It's been a long week for the Washington Wizards, who since last Friday have beaten the Brooklyn Nets in overtime at home, only to drop three consecutive games on the road, each loss more dispiriting the the one prior.
We'll begin this week's Wrap with a piece pinning a large share of the team's current struggles on its franchise point guard.
- Jason Reid thinks it's time for John Wall to step his game up, and that Randy Wittman and Nene essentially called out Wall with their critical comments following Wednesday's debacle against the San Antonio Spurs. Frankly, I find that hard to disagree with. [Washington Post]
- More on angry Nene. [Washington Post | Wiz of Awes | DC Sports Bog | ProBasketballTalk]
- Wittman didn't like his team's shot selection against the Spurs. [CSN Washington]
- Guess who's leading the Vegas odds to be the first NBA coach fired this season. [CBS Sports]
- Trevor Ariza is hurt and day-to-day, because #wizards. [BF | Washington Post | Wiz of Awes]
- With Ariza injured, Martell Webster resumes his starting role alongside Wall and Bradley Beal, where he thrived last season. [Washington Post]
- Speaking of Beal, Charles Barkley is a big fan, which is nothing to sneeze at, since Sir Charles usually has nothing to say about the Wizards other than jokes. [CSN Washington]
- Everyone needs to read this excellent diagnosis of the Wizards using players' shot charts in the place of Rorschach tests. [Truth About It]
- The Wizards bench' is atrocious, but Mike says don't blame Randy Wittman. [BF | Washington Post | CSN Washington]
- At least Nene and Marcin Gortat aren't a terrible combo? [BF | Washington Post]
- The Polish Hammer has been pretty good at finishing contested shots at the rim. [CSN Washington]
- Gortat thinks the Wizards could win 50 games this season. [DC Sports Bog]
- To bad his former team has thus far outperformed the Wiz. [Washington Post]
- A lot of people noticed Gortat's failed Dream Shake against the Spurs. [Mike | Ball Don't Lie |Mr. Irrelevant| Larry Brown Sports | Ballislife | Fansided | Tha Cover 2]
- Could the Wizards consider dealing Gortat if they don't turn things around soon? [ESPN]
- Wall got poked in the eye against the Spurs, but sounds like he's fine. [CSN Washington]
- Thomas wonders if the Wizards are transforming from a defensive-oriented team into offensive-minded unit.
- Recapping the Wizards' week spanning Nov. 4-10. [Truth About It]
- Many preseason projections had the Wizards in the playoffs, but they've struggled mightily early on. Fortunately, they're far from alone in that regard. [CSN Washington]
- Should the Wizards actually be trying to tank the season? [Yahoo! Sports]
- It's a timeline of all the non-news and pseudo updates on Otto Porter's mysterious hip injury. Are we sure he's even alive anymore? [DC Sports Bog]
- Porter's college coach says the Wizards' No. 3 pick is ready to play, but the team's training and medical staff have yet to clear him. [CBS DC]
- I think Ted might be interpreting the saying "playoffs or bust" a little too literally. [AP]
- Ted's got big plans for Monumental Network. [Sports Business Daily | DC Sports Bog]
- Hey look, some Wizards got Keys to the Palace this week! Just in time to have them revoked...
- Awesome breakdown from Umair on how the Oklahoma City Thunder defended John Wall.
- The Thunder did a worse job of guarding Beal. [BF | Wiz of Awes]
- The latest Wizards Magazine featured a cool interview with Beal talking about life as a second-year NBA player. [Wizards.com]
- Sounds like Jan Vesely could be headed overseas after this season. [DC Sports Bog | El Mundo Madridista]
- Everyone loves Wizards-related photoshops. [Truth About It]
- Webster likes his sleep a certain way. [CSN Washington]
- Dan Steinberg has finally learned that a true D.C. spots fan never expects to actually win. [DC Sports Bog]
More from Bullets Forever:
- Magical Pixels, Wizards vs. Spurs: Boy, that escalated quickly
- Trevor Ariza injury: Wizards' F likely out vs. Cleveland with hamstring injury
- Wizards vs. Spurs final score: San Antonio leads from start to finish, wins 92-79
- Wizards vs. Spurs: Washington lays a huevo in San Antonio
- Wizards vs. Spurs preview: When it rains, it pours.