving and Hayward being back, they are sitting fifth in the conference. Most of the pundits had them topping the conference, so what has happened? Still, judging them from last years playoffs, they are still going to be difficult to face for any team post-season.

6. Are you excited for the All-Star event?

Seriously, can you say you aren't? The All-Star game, the Dunk Contest, the 3PT challenge and the USA vs the World game - this is going to be great. If current votes stay as such, then LeBron and Giannis will be team captains for this year's event.

7. Which Sacramento player will be MIP?

Because honestly, they are clicking so well currently. Both Fox (15.7 PPG, 7.2 APG) and Hield (17.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG) have increased their point totals immensely, and add to that, Bagley has been putting great numbers for them, averaging 16.1 points to go along with 11.4 (!) rebounds. Just like the Suns, Sacramento fans must be feeling happy with their team for once.

8. Do the Wizards have the best back-court in the league?

Sitting currently second in the East, the Wizards are playing great basketball, and while their bench has been the vital part for success this season, the two guards, Wall and Beal, are playing at a very high level. If they can keep this up, then facing them in the playoffs will not be an easy task for any team.

9. Do the Pelicans need a re-do?

Currently lost their last 6 in a row, AD and the New Orleans Pelicans are really struggling. While AD carried them to the playoffs last year, it doesn't seem like it will happen this year. Also, it must hurt when Cousins is currently in the MVP talk and sitting at the top of the Western Conference. Is it time to let go of AD and remodel the team? Maybe not, but changes have to be made, or they are missing the playoffs and not making Davis any happier.

10. And finally, is James Harden going under the radar?

While his numbers are lowest that they have been for quite some time, his shooting percentages and turnovers have gone down as well. Both him and Paul lead the league in assists, so is it relevant that his production has gone down? Sure, he is nowhere near the MVP conversation, but is this for the greater good, as the Rockets still look like they are firing on all cylinders.

[georgiafan]

Raptors and warriors are on a roll as always looking like 60 plus wins for both

I like the singing of Crawford he will help out you’re scoring off the bench

I would go with heild for mip with scoring 17 a game and mvp to close to call

[Cruzerr]

Whats been going on?

Hey everybody, been a bit missing again, but I ain't quitting this, so I decided to make a quick post on things again, just to fill you in on everything.

Uni work has kinda swamped me for now, so I want to get the posts rolling a bit differently from now on. Instead of focusing as much on the game write-ups, I'd make it a statistical thing, and keep the writing mostly for the end of
every month - so that would be the 10 questions segment, little story updates, cover the league a bit closer, etc etc.

I decided to skip another month (yes, I know, again, I apologize) and try to start off March a bit clearer, with me just playing, rapidly posting games, so we can get to the playoffs, where I will continue with more of the writing style.

Now, you might wonder, what happened during February? Good question. Here is a quick summary

All-Star Weekend - a great weekend, with both Wall and Beal being All-Stars! I'll post the All-Star teams just so you can see who actually made it there. A few shockers in my opinion, and a few that completely deserved it.

The USA vs World game - US won, but Simmons dropped 50, which was quite surprising. I played on the USA side, and he was just unguardable.

Three-point Challenge - Curry won, beating both Harden and Beal (yes, our boy!) in the final.

Dunk Contest - Was really boring in my opinion, but Donovan Mitchell won that.

All-Star Game - Team Giannis won as Curry scored about 30 points in the last quarter, shooting from deep as much as he wanted. I loved playing with him.

How did we do? - we went 5-5 and stayed in the second spot. Not much to talk about, since the games were pretty boring, either we simmed and lost or stomped.

Any trades? - Nope

Any signings? - We signed Markieff Morris for another 1yr/$8.16 mil contract. Super pleased with that. Wanted to do the same with Satoransky, but I decided to leave that for now.

Standings? - Two teams have already qualified for the playoffs, you can guess which two. Very quickly, the standings look like this.

EAST

1. x - Toronto Raptors: 50-13
2. Washington Wizards: 40-22
3. Philadelphia 76ers: 39-24
4. Brooklyn Nets: 36-29
5. Boston Celtics: 33-30
6. Atlanta Hawks: 32-31
7. Chicago Bulls: 32-31
8. Indiana Pacers: 31-33
9. Milwaukee Bucks: 29-34

WEST

1. x - Golden State Warriors: 51-12
2. Houston Rockets: 43-19
3. Utah Jazz: 39-23
4. Oklahoma City Thunder: 39-23
5. Phoenix Suns: 32-32
6. Minnesota Timberwolves: 31-31
7. New Orleans Pelicans: 32-33
8. Dallas Mavericks: 30-32
9. San Antonio Spurs: 30-34

Any questions? - I'll be glad to answer them.

I don't want to quit this, but if I lose track, then it is really difficult to post games that you have already played, if that makes sense? Does anybody else feel like that?

Anyway, here we go with March! (and the All-Star Teams so you can see them quickly)

[Cruzerr]

All-Star Game
Team LeBron vs Team Giannis

Starters
Name (Number of All-Star Apperances)

LeBron James (15) | Giannis Antetokoumpo (3)
Kevin Durant (10) | Stephen Curry (6)
James Harden (7) | Anthony Davis (6)
Kawhi Leonard (3) | Ben Simmons (1)
Kyrie Irving (6) | Kyle Lowry (5)

Bench
Name (Number of All-Star Apperances)

Chris Paul (10) | Joel Embiid (2)
Blake Griffin (6) | Paul George (6)
Jimmy Butler (5) | John Wall (6)
Andre Drummond (3) | Karl-Anthony Towns (2)
Nikola Jokic (1) | Bradley Beal (2)
Hassan Whiteside (1) | DeMarcus Cousins (5)

Damian Lillard (4) | D'Angelo Russell (1)