Bullets Forever - Wizards vs. Bulls: Nene blocks the Wiz back to .500!"Ain't No Luck"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48097/BulletsForever-fv.png2014-01-18T12:20:53-05:00http://www.bulletsforever.com/rss/stream/50845192014-01-18T12:20:53-05:002014-01-18T12:20:53-05:00A panic-free zone
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>While Nene's emphatic block was the perfect end to this gritty game, this game really changed during a two minute and 32-second stretch of the third quarter.</p> <p>WASHINGTON -- Last night, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> continued their winning ways (three in a row!) against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> (again), and gutted out a pretty fantastic win in front of a pretty fantastic and hyped-up home crowd.</p>
<p>And even though the Wizards beat the Bulls handily on Monday, and <i>still even though</i> they whooped the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Heat</a> in front of all kinds of fans (bandwagon and non-bandwagon alike), <i>still even though-er </i>they were beating the Bulls the entire first half ... there it was, again, staring everyone in the face.</p>
<p>The dreaded third quarter.</p>
<p>It's been no secret of late that the Wizards haven't been performing well in third quarters. It might not be the whole period, but there are stretches in every third quarter in the last three games where the Wizards haven't been able to get stops while the other team has gone on a run. Check out these scoring patterns (courtesy of ESPN.com):</p>
<p>Monday at Chicago:</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3879993/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.37.24_AM.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen_shot_2014-01-18_at_11" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3879993/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.37.24_AM.png"></a></p>
<p>Wednesday vs. Miami:</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3880001/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.36.41_AM.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen_shot_2014-01-18_at_11" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3880001/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.36.41_AM.png"></a></p>
<p>And last night vs. Chicago:</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3880009/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.35.24_AM.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen_shot_2014-01-18_at_11" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3880009/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_11.35.24_AM.png"></a></p>
<p>And it was during that particularly worrisome stretch in the third quarter that the Bulls charged from four points down to take a very commanding eight-point lead.</p>
<p>And then, it happened. Here's what it looked like in the play-by-play (via <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=400489458&period=3" style="background-color: #ffffff;">ESPN.com</a>):</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3879785/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_10.40.13_AM.png" style="background-color: #ffffff;"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3879785/Screen_Shot_2014-01-18_at_10.40.13_AM.png" class="photo" alt="Screen_shot_2014-01-18_at_10"></a></p>
<p>That moment -- right there, all two minutes and 32 seconds of it -- was the momentum shift that won the crowd back, won the Wizards' confidence back and can arguably be credited for giving the Wizards the oomph to win this thing.</p>
<p>Oh, and in case you didn't see what that sequence looked like, check these out (via <a href="http://www.twitter.com/danecarbaugh">@danecarbaugh</a>):</p>
<p><a title="John Wall ridiculous circus shot on Twitpic" href="http://twitpic.com/dskozg"><img alt="John Wall ridiculous circus shot on Twitpic" height="450" width="450" src="http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/dskozg.gif"></a></p>
<p><a title="Second angle of Wall's circus shot on Twitpic" href="http://twitpic.com/dskp4x"><img alt="Second angle of Wall's circus shot on Twitpic" height="450" width="450" src="http://twitpic.com/show/thumb/dskp4x.gif"></a></p>
<p>I mean... what? How is that real? Did <span>John Wall</span> really make that? Was that a dream?</p>
<p>"It was a big shot for us," <span>Bradley Beal</span> said after the game. "It was definitely one that we needed because Chicago went on a big run... and that shot by John was definitely a big time shot by him. "</p>
<p>And thanks to that shot, the crowd was thirsty for blood. Luckily for them, on the next trip down, <span>Martell Webster</span> delivered. Beal said, "Martell Webster had a big three in [the third] quarter." Honestly, I think that's an understatement. Check out the <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://stats.nba.com/cvp.html?GameID=0021300585&GameEventID=324">video</a> for yourself.</p>
<p>You can see (almost in slow motion) Webster with the ball in his hands with no one in sight, winding up, and in the background the crowd is rising to its feet in anticipation of that big three. If it goes in, it's a tie. If it doesn't go in, then hearts are broken all over the arena.</p>
<p>It goes in.</p>
<p>And I can say, as much as that Wall circus shot got the crowd back into it, I don't think I remember ever seeing the crowd collectively rise up in hope and anticipation as they did for that Webster three. For the tie.</p>
<p>Oh, and a little cherry on that comeback sundae: <a href="http://stats.nba.com/cvp.html?GameID=0021300585&GameEventID=334">Wall for the lead.</a></p>
<p>After the game, <span>Randy Wittman</span> credited the team on their ugly and "gutty" win:</p>
<p>"We got down eight there in the second half and just kept pecking away," he said. "We got four stops in a row when they went up eight and we were able to convert at the other end and get the game back to even." </p>
<div class="pullquote">It wasn't our most prettiest win, but it was a gutty one. <span>-Randy Wittman</span>
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<p>A lot can be said about the differences in defense between this year's Wizards and last year's (and we've said a lot about it on <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/3/5268736/washington-wizards-defense-breakdown-switching">this site</a>), but as the team continues to play and grow together, their collective composure and intelligence only gets better. That's a great sign for an up-and-coming team.</p>
<p>And while the Wizards have learned to beat their road woes, I think they're starting to consistently beat an even more dreaded opponent: The game-deflating run.</p>
<p>"I think last year we panicked a lot," Beal said after the game. "But this year ,we're way more poised. We get a lot more stops down the stretch on defense, and we execute on offense as well. So I think we do a great job of staying the course and executing when we got the opportunities to."</p>
<p>And to what does Wall credit the team's mental difference this year?
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<p>"Like what coach told us ... Everybody's going to make a run," he said. "You just got to withstand their run and stick with your concepts of playing defense the same way you've been playing, and keep running your offense. Sometimes you're going to take shots and miss them, and sometimes guys are going to make tough shots against you. You just got to stick with what your game plan is and trust it," he said.</p>
<p>"And sometimes you might find a way to lose those tough games, but you did it the right way," he added.</p>
<p>Luckily for the Wizards, doing in the "right way" has been paying off pretty well.</p>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/18/5320838/john-wall-martell-webster-wizards-bullsAmin Vafa2014-01-18T11:59:07-05:002014-01-18T11:59:07-05:00Breakdown: How Nene saved the day
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A quick breakdown of the final Wizards defensive stand.</p> <p>I watched last night's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Bulls</a> game on DVR knowing the result, and even I was nervous about the final play. The Bulls <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXf_dS7euRs">had tied their game on Wednesday against the Magic</a> <span>with a three in the first overtime, and one could easily forsee a similar result.</span></p>
<p>Thanks to Nene, though, we know that didn't happen.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ykE9OP6wtVk" height="360" width="640"></iframe> <br id="1390062499578"></p>
<p>But this play wasn't just snuffed out by a great individual effort from Nene. The Wizards defended the sequence about as well as one can defend an after timeout play.</p>
<p>The Bulls start in a stack formation, one that's common around the league and one that's somewhat similar to the play against Orlando. One can surmise that a series of curls and screens are coming, but there are so many different possible combinations that it's hard to key in on anything.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3879969/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.29.08.jpg"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3879969/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.29.08.jpg" class="photo" alt="Screenshot_2014-01-18_11"></a> <br id="1390062644273">Right away, the Wizards must make two decisions. First: With a three-point lead, should they foul and prevent the Bulls from getting a shot off? There's a school of thought that teams should always be doing this, but the Wizards decide to play things out instead. It's the right decision because the Wizards are a poor free-throw shooting team, putting them at a disadvantage if this became a charity stripe contest.</p>
<p>Second: How do they defend those screens? Here, the Wizards make a more conventional, yet still correct decision to switch everything. That way, the Bulls can't exploit the split-second opening that might come from one of the Wizards being a little late to get over the top of a pick. The Wizards have the perfect lineup to carry out this task, with interchangeable wings in <span>Garrett Temple</span>, <span>John Wall</span> and <span>Trevor Ariza</span>, as well as a big man in Nene that can defend quicker players. Obviously, this becomes important as we roll forward.</p>
<p>The play begins with <span>Tony Snell</span> running away from the stack. At first glance, it looks like he's going backdoor, which would make him a threat that the Wizards' back line must cover. The Bulls want the Wizards to think this because it'll allow the man coming to the ball a cleaner catch. But Washington senses that Snell's move is a decoy, and they don't provide help for <span>Bradley Beal</span>, allowing them to focus their attention on the Bulls' main option.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3879985/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.38.39.jpg"><img src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3879985/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.38.39.jpg" class="photo" alt="Screenshot_2014-01-18_11"></a> <br id="1390063212931"></p>
<p>Nevertheless, <span>Mike Dunleavy</span>, the man who tied the game in Orlando, breaks through. Crisis? Thankfully, no, because of two things. First, the switch-everything philosophy has the other three Wizards on high alert to help. Second, and more importantly, Wall, who was not pressuring the inbounder in another great call by <span>Randy Wittman</span>, reacts quickly to the situation and runs right at Dunleavy, preventing the shot.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3880017/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.42.32.jpg"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3880017/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.42.32.jpg" class="photo" alt="Screenshot_2014-01-18_11"></a></p>
<p>This presents another potential problem, though. As Hubie Brown loves to say, the most dangerous man in an out of bounds play is the inbounder. With Wall coming to Dunleavy, someone must pick up Jimmy Butler. As it turns out, that somebody is ... also Wall. Upon running at Dunleavy, Wall immediately realizes the plan is to give the ball back to Butler and adjusts accordingly. It also helps that Dunleavy gave the ball back too quickly, allowing Wall to easily close the gap.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3880033/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.50.33.jpg"><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3880033/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.50.33.jpg" class="photo" alt="Screenshot_2014-01-18_11"></a></p>
<p>From there, the Bulls ad-lib a pick and roll with Butler and Noah. Wall momentarily forgets that he's supposed to switch, which leaves Noah wide open for a second. Luckily, Nene's hard hedge is so strong that Butler can't see the pass, and by the time he does, Wall has switched.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3880041/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.52.47.jpg"><img src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3880041/Screenshot_2014-01-18_11.52.47.jpg" class="photo" alt="Screenshot_2014-01-18_11"></a></p>
<p>From there, Nene just has to prevent Butler from getting a good look, which he does in emphatic fashion. And thus, a win was saved.</p>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/18/5321918/wizards-vs-bulls-breakdown-nene-john-wall-jimmy-butlerMike Prada2014-01-18T11:29:27-05:002014-01-18T11:29:27-05:00Magical Pixels: Back to .500
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Wizards are back to .500 following their third-straight win Friday night against the Chicago Bulls, 96-93. Remind me, what's happened every time the Wiz have gotten to .500 this season?</p> <p><span>John Wall</span> led the way Friday night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a>, scoring 23 points to go with 11 assists and one of the crazier circus shots you'll ever see as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> picked up their third-straight win, 96-93, and reached .500 for the third time this season.</p>
<p>Let's hope third time's the charm, eh? As you're no doubt aware, the Wizards have gotten to .500 twice previously this season, only to lose several consecutive games each time. Tonight, they've got a home date with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a>, whom they lost to in the season opener before sweeping in a home-and-home series to end 2013.</p>
<p>This current stretch is crucial for the Wizards. Following tonight's game, the Wiz will finish out their five-game home stretch with should-wins against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">76ers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a>, and begin a four-game road trip with winnable matchups with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz</a>. But then, they finish the roadie against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Warriors</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a>, then begin another five-game home stand against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Thunder</a>, Trailblazers and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a>. So yea, it'd be nice to bank a few wins in the coming days.</p>
<h4>KEY LINKS</h4>
<p><b>Home team recaps: </b><a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320478/washington-wizards-chicago-bulls-500-second-game-january-2014" target="_blank">BF StoryStream</a> | <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards-96-bulls-93-walls-circus-shot-nenes-blocks-spark-team-to-third-straight-win/2014/01/17/b196434e-7fe9-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> | <a href="http://washingtontimes.csnwashington.com/news/2014/jan/18/wizards-beat-bulls-third-straight-win-reach-500-th/" target="_blank">AP</a> | CSN Washington (<a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/instant-analysis-wizards-96-bulls-93" target="_blank">recap</a>, <a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/wake-call-wall-facing-crossroads-again" target="_blank">sidebar</a>) | <a href="http://www.truthaboutit.net/2014/01/wizards-96-bulls-93-dc-council-game-38.html" target="_blank">Truth About It</a> | <a href="http://wizofawes.com/2014/01/17/recap-wall-leads-wizards-over-bulls/" target="_blank">Wiz of Awes</a> | <a href="http://www.nba.com/wizards/game-recap-wizards-96-bulls-93" target="_blank">Wizards.com</a> | <a href="http://washingtonwizardsblog.monumentalnetwork.com/2014/01/17/wizbulls-gameday-blog" target="_blank">Monumental Network</a></p>
<p><b>Road team recaps: </b><a href="http://www.blogabull.com/2014/1/17/5320860/bulls-vs-wizards-final-score" target="_blank">Blog a Bull</a> | <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-bulls-wizards-gamer-spt-0118-20140118,0,6108401.story" target="_blank">Chicago Tribune</a> | <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/sports/25026569-419/bulls-fall-to-wizards-thibs-defends-players-minutes.html" target="_blank">Chicago Sun-Times</a>| <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/17086/rapid-reaction-wizards-96-bulls-93" target="_blank">ESPN Chicago</a> | <a href="http://pippenainteasy.com/2014/01/17/chicago-bulls-vs-washington-wizards-recap-wizards-96-bulls-93/" target="_blank">Pippin Ain't Easy</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nba.com/wizards/video/games/wizards/2014/01/17/0021300585-chi-was-recap.nba/" target="_blank">Game highlights</a></p>
<p><b>Postgame interviews: </b><a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/wittman-postgame-11714" target="_blank">Randy Wittman</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/john-wall-postgame-1-17-14" target="_blank">John Wall</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/bradley-beal-postgame-1-17-14" target="_blank">Bradley Beal</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/trevor-booker-postgame-1-17-14" target="_blank">Trevor Booker</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/marcin-gortat-postgame-1-17-14" target="_blank">Marcin Gortat</a> | <a href="http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos/garrett-temple-postgame-1-17-14" target="_blank">Garrett Temple</a></p>
<h4>KEY STATS</h4>
<p><b>2</b> - Losses suffered by the Bulls in 2014, spanning eight games. Both losses came against the Wizards.</p>
<p><b>6</b> - Points scored by the Bulls in the final 7:33 against the Wizards.</p>
<h4>TWEETS OF THE NIGHT</h4>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RIP&src=hash">#RIP</a> dunleavy RT <a href="https://twitter.com/adammcginnis">@adammcginnis</a>: John Wall burst, Dunleavy had no shot <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Wizards&src=hash">#Wizards</a> <a href="https://t.co/fQsfAHWRBo">https://t.co/fQsfAHWRBo</a></p>
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationNBA/statuses/424337860762677249">January 18, 2014</a>
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<p>Viktor Krum is jealous of how Nene ended that game.</p>
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) <a href="https://twitter.com/BulletsForever/statuses/424366598401449984">January 18, 2014</a>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/BulletsForever">@BulletsForever</a> NENE? MORE LIKE NONONOTINMYHOUSE!!</p>
— Luke Glanton (@_RazorRamon_) <a href="https://twitter.com/_RazorRamon_/statuses/424366680958308352">January 18, 2014</a>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>I am currently writing so many nice things about the Wizards right now that it almost feels unnatural</p>
— Adam McGinnis (@adammcginnis) <a href="https://twitter.com/adammcginnis/statuses/424398019383926784">January 18, 2014</a>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>John Wall walked out of locker room & saw Joakim Noah. Noah hugged Wall & brought up his circus shot: "That was some bulls#@%!" <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23wizards&src=hash">#wizards</a></p>
— <span>Michael Lee</span> (@MrMichaelLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/statuses/424398089764339712">January 18, 2014</a>
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<h4>VIDEO/GIF OF THE <strike>NIGHT</strike> <strike>YEAR</strike> <strike>DECADE</strike> <strike>MILLENNIUM</strike> ETERNITY</h4>
<p>If Wall ever fulfills his potential and ends up having a career worthy of documentaries and half-hour highlight reels, this play is guaranteed to make it.</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/2015623/834055036.gif" alt="834055036_medium"></p>
<p><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/2015635/834055233_medium.gif" alt="834055233_medium"></p>
<p>Somehow, this only made No. 3 on Sportscenter's Top 10 plays from Friday. Just lump it with the All Star voting as evidence that Wall can't get not respect.</p>
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<h4>GAMETHREAD COMMENT OF THE NIGHT</h4>
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<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/souldrummer" target="_blank" class="avatar" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #e63a2e; float: right; margin: -5px 0px 0px 15px;"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/profile_images/1039675/images_small.jpg" alt="souldrummer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 36px; max-height: 36px;"></a>
<h2 class="title collapse_toggle " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; line-height: 17px; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', Arial, sans-serif; overflow: hidden;">NO NO NENE</h2>
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<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5;"><span class="image_toggle"><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/3d04008d4b05a421d877b0852e5b0a0a/tumblr_inline_miok33A2yO1qz4rgp.gif" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; position: relative;"></span></p>
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<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 1.5;">Nats win! Untuck. Bang, zoom! "Time for some Journey!" - @charlieslowes</p>
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<div class="meta" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; margin-top: 12px;">by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/souldrummer" class="poster" target="_blank" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #e63a2e !important;">souldrummer</a> on <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-thread#210598871" class="date" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-right: 8px; color: #e63a2e !important;">Jan 17, 2014 | 6:24 PM</a> <span class="user_actions"><a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-thread#" class="reply_link" title="reply to this comment" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; display: inline-block; margin-right: 8px;">reply</a> <span class="cactions mod "><a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-thread#" class="rec_link " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; display: inline-block; margin-right: 8px;"> rec <span class="rec_count">(2)</span></a> <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-thread#" class="flag_link " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; display: inline-block; margin-right: 8px;"> flag</a> <span class="mod_actions"><a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-thread#" class="actions_toggle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #424242; display: inline-block; margin-right: 8px;">actions</a></span></span></span>
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<h4>GAMETHREAD ROLLCALL</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1">
<thead><tr>
<th width="20">#</th>
<th>Commenter</th>
<th># Comments</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/qthaballa">qthaballa</a></td>
<td>108</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>2</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Wall_Hopeful">Wall_Hopeful</a></td>
<td>93</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/elliotlevy2">elliotlevy2</a></td>
<td>63</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>4</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/souldrummer">souldrummer</a></td>
<td>53</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Craig_">Craig_</a></td>
<td>52</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>6</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Yeti60">Yeti60</a></td>
<td>51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Baird15">Baird15</a></td>
<td>41</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>8</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Banode">Banode</a></td>
<td>37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SladeKillah">SladeKillah</a></td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>10</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Triple%20Net">Triple Net</a></td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Zachary%20Beard">Zachary Beard</a></td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>12</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BackScreenLob">BackScreenLob</a></td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>13</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Durant">Durant</a></td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>14</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/KurisuDevil">KurisuDevil</a></td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>15</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Mandark">Mandark</a></td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>16</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/17squall">17squall</a></td>
<td>11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>17</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ZonkerBL">ZonkerBL</a></td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>18</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/nesby8">nesby8</a></td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>19</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/segrt12">segrt12</a></td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>20</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/izaballa">izaballa</a></td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ATrueNigerian">ATrueNigerian</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>22</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/DCKRS">DCKRS</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Asdesas">Asdesas</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>24</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Pluto1911">Pluto1911</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>25</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/dave21110">dave21110</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>26</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Singhgidda">Singhgidda</a></td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>27</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/cheezit">cheezit</a></td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>28</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/The%20Hoops%20Guru">The Hoops Guru</a></td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>29</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/daca">daca</a></td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>30</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/abovelegit">abovelegit</a></td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>31</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/endos2000">endos2000</a></td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>32</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Rook6980">Rook6980</a></td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>33</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/arian1123">arian1123</a></td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>34</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NewCavsfan">NewCavsfan</a></td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>35</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Llamaman">Llamaman</a></td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>36</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/WizKid27">WizKid27</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>37</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BealMVP4ever">BealMVP4ever</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>38</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Gators2015_BB3">Gators2015_BB3</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>39</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/MeToo">MeToo</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>40</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/WindyRindy">WindyRindy</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>41</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/obeast">obeast</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>42</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Nickdoggmoneycash">Nickdoggmoneycash</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>43</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Kend3zy">Kend3zy</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>44</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/jeyhsi">jeyhsi</a></td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3604021/nextclicks.css"></p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/18/5321614/magical-pixels-wizards-vs-bulls-john-wall-leads-washington-back-to-500Jeff Newman2014-01-17T21:40:38-05:002014-01-17T21:40:38-05:00Wall leads Wizards to win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JYgEjLmn1WjV3Fgi_yLt3e2KSlM=/0x77:4000x2744/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27033885/20140117_krj_sb4_026.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>John Wall took matters into his own hands in the the second half, leading Washington to a 96-93 victory to improve to .500 on the season. </p> <p>It wasn't pretty, and at times was incredibly frustrating, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> closed out a tight ball game in their 96-93 win at home against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a>. This was a night riddled with turnovers, foul trouble to Bradley Beal, and an unusually strong shooting performance by Kirk Hinrich. But as All-Stars generally do, <span>John Wall</span> took control of the game, pouring in 23 points on 9-15 shooting along with 11 assists.</p>
<p>From the moment this game tipped off, it seemed like the Wizards had complete control of the ball game. Aside from a few bone-headed turnovers to start, the offense got whatever it pleased. The team lived inside the paint, led by Wall who constantly sucked in defenders by wisely probing the defense before kicking it out to shooters along the perimeter. Kirk Hinrich simply had no shot against Wall, much like in their meeting on Monday night, and the Bulls were forced to overcompensate. But, this was far from the blowout the team handed Miami on Wednesday, and the defense was the culprit. Surprisingly, it was D.J. Augustin who came off the bench and took it right to Garrett Temple to the tune of 11 first half points on 4-5 shooting. The Wizards kept the Bulls in it by refusing to fight over screens, leading to a number of wide open shots, and handing them extra possessions with careless turnovers.</p>
<p>And those open shots and careless turnovers carried over to the third quarter. It was another poor showing out of halftime, as the Bulls quickly took the lead while feasting on four Wizards turnovers in the first four minutes. Things didn't get any easier as Bradley Beal picked up his fourth foul while trying to contest a Joakim Noah shot under the basket. There were just too many bobbled passes and really no sense of urgency from the team.</p>
<p>Then, <span>Randy Wittman</span> called timeout following a wide-open Mike Dunleavy three, and the tide turned as John Wall came alive. He sunk a contested 17-footer, then leaked out in transition, caught an outlet pass from Ariza, raced down the floor, spun in the air as he got fouled, and tossed the ball up near the hoop. The ball magically hit off the backboard and into the hoop. Finally, the Wizards had some momentum heading into the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>It was all John Wall and Bradley Beal in the fourth quarter. Wall assisted on three huge buckets for the Wizards while knocking down a huge pull-up of his own. Regardless of the turnovers, he played an incredible floor game against a tough Chicago defense. As for Beal, he connected on four of his five attempts in the quarter while finally clamping down on defense and fighting over those pesky Chicago screens.</p>
<p>With ten seconds remaining and holding onto a three-point lead, the Wizards had an interesting dilemma on their hands. Should they foul? Ultimately, they decided not to, and against Chicago's bunch set out of the sideline out-of-bounds, they did not switch, and instead used Wall to stunt to Dunleavy curling off a screen. This forced the opposition to reset, and found Nene on a mismatch against Jimmy Butler. Nene blocked the shot, sealing the victory and lifting Washington to .500.</p>
<p>Here are some game notes:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Otto Porter didn't do anything offensively in his 6 first-half minutes, but I love the defense he showed at the end of the half. He clogged up a driving lane, dug down and helped on a Boozer post-up, and managed to run cross-court to contested a three in the corner. It obviously doesn't excuse him not even attempting a shot, but it's something. </span></li>
<li><span>Wings were consistently short-cutting those Chicago screens, and the Bulls made them pay. Probably the main reason why this was such a close game in the first half, just gave up too many open shots. </span></li>
<li><span>Mentioned this on twitter, but it's so refreshing to see Wall just pull-up from three in the waning seconds of the second quarter. You don't want it to become a habit, but the Wizards rarely ever iso Wall, and when they do, he's always trying to break down his defender before shooting an off-balanced long-two. These threes are just so much more efficient. </span></li>
<li><span>A lot of poor breakdowns on defense to start the third, none bigger than the events leading to the Dunleavy three at the 5:47 mark. First Wall let Hinrich get to the middle when he should have ICED it and force him to the sideline, then after a Dunleavy screen, Wall signaled to Martell to switch, but instead, both defenders charged at Kirk. Easy three for Chicago.</span></li>
<li><span>Just an incredible chase-down block by Garrett Temple near the end of the third. He knew D.J. Augustin would try a reverse layup, so he slowed down and timed his jump about as well as anyone can. He's made about a handful of incredible defensive plays in transition since being promoted to back-up PG.</span></li>
</ul>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320676/wizards-vs-bulls-final-score-wall-powers-washington-to-96-93-winUmair Khan2014-01-17T18:16:00-05:002014-01-17T18:16:00-05:00Your Wizards-Bulls game thread
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rvTyMZPLyErMqWOjizJZbJlrRGY=/0x142:4000x2809/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27027055/20140113_jla_ad4_113.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Discuss tonight's game here.</p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"><tbody> <tr><th style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="silver">2013-14 NBA Regular Season</th></tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center style="text-align: center;"><img width="80" height="72" src="http://goodlogo.com/images/logos/chicago_bulls_logo_3120.gif"></center></td> <th style="text-align: center;" width="20" align="center">vs</th> <td width="240"><center style="text-align: center;"><img width="80" height="72" src="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/wizards_alt_logo_hand.gif"></center></td> </tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>January 17, 2014</strong></td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center"><strong>Verizon Center</strong></td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center"><strong>7 p.m.</strong></td></tr> <tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center"><strong>CSN, 106.7 The Fan</strong></td></tr> <tr><th style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>Projected Starting Lineups</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>Kirk Hinrich</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">PG</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>John Wall</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"> <span>Jimmy Butler</span><br> </td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">SG</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>Bradley Beal</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"> <span>Mike Dunleavy</span><br> </td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">SF</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>Trevor Ariza</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>Carlos Boozer</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">PF</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>Nene</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>Joakim Noah</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">C</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>Marcin Gortat</span></td> </tr> <tr><th style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>2013-14 Advanced Stats</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>90.5 (28th)</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>92.9 (19th)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>100.0 (28th)</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>104.1 (21st)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>100.5 (2nd)</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>105.0 (11th)</span></td> </tr> <tr><th style="text-align: center;" colspan="3" bgcolor="silver" height="20">Also see: <a href="http://www.blogabull.com">Blog a Bull</a> | <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5319334/wizards-vs-bulls-preview-can-washington-keep-their-momentum-going">Preview</a> </th></tr> </tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<p>One big win against Chicago on Monday. Another big win against Miami on Wednesday. Can we keep the success rolling tonight? Can we get back to .500? SO MANY QUESTIONS! Guess we'll see!</p>
<p>GO WIZARDS!</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5320428/wizards-vs-bulls-game-time-tv-schedule-and-open-threadAmin Vafa2014-01-17T13:00:19-05:002014-01-17T13:00:19-05:00Can WAS keep their momentum going against CHI?
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vpd0MlRWgLrzaAKgqhWX8yrCUKs=/0x177:2708x1982/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27007523/462546073.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jonathan Daniel</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Having won two games in a row, the Washington Wizards will get back to .500 if they can beat the Chicago Bulls tonight. Here's what you need to know.</p> <p>Another game, another chance at reaching .500. The 18-19 <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Wizards</a>, coming off one of their best wins in years, get a rematch with a team they <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/13/5306282/wizards-vs-bulls-final-score-102-88-january-2014">beat handily only a few days ago</a>. The <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bulls</a> are still trying to win games but, without <span>Luol Deng</span> or <span>Derrick Rose</span>, they're very beatable. This should be a good one.</p>
<p><b>Where and when?</b> Tip off is at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Center.</p>
<p><b>Are they good?</b> Record-wise, they're 18-19, just like Washington, so they're technically OK. Realistically, they're a great defensive team that can't score but has nonetheless managed to eke out wins against bad teams since essentially punting on the season and dealing Luol Deng for pennies on the dollar.</p>
<p><b>What's happened since the last time they played Washington?</b> Since losing 102-88 to the Wizards on Monday, the Bulls have won a triple overtime thriller against the <a href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orlando Magic</a> that saw <span>Jimmy Butler</span> play 60 minutes. As good as the game itself was, the real highlight was Magic point guard Jameer Nelson's Sam Cassell big balls dance after he hit a shot that tied the game and sent it to overtime.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Piw9UAsyP4o" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><b>What are they good at?</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/13/5304462/wizards-vs-bulls-preview-can-washington-strike-down-chicago">Earlier this week I wrote about how good their defense is</a>. That still applies, so let's look at something else. Despite one of the league's worst offensive ratings, Chicago is actually very accurate when they shoot. The Bulls' effective field goal percentage of 47%, which takes into account the added difficulty and value of three pointers, is the third best in the NBA. While Butler and <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> are horribly innaccurate from almost everywhere on the court, especially since the Deng trade, the rest of the team is good about converting the shots they get and not forcing up bad ones. If this team had someone, say, an All-Star caliber point guard who can make difficult shots when the offense stagnates and set up the role players for easy buckets, they'd actually be a fairly potent offense.</p>
<p><b>What are they bad at?</b> Did I mention they can't score? Their three point shooting is tied very closely to this. No one in the rotation other than <span>Mike Dunleavy</span> is making more than 35% of their three pointers. For the sake of comparison, <span>John Wall</span> is the only player in the Wizards rotation who fits this criteria and his 32% three point percentage would make him the Bulls' third best three point shooter. A lot of this is tied to the team's lack of a shot creator - it's harder to make three pointers when you're not open. Without a great ball handler and scorer who can draw enough defensive attention to scramble opposing team's rotations, open three pointers tend to be few and far between.</p>
<p><b>Who's going to win?</b> The Wizards ought to win this one. They're a better team, no one on the Bulls can even begin to check Wall, and the Wizards are playing at home. The one thing that could give the Bulls a shot is if the Wizards come out lazy and overconfident after destroying Chicago earlier this week and dominating the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Heat</a> for two and a half quarters.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/1/17/5319334/wizards-vs-bulls-preview-can-washington-keep-their-momentum-goingThomas Pruitt