Bullets Forever - A thrilling playoff run ends: Wizards fall to Pacers, 93-80, in Game 6"Ain't No Luck"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48097/BulletsForever-fv.png2014-05-16T13:06:48-04:00http://www.bulletsforever.com/rss/stream/54861432014-05-16T13:06:48-04:002014-05-16T13:06:48-04:00Wizards choose pride over grief
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<figcaption>Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Wizards' season ended Thursday, but afterwards, players were talking about how much they accomplished this year.</p> <p>WASHINGTON -- Forty seconds before the final horn sounded, the Verizon Center crowd rose to its feet. For the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a>, victory was out of reach, and this is normally when the crowd would bolt for the exits. Some made their way out, sure, but most stayed.</p>
<p>"Our fans, they were great," said <span>Randy Wittman</span> after the game. "It's too bad we could not do more for them in winning some games here because our players really liked that. They really enjoyed the support they got."</p>
<p>The crowd stayed there standing, on its feet, and cheered. They cheered and clapped, hooted and hollered. They let their voices be heard. As the Wizards walked off the court, you could see they were disappointed, but the remaining fans kept their spirits high for them. The crowd in the Phone Booth thanked their team for fighting hard and surpassing everyone's expectations. They were a city proud of its team and the way it battled.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4463147/USATSI_7915571.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Usatsi_7915571" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/assets/4463147/USATSI_7915571.jpg"></a></p>
<p><i>Geoff Burke/USAToday Sports Images</i></p>
<p>It would have been easy for the Wizards to feel sorry for themselves, but they wouldn't allow it themselves to feel down and they wouldn't allow each other to feel down without support. The fans wouldn't allow it, either.</p>
<p>"To have a standing ovation from those fans and see how much they support us and cheer for us [was great] and [that they] were happy for the season," beamed Jon Wall. "We definitely don't want it to end, we didn't want it to end at home in front of those great fans and it was tough. It was a tough pill to take, but we just keep our heads up."</p>
<p>"Nobody expected us to be here," continued Wall. "When we were coming out of the game, I was just shaking my teammates' hands it kind of hit me that the season was over. You didn't want it to end.</p>
<p>"We got into the locker room and coach came in, you could see it before he could say a word, he was very emotional. All of us were. We knew how far we came."</p>
<p>"When I knew I was coming out, it really just hit me," remembered <span>Bradley Beal</span> after the loss. "The season was over and it really hurt. For us to be in the locker room, and see coach emotional, me and John were emotional, it sucked.</p>
<p>I love these guys and we've been through so much and we got this far and we were just this close from the Eastern Conference Finals. Just like that: it just ended."</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4463139/USATSI_7915573.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Usatsi_7915573" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4463139/USATSI_7915573.jpg"></a></p>
<p><i>Geoff Burke/USAToday Sports Images</i></p>
<p>When Randy Wittman finally took the podium last night, his eyes were still a little red. The mixture of sadness, frustration and disappointment hung in the air like D.C.'s famous summertime humidity. It was thick, and it was palpable, and you could see it in the coach's face.</p>
<p>But just as this team has done repeatedly throughout the year, Wittman channeled that frustration into positive momentum.</p>
<p>"I think we all felt we had an opportunity here to do more than we did, and that is a good feeling for those guys. They are hurt in there, and when you are hurt, that means you care."</p>
<p>It seems odd to equate "caring" with a Wizards squad, considering all the years of unfocused locker rooms, in-fighting, stat-stuffing and general chaos that has surrounded the team. But this team seems to have finally figured out how to play for each other. The selflessness is pervasive; top to bottom, young to old, coach to player and player to coach.</p>
<p>"I think tonight was our 101st game of the year counting exhibition, [and Wall] did not miss a game," said Wittman of his point guard last night. "He did not <i>want </i>to miss a game. He was there for me for 101 starts. As a coach that means a lot."</p>
<p>"I could not be more proud of the group of guys than I am of these guys," Wittman said. "They gave me their heart and soul this year. They let me ride them, let me love them."</p>
<p>While Wall and Beal are certainly the cornerstones of the franchise going forward, it's clear that the cornerstone of the rebuild of the team's culture started and ends with Nene. His presence and example, both on and off the court, have been the rock upon which this team built its church.</p>
<p>"We believe in each other," exclaimed Nene about himself and his teammates.</p>
<p>And he wants to build on that belief going forward. Asked if he wants this team to stay together for the foreseeable future, the forward responded "Definitely. When things work, you can't take things off. You have to add."</p>
<p>"The only thing I'm thinking right now is that I'm so proud of my team. The way we started and the way we finished was amazing."</p>
<p>As down as everyone was, the Wizards were quick to continue to motivate positively motivate themselves after the tough ending to the game and season.</p>
<p>"This loss hurts more than anything just knowing that it all just came to an end just like that," said Beal. "But at the same time, nobody really thought we would be this far. For us to actually make it here and for us to believe in ourselves and make Indiana earn it, we should be proud of ourselves and there's nothing we should hang our head about."</p>
<p>"Right now," Nene agreed, "we need to put our heads up because it was an unbelievable season. We learned a lot of things. It was a tremendous experience. Sometimes you need to fail to succeed.</p>
<p>We failed today; we'll succeed tomorrow."</p>
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<p><i>Rob Carr/Getty Images</i></p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/16/5723338/nba-playoffs-washington-wizards-indiana-pacers-game-6-pride-loss-end-of-seasonAmin Vafa2014-05-15T23:36:36-04:002014-05-15T23:36:36-04:00Wall supports Wittman<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/5486143">Wall supports&nbsp;Wittman</a></h3>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5722622/wall-supports-wittmanMike Prada2014-05-15T22:46:31-04:002014-05-15T22:46:31-04:00Wizards season ends as they drop Game 6, 93-80
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<figcaption>Rob Carr</figcaption>
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<p>It's over. The Wizards made it a game, but couldn't complete their comeback, losing the series, 4-2.</p> <p>Well, that does it. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a>' season ended as they dropped Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to the visiting <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a>, 93-80.</p>
<p>This was yet another low-scoring affair in which Washington's lack of shot creation and inability to finish at the basket around <span>Roy Hibbert</span> was their downfall. The Wizards were slightly discombobulated early on, forcing shots and playing loose defense before settling down by the second quarter. That's common among inexperienced teams but you would think that by now they would have shaken whatever playoff jitters they'd have by now.</p>
<p>The second half and third quarter in particular is when things began to turn around, however briefly. Washington clamped down on defense, forced a few turnovers and a Wall layup got the lead down to seven which is about when the crowd went completely bananas. Soon enough, though, the flow of the game reverted back to the way it was during the first half in which the Washington guards would continually drive to the basket, get stopped a few feet from the paint and kick out to Gortat or Nene for a contested fadeaway 15 feet from the hoop. While these look like decent shots, it's an inefficient way to run an offense and slows the pace of the game, playing right into the Pacers' hands.</p>
<p>Washington finally got back into it when Wall made a floater with 8:58 left to put the Wizards down two, 73-71. Hibbert going to the bench for the start of the quarter allowed Washington to establish some momentum, then a Beal three out of a time out game the Wizards their first lead since early in the game ...</p>
<p>... and just like that, it was over. Indiana countered with a run of their own, fueled largely by David West's jumper and some bad turnovers and missed threes by Washington. A small Washington lead became a small Indiana lead, then a large one. There was hope for half a second as Beal launched a three with Washington down nine and three minutes on the clock but he airballed the shot, the Pacers turned around and got two off a Stephenson floater, and the Pacers spent the last two minutes on cruise control.</p>
<p>So I guess that's that. The most successful Washington Wizards season since the 1970s is over. If you're reading this you're probably more than a little depressed, perhaps even despondent. Don't be. They played hard and they played for each other, and that's all you can ask of a team. And hey, with the publicity this little run brought the team, at least you'll have a few more people around the DMV to talk hoops with.</p>
<p>We'll have more on the season that was as well as Game 6 in the next day or two. For now, though, just try to stay positive and focus on all the good things this team accomplished this year.</p>
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<li><span><span>John Wall</span> had a quiet game and never seemed to get going. <span>George Hill</span> did an excellent job of pestering him on the perimeter and he struggled to get all the way to the basket without having his kick outs deflected by George or his layups heavily contested by the 7'2 Roy Hibbert. He desperately needs a floater, something that would allow him to score more regularly against defenses that pack the paint like Indy as well as save his body some wear and tear from all the spills he takes around the basket.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Lance Stephenson</span> can be a little streaky and tonight that played out in Indiana's favor. He constanlty made plays off the dribble and his unpredictableness was a stark contrast to the far more predictable four players around him. That said, he demonstrated the qualities that could make him a disaster as a free agent signing if he winds up in the wrong place. Players who over-dribble and think score first can wreak havoc on the chemistry, both on-court and off-court, of their teams and Stephenson fits this to a t. He'd be a great addition to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Nets</a> or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Bulls</a> due to his athleticism and jets, but he could cause literal fist fights if he winds up in a place like Houston or Sacramento.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Bradley Beal</span> never quite found his rhythm tonight. He hit a few jumpers but struggled to find the catch and shoot opportunities that are his specialty, largely due to how hampered Wall's playmaking ability was. He also had a couple of awful experiences taking the ball to the basket, struggling to finish against the Pacers length and taking a couple of nasty falls that never seemed to lead to free throws. All in all, though, his performance wasn't awful or anything and it's important to remember that this guy still can't legally drink. Shooting guards of his ilk tend to peak around 27, 28 years old. As good as he is now, can you imagine how much better he'll be after seven years of continuous improvements to his game and body?</span></li>
<li><span>The crowd was good tonight, especially at the start of the game and during Washington's rallies in the second half. They also gave a nice ovation to the team during garbage time when the game had been decided and even engaged in some "Let's go Wizards" chants, more as a thank you than due to any realistic chance of the team coming back. They're still not exactly the toast of the town, but people seem to be really getting into the team, and that's a good thing any time they're looking to attract free agents.</span></li>
<li><span>It was fitting that the last 15 seconds or so of the game featured not only two missed free throws (leading to free Chick-Fil-A and a huge ovation from the crowd) and an <span>Otto Porter</span> airball. Fans continued to chant "Let's Go Wizards" even after time had expired and gave a standing ovation to the clearly crushed players as they left the floor.</span></li>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5722094/wizards-vs-pacers-final-score-washingtons-season-ends-as-they-dropThomas Pruitt2014-05-15T21:28:50-04:002014-05-15T21:28:50-04:00Your Wizards-Pacers game thread (Part 2)
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Discuss the second half here.</p> <p>Well, boys and girls, that first half was not ideal. Time for the half of your lives, Wizards.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5722326/wizards-vs-pacers-nba-playoffs-2014-game-6-open-thread-part-2Mike Prada2014-05-15T19:37:49-04:002014-05-15T19:37:49-04:00Your Wizards Pacers game thread (Part 1)
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Discuss the first half here.</p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"><tbody> <tr><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center" bgcolor="silver">2013-14 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Playoffs</a> </th></tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center style="text-align: center;"> <img src="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/wizards_alt_logo_hand.gif" height="72" width="80"> </center></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">vs</th> <td width="240"><center style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/6/224/full/3083.gif" height="72" width="80"></center></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>May 13, 2014</strong></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong>Verizon Center</strong></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong>8 p.m.</strong></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong>ESPN, 99.1 FM</strong></td></tr> <tr><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>Projected Starting Lineups</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>George Hill</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>Lance Stephenson</span></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>Paul George</span></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>David West</span></td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">PF</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240">Nene</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240"><span>Roy Hibbert</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 colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" align="center" bgcolor="silver"><strong>2013-14 Advanced Stats</strong></th></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240">94.9 (20th)</td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">Pace</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>95.4 (19th)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240">101.5 (22nd)</td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">ORtg</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>103.3 (16th)</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;" align="right" width="240">96.7 (1st)</td> <th style="text-align: center;" align="center" width="20">DRtg</th> <td style="text-align: center;" width="240"><span>102.4 (9th)</span></td> </tr> <tr><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" bgcolor="silver" height="20">Also see: <a href="http://www.indycornrows.com/">Indy Cornrows</a> | <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/nba-playoffs-2014-wizards-vs-pacers">BF's series section</a> | <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5720896/wizards-vs-pacers-nba-playoffs-2014-game-6-preview-can-they-keep-it-up">Game Preview</a> </th></tr> </tbody></table>
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<p>ELIMINATION GAME! GET HYPE! TURN DOWN FOR WOLF!</p>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet"> <p><a href="http://t.co/eiJpTocec7">http://t.co/eiJpTocec7</a> MT <a href="https://twitter.com/wolfblitzer">@wolfblitzer</a>: I don't know about you but I'm getting excited about tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards">@WashWizards</a> Playoff Game 6 in DC.</p>— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) <a href="https://twitter.com/BulletsForever/statuses/467039358919671808">May 15, 2014</a> </blockquote>
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<p>GO WIZARDS!</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5722086/pacers-vs-wizards-nba-playoffs-2014-game-6-open-thread-part-1Amin Vafa2014-05-15T13:28:33-04:002014-05-15T13:28:33-04:00Game 6 preview: Can they keep it up?
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington Wizards bounced back in Game 5, defeating Indiana, staving off elimination and making the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs extend to six games. With elimination one loss away, though, can they keep the Pacers on the ropes?</p> <p>Game 5 of the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a>-<a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pacers</a> series was one of the most inspiring games of the season. With their backs against the wall and having been left for dead by the national media, the Washington Wizards rallied to lay the smack down on Pacers.</p>
<p>Now, they're home, and they lost both of their games at the Verizon Center. They're still one loss from going fishing. This should be a good one.</p>
<p><b>Where and when? </b>Tip off is at 8 p.m. at the Verizon Center. You can watch on ESPN or listen on 99.1 FM.</p>
<p><b>Can Washington keep their momentum going?</b> Ok, so here's the thing: The Wizards aren't going to outrebound the Pacers by 30+ boards again. I mean, hopefully they do, but it's not going to happen. Here are a few key individual performances from game five and whether it's realistic to expect something in the same ball park tonight.</p>
<p><b><span>Marcin Gortat</span>, 31 points, 16 rebounds, 13 of 15 shooting.</b> Not gonna happen again. Gortat had two points and three boards in the previous game so his performance should fall somewhere in the middle tonight. Washington getting <span>Roy Hibbert</span> into foul trouble early on could be very useful, as none of the other Pacer bigs can bang with Gortat. Washington desperately needs points against an elite defense like Indiana's and Gortat's scoring punch could be the deciding factor tonight if <span>John Wall</span> and <span>Bradley Beal</span> can't get going.</p>
<p><b><span>Trevor Ariza</span>, 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, held <span>Paul George</span> to 15 points.</b> This could go either way. If Ariza can stick to George and get free for a few more corner threes, he could make up for any problems Beal and Wall have with putting the ball in the hole. Even if he doesn't, he's so good at moving the ball to cutters at the rim and shooters on the perimeter that getting another five high-value assists might be even more valuable than upping his own scoring, assuming that the defense is more or less sticking to him.</p>
<p><b>John Wall, 27 points, five rebounds, five assists.</b> Probably not going to happen. Indiana is good at preventing perimeter players from getting all the way to the basket and that hurts Wall more than anyone else on the team. He could continue to put up points if his jumper is falling but his assists and playmaking capabilities are far more valuable to this team, especially considering the inability of his running mates to create their own offense in the halfcourt.</p>
<p><b>Bradley Beal, 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, solid defense.</b> Beal could very easily do this again and may score even more than he did in 5 five. Look for instances in which he gets switched onto George on defense. Yes, the bigger George can post up Beal at will, but the rest of the Pacers' offense stagnates when this happens and it's not a very efficient way to score. Golden State did similar stuff with <span>Harrison Barnes</span> this year -- using him as a post up option against smaller guards -- and even though it looked good the casual fan, it played a key role in the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Warriors</a> punching below their weight class on offense throughout the year.</p>
<p>The key for the Wizards tonight is putting up points. Indiana won't smoke them on offense unless they simply get lucky or the Wizards implode, so this game is going to be a race to 85 or 90 points. If Washington can make this happen, and this seemed inconceivable at times during the series, they should be good as gold. If not, well, get ready to read a bunch of season retrospectives tomorrow.</p>
<p><b>Who's going to win? </b>My head says Washington due to home court advantage (it has to pay off eventually, right?) and a renewed sense of confidence. My gut says Indiana, and it's solely because <a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280502027">we've seen this movie before and it never ends well for Washington</a>. It's a new era in Washington, though, and John Wall and Bradley Beal are winners. My prediction is that there's going to be a Game 7. Go Wizards!!!!!</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/15/5720896/wizards-vs-pacers-nba-playoffs-2014-game-6-preview-can-they-keep-it-upThomas Pruitt