There's really nothing to say right now about the Washington Wizards' 103-83 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers that hasn't been said here. Or here. Or here and here. Or here. Or here. Or here, even. And that's the problem, because this keeps happening. The Wizards have now played 19 games if you count preseason, and have looked like a team that doesn't belong on the court with a junior varsity team seven times. SEVEN TIMES.
I don't want to hear about how anyone is above this. I don't want to hear about rebuilding and process. I don't want to hear anything about "upside" or "assets." I don't want to hear about how John Wall is a tragic hero. I don't want to hear about poor Flip Saunders having to coach players who won't listen. I don't want to hear howls about JaVale McGee needing post touches. I don't want to hear Andray Blatche saying he wants to die for this. I don't want to hear Nick Young saying he wants to prove the haters wrong. I don't want to hear any excuses for anyone, really. Everything we just witnessed was unacceptable.
Seven times in 19 games. When that happens, it can't be downplayed.
Some more notes below the jump, which I cut off after the first half.
- Hate to repeat myself, but that long three that Nick Young took two minutes into the game was just pointless.
-
Rashard Lewis gets guarded by a shooting guard because teams want him to post up. I'm really not sure what starting him does.
- Poor job by all involved staying with Jodie Meeks. Meeks beat Young off a screen once, beat the big man on a back-screen on a zone once and had an easy shot in transition once. You allow the first one and you run the risk of the second two happening.
- The Wizards' propensity to go for offensive rebounds really hurts them against a team like the 76ers, who push the ball so well in transition. Shots also went up from inefficient spots on the floor, which means the guys responsible for retreating aren't in position to do so. You can't do all of these things against a team that can change ends as well as the 76ers.
- Looks like we may have jinxed Wall. He was lazy on one turnover, overaggressive on one forced shot and too eager to make a play on the failed bounce pass to Lewis in transition. His teammates were bad too but that doesn't excuse poor decision-making.
- The 76ers push you hard. They're relentless, they're athletic and they never stop coming at you. When that happens, you have to push back. The Wizards took the first shot and recoiled, one fadeaway and one weak cut at a time. I'm talking to you, Andray Blatche. I'm also talking to everyone.
- Phil Chenier is dead on about Blatche wasting his dribble. The best players use a live dribble as a weapon. Blatche gives that up, just because. It's always easier to get by someone with a live dribble than by dribbling.
- I know it's Lavoy Allen, JaVale, but there's no reason for you to recover so slowly on pick and pop action. It's not like there's someone seriously threatening to get to the basket.
- Nice help defense by Jan Vesely at the seven-minute mark to force the turnover. There's something positive to say.
- You appreciate Jordan Crawford for trying to fight back against the tough 76ers pressure, but when you take bad shots or miss shots you should make, all you're doing is triggering their transition game.
- Where are Trevor Booker and Chris Singleton?
- When I used to play basketball sort of competitively as a kid (read: young kid), my coach would always talk about how the defense needs to act instead of react. It was his way of saying that if you can force the offensive player to do what you wanted, you'd give yourself a way better chance to succeed. The Wizards' defense did an incredible amount of reacting in that second quarter.
- That's exactly why the 76ers hit shots that seemed tough and the Wizards missed theirs. Their offense got into a rhythm from getting the shots they wanted. The Wizards' offense didn't and instead shot from an uncomfortable position with all their attempts. It's no surprise they all missed.
- Seriously, where are Trevor Booker and Chris Singleton?
- And ... yeah, that's all I got. The Wizards don't deserve these bullets.