Wiz @ BOS Drunkards: Fireball Edition | Game 7

[80sballboy]

It is 20/20 hindsight. How do you know any other combination would have done better? Besides, you guys keep focusing on that small stretch of time. The game is 48 minutes. You blame the loss on 2-3 minutes of time and discount everything that occurred before and after that time. There was plenty of time for the Wizards to come back and win and they couldn't get it done because the STARTERS could not defend. Even IF there was an argument that the line-up in the late third quarter was a mistake, there are far better reasons for the loss...our sucky bench and the lack of commitment on the defensive end.

That 2-3 minutes of time, where they went on a 13-3 run to end the third quarter, kind of changed the game around, don't you think?

[dandridge 10]

Why it wasn't 20-20 hindsight
- Ian Mahinmi should have been benched in the 2nd half based on his 1st half performance, especially on the defensive end.
- Jason Smith at the 4 has been an awful defender for most of this season.
- John Wall has routinely run out of gas when playing 40+ minutes (see game 2)
- People have been questioning the Jennings/Wall combo since game 1 of the Atlanta series.

At the end of the day though, no coach is going to be perfect. I bet there were some things which Stevens did which are questionable too (for instance continuing to start Amir Johnson). It isn't the only reason Washington.

As I already pointed out, you can't always predict how a player will play in the second half on how they played in the first. John Wall in Game 6 is a case in point.
Smith is a bad defender. However, he also has provided a spark off the bench many times this season.
John Wall ran out of gas because we have NO reliable back-up point guards.
Agree on the Jennings/Wall combo...Jennings barely played in the second half.

[dandridge 10]

It is 20/20 hindsight. How do you know any other combination would have done better? Besides, you guys keep focusing on that small stretch of time. The game is 48 minutes. You blame the loss on 2-3 minutes of time and discount everything that occurred before and after that time. There was plenty of time for the Wizards to come back and win and they couldn't get it done because the STARTERS could not defend. Even IF there was an argument that the line-up in the late third quarter was a mistake, there are far better reasons for the loss...our sucky bench and the lack of commitment on the defensive end.

That 2-3 minutes of time, where they went on a 13-3 run to end the third quarter, kind of changed the game around, don't you think?

I don't think that combination was in during that entire run. Even if it was, that is par for the course with whatever bench players we have gone to this season. IT HAS HAPPENED ALL SEASON WHEN WE WENT WITH OUR BENCH, NO MATTER WHO WAS OUT THERE. What makes you think it would have been different with other bench players. We had plenty of time to come back. We have done so many times this season. We cut it to 4-5 with 6 minutes left. The starters could not get a stop and Wall bricked shots. Game over.

Listen, if it makes you guys feel better to blame Brooks for the loss, go for it. I'm no huge Brooks fan. I just think there were far bigger reasons for the loss than Brooks rotations, particularly when he really has nothing to work with.

[Kanyewest]

Why it wasn't 20-20 hindsight
- Ian Mahinmi should have been benched in the 2nd half based on his 1st half performance, especially on the defensive end.
- Jason Smith at the 4 has been an awful defender for most of this season.
- John Wall has routinely run out of gas when playing 40+ minutes (see game 2)
- People have been questioning the Jennings/Wall combo since game 1 of the Atlanta series.

At the end of the day though, no coach is going to be perfect. I bet there were some things which Stevens did which are questionable too (for instance continuing to start Amir Johnson). It isn't the only reason Washington.

As I already pointed out, you can't always predict how a player will play in the second half on how they played in the first. John Wall in Game 6 is a case in point.
Smith is a bad defender. However, he also has provided a spark off the bench many times this season.
John Wall ran out of gas because we have NO reliable back-up point guards.
Agree on the Jennings/Wall combo...Jennings barely played in the second half.

I agree that the Wizards should have gone with Smith but at center. Ian was simply out of position too many times to put him back in the 2nd half because he was so bad at defending in space in the 1st half; he clearly is not at 100%. Again, these were things I was saying they should do as they were happening.

Of course, I tend to agree with you that it wasn't all on coaching. Wall was only 2/16 on Jumpers, Gortat had 3-4 turnovers. Morris took a lot bad mid range jumpers. Guys like Bojan weren't aggressive enough, probably would rather have Bojan shooting more in this game than Wall. These things I would say would fall into the 20/20 hindsight and the fact that Boston was simply the better team and having the better offensive scheme.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

It is 20/20 hindsight. How do you know any other combination would have done better? Besides, you guys keep focusing on that small stretch of time. The game is 48 minutes. You blame the loss on 2-3 minutes of time and discount everything that occurred before and after that time. There was plenty of time for the Wizards to come back and win and they couldn't get it done because the STARTERS could not defend. Even IF there was an argument that the line-up in the late third quarter was a mistake, there are far better reasons for the loss...our sucky bench and the lack of commitment on the defensive end.

First of all, you could be right!

For the sake of argument, I am just saying that once they lost momentum and got down in Boston in game seven, it became an uphill climb. Pre game I posted they would not come from behind to win that game. Just a prediction, but it came true.

That small stretch? You want an airline pilot to take a one minute power nap when you're flying on that plane?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using RealGM mobile app

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ, There are countless times a player has a bad half only to turn it around in the second half. Wall just displayed that in Game 6. Beal has displayed it many times, as well as Porter and just about every other player on this team. It was Game 7. I don't blame Brooks for relying on players who had the most experience. I know you would always play every single player on the bench, but nobody does that. Again, you see a result with X players and conclude that would have had to be better with Y players. There is just no evidence that would be true. It actually could have been worse with Y players.

Of course there is no evidence. Dudes didn't get a chance!

What really bothered me was Mahinmi had a couple of fouls called against him in the third. The second looked bogus to me--that time Thomas initiated a rip move. Flailing away a shot attempt after diving into Mahinmi. If memory serves me Brooks left Mahinmi on the court. Boston had not yet overtaken Washington but the lead was gone. What Brooks did next pretty much sealed the deal.

The one thing to avoid was a Boston run. IMO Brooks predictably subbing personnel by set pattern and not by situational awareness and feel did Washington in. It's like telegraphing a punch. Like showing one's hand of cards. He put a dysfunctional shift, to coin a hockey phrase, on the court.

Mahinmi+Smith+Bogdanovic while Boston had their death lineup on the court???

Come on, man.

Those two threes should have happened! Jason Smith minus six that minute is entirely on Coach Brooks in my mind, any way.

Keep saying TGW is on point. Keep supporting your views. Keep disagreeing with me. I've seen this before.

Coach Saunders didn't have Wall, Beal, or Porter. But he sure did what a lot of coaching does. He sure did what Brooks did game seven.

Dude failed to adapt.

I've messed up the same way in many areas of my life. Just saying my mind...

Sent from my Moto G (4) using RealGM mobile app

I'll keep supporting my views CCJ. I know you will keep supporting your views that you could do a better job than any coach the Wizards have ever had. I know you will continue to use 20/20 hindsight to criticize rotations. I know you will continue to assert players that were not given a chance here will blow up elsewhere. I have seen that before too

For years on end!

Between reading my posts and being a fan of a team with EG as GM all these years; you're a hell of a survivor!

Much respect, dandridge!

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[NatP4]

How is it hindsight 20/20 to say that playing Jason smith at power forward against a team that plays small and shoots 3s is a terrible idea. We had two giant stiff bigs trying to guard the perimeter and they lit us up for a 13-3 run that broke the game open and woke the crowd up and sent us to the 4th down double digits.

I literally sat on this board all season long and said playing two bigs is asinine.

[dandridge 10]

CCJ,

I have to admit I don't come around here much anymore. Not because of you. I always enjoy your posts. However, a couple of other new posters rub me the wrong way and I have found better things to do in my free time than getting aggravated on this site. The Wizards are enough for that. Still will lurk here occasionally and post every now and then. Hope all is well with you.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ,

I have to admit I don't come around here much anymore. Not because of you. I always enjoy your posts. However, a couple of other new posters rub me the wrong way and I have found better things to do in my free time than getting aggravated on this site. The Wizards are enough for that. Still will lurk here occasionally and post every now and then. Hope all is well with you.

God bless you, brah, as we say here!

I'm hanging in there.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using RealGM mobile app

[DCZards]

like, OKC fans all agree that brooks' flaws were his idiotic rotations and his terrible simple minded iso offense.

but this entire board denies all of those things, its so pathetic.

Do you really think we should be evaluating Brooks (or any coach for that matter) based on the opinion of "fans"?

[montestewart]

CCJ,

I have to admit I don't come around here much anymore. Not because of you. I always enjoy your posts. However, a couple of other new posters rub me the wrong way and I have found better things to do in my free time than getting aggravated on this site. The Wizards are enough for that. Still will lurk here occasionally and post every now and then. Hope all is well with you.

I forget, did you join the tix boycott this year?

I used to love your after the game summaries

[payitforward]

All in all, we can just say the better team won & leave it at that. After all, it's sort of true by definition -- that's how you tell who's better, by looking at who the winner was. & we have 7 game series to make sure that holds true.

It was a great series, as hard-fought as you could ask for, & close too. We had a chance to steal a win in game 2, but we couldn't quite manage it. Really, that was the lost opportunity.

By the time we got to game 7, the hill was just too steep to climb. Especially given the number of minutes we needed from the starters. With the bench we have, we had no choice but to exact those heavy minutes.

(It's interesting to note that 4 of their 5 starters could easily be Wizards. Amir Johnson was taken 7 picks after Andray Blatche in R2 of the '05 draft. Avery Bradley went 2 picks after Kevin Seraphin in '10. Thomas was taken long after our pick of Shelvin Mack in 2011. And, he was also available as a FA (with many of us here calling for the Wiz to sign him!) finally, Jae Crowder came off the board in 2012 two picks after our choice of Tomas Satoransky (again with many of us wanting Ernie to pick Crowder!). Just an odd coincidence that shows up in hindsight.)

[dandridge 10]

CCJ,

I have to admit I don't come around here much anymore. Not because of you. I always enjoy your posts. However, a couple of other new posters rub me the wrong way and I have found better things to do in my free time than getting aggravated on this site. The Wizards are enough for that. Still will lurk here occasionally and post every now and then. Hope all is well with you.

I forget, did you join the tix boycott this year?

I used to love your after the game summaries

Yep. After 20 years as a season ticket holder, I gave them up. I could no longer justify giving so much of my hard earned money to an owner who is content to have a buffoon run the team. The fact that they didn't even try to keep me as a ticket holder, despite my long tenure in the Center Select seat, soured me even more on the organization.

I had no regrets this year even with the Wiz doing well. I will always be a fan and l watched every game on TV. However, I would say that my fandom is not quite like it used to be thanks to Ernie and Ted's commitment to him.

[montestewart]

CCJ,

I have to admit I don't come around here much anymore. Not because of you. I always enjoy your posts. However, a couple of other new posters rub me the wrong way and I have found better things to do in my free time than getting aggravated on this site. The Wizards are enough for that. Still will lurk here occasionally and post every now and then. Hope all is well with you.

I forget, did you join the tix boycott this year?

I used to love your after the game summaries

Yep. After 20 years as a season ticket holder, I gave them up. I could no longer justify giving so much of my hard earned money to an owner who is content to have a buffoon run the team. The fact that they didn't even try to keep me as a ticket holder, despite my long tenure in the Center Select seat, soured me even more on the organization.

I had no regrets this year even with the Wiz doing well. I will always be a fan and l watched every game on TV. However, I would say that my fandom is not quite like it used to be thanks to Ernie and Ted's commitment to him.

I remember when I was on the fence about renewing, still soured by 2011-12 season, and they just wanted more, more, more. They didn't try to keep me. I think Terd views fans as fungible, a dime a dozen, regardless of what empty seats say.

I watch every game too, but it is a little more detached without the occasional yelling until I have no voice. Maybe someday...

Hope you keep checking in from time to time dandridge

[dandridge 10]

Thanks, I will.

[WallToWall]

looking at the Celtics vs Cavs game... it really shows how bad our defense is. The Cavs are barely breaking a sweat and they have all the Celtics players in check.
For us, its not a case of working hard, or wanting it more. We worked hard on defense...we're just not as good, and/or our defensive scheme is just not good enough, as the Cavs.