Can Saunders "Flip" The Successes Of The Wizards In 2009/10?

(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Record: 19-63, 5th Southeast Division, 15th seed Easter Conference.

These are worth repeating, 19-63 overall, last in the Southeast Division, LAST in the Eastern conference. A bit harsh, yes but for a former top five, title contending team in the East and making the playoffs the previous four years, the brashness is warranted. Make no doubt about it; last season is still etched in the back of the minds of the entire Washington Wizards organisation. Not only as the thorn in the side of owner Abe Pollin and President Ernie Grunfeld but really as a prime motivator to completely turn upside down. A 63-19 record would be absolutely glorious, but let’s not get carried away. Last season will be the spark under the Wizards that will give the fans something to cheer about again and get the monkey off their backs.

Gilbert Arenas is back and so is his supporting cast, that includes Caron “Tough Juice” Butler, Mr. Dependable—Antawn Jamison, Abraham Lincoln?—DeShawn Stevenson and Tall, Dark and Carolinian—Brendan Haywood. Along with Gil and crew, the additions of Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Fabricio Oberto and the development of JaVale McGee, Nick Young and Adray Blatche, this team should be a playoff calibre team in 2009/10. But what would it take for the Wizards to be in the cream of the Eastern Conference crop once again? Let’s see…

5. Defensively, how good can and should this Wizards team be under Flip Saunders?

Flip Saunders isn’t necessary a defensive stalwart like Greg Popovich or Avery Johnson, Scott Skiles or even Terry Porter (who most recently got fired for trying to change a team’s philosophy) were but he is not one to ignore it either, like say, Mike D’Antoni. 

In their most successful year in recent history (2004/5), the 5th seeded Washington Wizards, posted a 45-37 regular season record and were swept in the Conference Semis by the Miami Heat. That year they were ranked ninth in the league in rebounds a game (RPG) with 43, third in steals per game (SPG) with 8.7 but were twentieth in blocks per game (BPG), with Mr. Tarheel—Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas and Kwame Brown all accounting for a 4.2 average. Apart from the swats, the team’s rebounding and steals figures were their lifeline to balancing their offensive production and thus the team’s efficiency.

Last season on the other hand, the Wizards dropped to 22nd in the league in RPG, maintained a healthy 7.5 in SPG (good enough for 8th in the league) and hovered around 4.5 BPG. So far this preseason however, the Wizards have shown shades of the old playoff Wizards by bettering their rebounding to 44.25 per game for 7th in the league, completely improved their blocks to rank 15th with still a mediocre 4.5 per but dramatically reduced their thefts by averaging 7.25 SPG, good for 23rd in the league.

This preseason’s numbers may indicate that Flip Saunders intends to play a safer and less gamble-oriented style defence concentrated on guarding the basket, which may be the cause of the decrease in steals but increase in rebounds and blocks. As a benchmark, Flip’s 2003/4 Timberwolves, who reached the Western Conference Finals and featured the MVP Kevin Garnett, had a similar style of play where they were ranked 8th in RPG, 7th in BPG but 26th in SPG. Flip probably doesn’t play much poker either as he’s showing a defensive strategy that doesn’t advocate much gambling in passing lanes and reaching-in with man-to-man defences.

Overall, I believe the Wizards will sustain this type of defence already being exhibited in this preseason, and with a supposedly healthy Brendan Haywood, the services of a veteran Oberto, the development of McGee and Blatche and the occasional rebound from Miller, expect an excellent rebounding team but one a bit deficient in steals, which can have an effect on fast break opportunities.

4. Offence or Defence? That is the Question.

I’ve already sketched their defensive capabilities, so we have an understanding of the character that will take the stage for these Wizards. Offensively, one can only hope the Wizards do remarkably better than the effort shown last year. In their defence however, with all the coaching changes, injuries and instability that meddled with playing time and chemistry, the team does have a supportable alibi.

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