Official Randy Wittman Thread - It's Playoff Randy Time LOL

[Illmatic12]

Randy is actually really lucky that Nene woke up and has a pulse, which has bailed him out IMO. The problem is that I believe Randy would have still continued to start Nene even if he still had zero field goals in the series, and that's what scares me about him being the coach longterm. The "full steam ahead, darn the torpedoes" attitude when something is clearly not working (same with the Beal iso offense that fails most of the time, yet they still run repeatedly late in games even when Wall is healthy).

Heck, I even wonder if Pierce at the 4 would have still happened if Humphries hadn't been hurt late in the season and Wittman had gone into the playoffs with his normal rotation still intact. What about him makes us think he would have deviated from what he'd been doing all year had everyone been healthy and in sync?

It's about more than just one game, or one player. This is a coach that has a trend of moving way too slow when it comes to trying new things to win. And it's worse IMO when the team is fighting for their playoff life without their best player.

Guys Nene himself is a major problem on this team. Not enough people seem to acknowledge this. He's a sinkhole right now in the construction of the roster, and that isn't Wittman's fault.

I know Randy isn't the best coach out there, but any coach having to deal with a moody inconsistent big man like Nene has to be hell. Nene is an overpaid albatross contract, who at this stage in his career he only plays hard when he wants to, has the worst attitude on the court constantly complaining to the refs, always bitching about injuries, nonexistent leadership skills as far as I know (I've never heard anyone on the team refer to him as a leader yet even Gooden gets praise from his teammates).

BUT when he IS willing to play hard, the guy can go out and dominate for a game or even a playoff series. So as a coach, you kind of want to placate to his ego a bit in hopes that he will flip that 'switch'.. this is the dynamic that has been happening with every coach Nene has had for almost his entire career. Unfortunately we're getting him at the tail end of that career, when his play on the court is starting to no longer be worth putting up with his BS anymore.

If Nene was more focused in his approach to the game, Randy could at least get a better feel for how and when to use him successfully. But you can't blame a coach when he has to practically beg a guy to play on a game-to-game basis. I don't envy anyone who has to coach Nene, he's the least coachable player on the team imo and the Wizards (and Wittman) will be much better off once he's been replaced.

Prophetic
On a side note, is it premature to get our hopes up about a Randy-Ernie firing?

Exactly my point.

The guy flashes his talent, but ultimately he is garbage because he cannot be relied upon.

I don't see how Wittman is a worse problem than Nene atm.. replace Nene with a better PF and this team is 100x more successful

[Higga]

I can't blame Witt for last night. If he puts Gortat in, we get killed by a Horford jump shot(Gortat can't guard him out there). Nene has to be able to grab a rebound there to win it.

[dckingsfan]

Is this the players or Wittman or both?

"Clutch time is defined as the final 5 minutes of a game with the score within 5 points, and in clutch time of Game 6, the Wizards missed 9 of 11 shots. In fact, after Bradley Beal's jumper with 3:50 left, Washington did not make another field goal."

[fishercob]

A glimmer of hope that #PlayoffRandy will become the new normal:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/johnschuhmann/status/599571388547084288[/tweet]

[queridiculo]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

His stubbornness is the staple of his coaching career, I don't see why anything would change between now and next year.

[dckingsfan]

fish and queridiculo perfectly described the Wittman hope vs. reality.

[Wizardspride]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

Perhaps Randy felt he didn't have the personnel to match up.

[nuposse04]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

Perhaps Randy felt he didn't have the personnel to match up.

He doesn't encourage guys to play the way they did in the playoffs. If Randy tells Hump this offseason to work on his 3pt shot like no tomorrow then I'd consider it progress, if not...then meh.

[Sluggerface]

Just hire a new assistant to help design a new offense please. Preferably someone you can promote after next year.

[Illmatic12]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

His stubbornness is the staple of his coaching career, I don't see why anything would change between now and next year.

We didn't have the players to match up with Atlanta's front court. Go back and look at everyone's predictions, we knew that going into the series that there was no favorable matchup against Horford/Millsap. .


We need to acquire a long and mobile big man who can defend the more mobile PF/Cs.. that solution doesn't exist on our roster right now. Which is the FOs task, not Wittman's.

[Illmatic12]

A glimmer of hope that #PlayoffRandy will become the new normal:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/johnschuhmann/status/599571388547084288[/tweet]

Wiz trying to acquire stretch fours and more floor spacers around Wall/Beal? Finally this organization may have learned not to screw up the careers of its talented players!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Is this the players or Wittman or both?

"Clutch time is defined as the final 5 minutes of a game with the score within 5 points, and in clutch time of Game 6, the Wizards missed 9 of 11 shots. In fact, after Bradley Beal's jumper with 3:50 left, Washington did not make another field goal."

Nobody will blame Wall but some kind of way the ball should have found its way to Beal.after he have the Wizards a lead.

Nene killed the Wizards but I think Wall was not stellar at the end.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

Perhaps Randy felt he didn't have the personnel to match up.

He doesn't encourage guys to play the way they did in the playoffs. If Randy tells Hump this offseason to work on his 3pt shot like no tomorrow then I'd consider it progress, if not...then meh.

I can't see Humphries ever being on board for Wittman. Same with Blair. Same with Webster.

Also, until Nene is moved Randy Wittman will play him heavy minutes.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I don't know, the frontcourt matchup with the Hawks went predictably one sided during the regular season and Wittman showed very little creativity in addressing it in 6 post season games against them.

His stubbornness is the staple of his coaching career, I don't see why anything would change between now and next year.

We didn't have the players to match up with Atlanta's front court. Go back and look at everyone's predictions, we knew that going into the series that there was no favorable matchup against Horford/Millsap. .


We need to acquire a long and mobile big man who can defend the more mobile PF/Cs.. that solution doesn't exist on our roster right now. Which is the FOs task, not Wittman's.

Jordan Mickey or Montrezl
Harrell seem to fit the physical profile.

Trading Humphries and Webster and a pick for Faried and a second is at least worth considering.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

A glimmer of hope that #PlayoffRandy will become the new normal:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/johnschuhmann/status/599571388547084288[/tweet]

Wiz trying to acquire stretch fours and more floor spacers around Wall/Beal? Finally this organization may have learned not to screw up the careers of its talented players!

Looking at Porter, with 15 more pounds I see a stretch 4 or a full time 3. Porter rebounds well for a SF and I think he's going to be able to play some PF in time.

Justin Anderson can defend and stretch the floor. He reminds me of Pierce. He's almost big enough to play some 4.

[DCZards]

Is this the players or Wittman or both?

"Clutch time is defined as the final 5 minutes of a game with the score within 5 points, and in clutch time of Game 6, the Wizards missed 9 of 11 shots. In fact, after Bradley Beal's jumper with 3:50 left, Washington did not make another field goal."

Nobody will blame Wall but some kind of way the ball should have found its way to Beal.after he have the Wizards a lead.

Nene killed the Wizards but I think Wall was not stellar at the end.

ccj, I'm always amused by your ability to consistently find fault with Wall's play. I'm sure Wall and the Zards wanted to get the ball to Beal for the last shot, but the Hawks knew that and focused their D on preventing that from happening.

JW is far from perfect but he played his butt off the last two games, despite dealing with a serious injury...and made big plays right up until the end of yesterday's game.

[dckingsfan]

Is this the players or Wittman or both?

"Clutch time is defined as the final 5 minutes of a game with the score within 5 points, and in clutch time of Game 6, the Wizards missed 9 of 11 shots. In fact, after Bradley Beal's jumper with 3:50 left, Washington did not make another field goal."

Nobody will blame Wall but some kind of way the ball should have found its way to Beal.after he have the Wizards a lead.

Nene killed the Wizards but I think Wall was not stellar at the end.

ccj, I'm always amused by your ability to consistently find fault with Wall's play. I'm sure Wall and the Zards wanted to get the ball to Beal for the last shot, but the Hawks knew that and focused their D on preventing that from happening.

JW is far from perfect but he played his butt off the last two games, despite dealing with a serious injury...and made big plays right up until the end of yesterday's game.

Hey Zards, it might be the question I posed... it is looking for blame. What was the cause of the lack of "clutchness"... not really a positive answer to that one.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm not going to ignore 7-21. I'm not going to only state the good.

The Wizards were much better defensively with Wall.

The Wizards were much easier for Atlanta to defend with Wall.

DCZards, when Wall takes a 3 early in the shot clock and misses; should I mention his absolute beast mode blocks on Teague?

The truth is that Wall shoots below. 400 FG in the playoffs. He shoots roughly .230 from 3-point in the playoffs.

The Wizards coach puts way too much burden on John Wall.

Rip2137 on the General Board, Washington vs Atlanta thread stated things in a way all Wall defensive/hypersensitive enablers such as yourself should read.

My issue is really that the ball sticking in one player's hand doesn't work as well as several players touching the ball and each one being empowered to make a play. Wittman is not helping Wall--John is getting tougher, more competitive, but IMO the coaching staff isn't helping him at the end of games.

[DCZards]

ccj, I am well aware that you are not going to ignore Wall's shortcomings. You've made that apparent the last 5 years. In fact, we can depend on you to be the first one to point them out.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Wittman's comments seem to be more about personnel than tactics or scheme, though I could be wrong. All I'm seeing right now is what someone put on Twitter. I think the comments are fairly disingenuous regardless. They could have played all season the way they did in the playoffs with the personnel they had on the roster. The proof of that is that they did it in the playoffs with the same players they'd had all year. And, a number of people were saying all year that the team should play a lot more like they did in the playoffs. Wittman mocked those ideas in at least one presser.

So, it should not have been a revelation that the Wizards could be better if they a) gave minutes to more productive players and lineups, and b) emphasized things that could improve their offensive efficiency (like shooting more threes).