GT #26: Bullets @ Pistons 7 PM (NBCSW/980 AM) [12/8/21]

[queridiculo]

Can't say I'm surprised to come into this thread and see everyone tearing Beal a new one. Typical Wizards fans. I can't wait until Beal is gone, to hear you guys moan about the next non-top 5 star we draft.

Salary and past performance are why he's getting all the criticism. The nexus of his rapid drop-off in production and his pending contract with subsequent supermax salary is the reason he gets the criticism. Expectations are super high because he's been super good for many years. Now, he's literally playing below league average. He's rating a net negative. Unlike Westbrook, Beal is clearly losing self confidence. Russell Westbrook just goes harder. Beal is shaky in the clutch.

It's sad to see .

Yeah, I mean I can't imagine fans being upset with a player that is holding the franchise hostage with his decision on a contract extension going on nearly two years now.

Hearing what the franchise needs to do to keep him happy while not performing anywhere near the level you'd expect from a franchise level player is a bit much.

[queridiculo]

Harrell is so bad defensively…and Gafford is hurt…

Sure looked like Harrell got the pine in the 2nd half.

[nate33]

Ugly win, but a win is a win.

The Wizards played much better D in the 2nd half. If not for improbable 3-point shooting from Frank Jackson (5/7) and Hamidou Diallo (2/3), this game wouldn't have been so close. Jackson was a 29% from 3 going into this game, and Diallo was a 26.7% from 3. How often does a team shooting 54% from 3-point range and still lose?

The offense still stinks though. Wes Jr. has got to find a way to clean up our actions at the top of the key. It's just a bunch of dribble handoffs or lousy high screens from our bigs that make no contact, leaving us with Beal with the ball at the top of the key with 8 seconds left and no advantage gained over the defense. Can we try some pin-downs and side pick-and-rolls just to mix things up?

Deni had a great first half and was extremely aggressive looking for his shots, almost to a fault. I love seeing the confidence! He was, as usually, terrific in help defense. He had some 50/50 calls go against him in one-on-one defense against Cunningham.

The last points in regulation scored by Jerami Grant at the free throw line was due to a TERRIBLE foul call on Dinwiddie. Grant totally flopped and threw his body back when Dinwiddie clearly was not exerting any force in that direction. The game should have been over in regulation.

We won the game because we pulled down 13 offensive boards, that's 30% of the available misses. Kuzma and Gafford each had 4 and Beal had 2. Gafford really was fantastic tonight, adding 6 blocks and 2 assists to the effort.

Shout out to KCP for his remarkable start to the 3rd quarter. The announcers were yapping about other stuff during the time, but in 2:30, KCP managed to score 10 points (2/2 from 2P, 2/2 from 3P) and force two defensive turnovers while defending in isolation. He single-handedly cut the 10 point deficit to 2.