That was filthy Mo. Guessing he had a few fun things to chirp on his way down the floor.
Was watching this before and laughing. Wall cries for a foul and doesnāt even attempt to close on Wagner. He donāt know Mo I guess
Yeah, after getting Len signed over him, and things looking dark, the Wiz are starting a really weird crew - Wagner at the 5, Rui at the 4 andā¦Garrison Matthews at the 3. They won both, Wagner has gotten 22 and 24 minutes, and is averaging 13 points. He was sort of foul-limited last night (4 fouls in 22 minutes), but heās done a decent job picking up charge calls both games (because he canāt block shots, this is basically his go to move on defense, and obviously part of why his fouls committed are so high). They have, at least for the moment, moth-balled Len and Mo is splitting the 5 minutes with Robin Lopez.
aside from the fouls, do you think his defense has looked any better since they started him two games ago?
I think heās always going be a below average defensive center just because he really canāt block shots (he couldnāt in college, and he has the block rate of a guard in the NBA). I think positioning - drawing charges - is always going to be his best way of guarding the paint. Beyond that, I think all of us know what happens when Mo plays bad defense - he reaches, he chases blocks (he wonāt get) and that just exacerbates the foul issue. He has, at least for two games, managed to control those impulses and has thus reduced the number of freebies heās giving the other team. Butā¦his defense will always be a problem.
Do you think he can be efficient enough of a scorer to stay on the floor if he keeps the fouling to a minimum?
If he plays offense like he did before his ankle injury last year, I think he is a perfectly acceptable backup center. Interestingly, he still has never shot it from 3 that well, but he has been a great finisher at the basket, and an excellent cutter (when heās on).
His main challege is going to be not sabotaging himself. Sometimes he doesnāt get a chance to play good offense because heās tick-tack fouled his way to the bench.
Kind of seemed like he and the Brodie were feeling that same energy in the bit that I watched. Canāt hurt him to be on the same page with a PG like Russ. Interesting to see how their games compliment each other on offense.
Russell has obviously been BRUTAL this year, but I think that has more to do with his spiraling ability to put the ball the in basket - heās always been a more willing passer than people give him credit for. Last year, actually, Wagner did really well paired with Bertans at the 4 (a miserable defensive front court), because Bertans gravity opened up lots of cutting lanes for him.
Doesnāt matter how much youāre just chasing stats, you donāt average what he has averaged without being a good passer. Do you think thereās anything to what heās said about being injured, and finally feeling healthy? I know the jumper has always been a bit suspect and his offense has always mostly stemmed from attacking downhill, but that seems like it would give Moe some open looks from the perimeter if Russ can return to form.
Strange ā I guess these are his tendencies now, but when he was at Michigan I never saw him commit fouls like that. Might have gotten whistled for it, but, you know, refs. Itās fact that he actually and truly committed less then 6 fouls in three yeas.
Moās issue is that heās sort of a tweener in the NBA. Heās not tall or long enough to compensate for his lack of athleticism and vice versa. He canāt play PF because heās not athletic enough and he canāt defend as a center very well because heās relatively small for the position. Heās ideally a change of pace back-up center who earns his minutes through offense and survives on defense. I think he needs to start hitting more 3s and then his spot in the rotation will be solid.
I get the sense heāll have an NBA career a lot like GR3. Heās going to hang around for years, sometimes start and sometimes be on the outer fringes of a rotation, heāll have moments where you see his full potential and others where you can see why he doesnāt play more.
Yet heās still the only ācenterā Michigan has put in the league who has played at all since Juwan himself. McGary flamed out quickly, Sims and Morgan never made it, Teske hasnāt made it yet, Baston got a cup of coffee.
Okayā¦I forgot Robert Traylor who was a couple of years younger than Juwan.
Baston Maccabi Tel Aviv legend
Epke Udoh? I guess he doesnāt count much either.
Chris Hunter played 60 games for the Warriors in '09-'10. Rumor has it that Steph Curry has Chris to thank for his success in the leagueā¦
Yeahā¦I always forget about Udoh since he didnāt do much at Michigan and really made his mark at Baylor.
Hunter was before his time. Imagine what Beilein would have done with a 6ā11" long-armed shooter at center! I donāt know what his career aspirations are and I think Michigan is lucky to have him behind the bench all of these years - but if he wants a shot as an assistant coach someday I hope he gets it. Quiet guy thatās been a huge part of the program the past 15 years.
Well, Wagner started again tonight. This time against Jokic and the Nuggets. Got benched 3 minutes into the game because Jokic was absolutely schooling him and Wagner couldnāt keep up defensively.