GT #32: Bullets @ Celtics 7 PM (NBCSW/1500 AM)

[WallToWall]

The timeout at around 45 seconds was the real pivotal moment. Brooks basically gave them a free layup in order to defend the 3 point line. Boston drew up a play to get an easy layup immediately. That allowed them to just defend and not have to foul. We proceeded to get a Westbrook 3 at the end of the shot clock instead of driving the ball.

Then of course Brooks forgets to call a timeout when Beal gets stuck.

Top it off with matching Beal up on Tatum and not double teaming or trapping or anything, give up an easy layup. Then of course, Beal gets doubled on other end.

A million mistakes, in the last minute. It’s the clear difference between a good coach and a bad coach. Wasted a great performance by Beal and an important win for us.

All this, and one more.
In crunch time, only Beal wanted the ball. Last play of the game, it may have been desinged for Beal to shoot it. However, if he is being double teamed, someone has to get free and in a spot for a pass. Nobody else wanted it.

No. Russ was calling for the ball. He was open at the 3-point line. Boston left him open -- they were willing to take a chance on a made 3-pointer by Westbrook beating them.

But, what didn't happen was that nobody made a cut to the hoop. At least that's how it looked from the angles I saw.

Giving the J for Russ to shoot is a good move by Boston. We (at least I) scream every time Russ takes a J, regardless of if he makes or misses it. Russ should be cutting to the basket. Russ should know that is his best move. Bertans should curl around to get the ball for a 3 point shot. There should have been SOMETHING happening from our players when they saw Beal getting doubled. Its like everyone froze. I havent seen the replays...but thats how it looked to me in real time.

[Eli Babak]

**** you Scott Brooks. This L is on you.

[nate33]

Horrible loss, the last few minutes we looked like a poorly coached team, Boston was poised all the way in those last few minutes and completed the steal of this game.

If Beal doesn't fall down, we win the game. Everything else about the last few minutes was fine. We used up clock, and got good looks. Beal recognized the double teams and found the open man. He hit Brooks for a minimally contested hook shot, and then his Westbrook for a wide open 3. That should have been enough to win the game, if not for the turnover.

I reject the notion that this was a string of incompetent plays and stupidity. The only mistake was that neither Beal nor Brooks called a timeout when Beal was trapped. That's it. Everything else was fine.

This is basketball. Both teams are competent and both are trying to win. You can't expect perfection. You can only expect good clock management, and hopefully good looks on offense while avoiding fouls and denying good looks on defense. We did that.

[NatP4]

It was absolutely a string of incompetent plays and stupidity.

Is giving Tatum 3 easy layups “Denying good looks on defense” ?

At this point, I’m not actually sure if some of these people watched the end of the game.

[payitforward]

Horrible loss, the last few minutes we looked like a poorly coached team, Boston was poised all the way in those last few minutes and completed the steal of this game.

If Beal doesn't fall down, we win the game. Everything else about the last few minutes was fine. We used up clock, and got good looks. Beal recognized the double teams and found the open man. He hit Brooks for a minimally contested hook shot, and then his Westbrook for a wide open 3. That should have been enough to win the game, if not for the turnover.

I reject the notion that this was a string of incompetent plays and stupidity. The only mistake was that neither Beal nor Brooks called a timeout when Beal was trapped. That's it. Everything else was fine.

This is basketball. Both teams are competent and both are trying to win. You can't expect perfection. You can only expect good clock management, and hopefully good looks on offense while avoiding fouls and denying good looks on defense. We did that.

This is 100% correct. Let t go.

[closg00]

Horrible loss, the last few minutes we looked like a poorly coached team, Boston was poised all the way in those last few minutes and completed the steal of this game.

If Beal doesn't fall down, we win the game. Everything else about the last few minutes was fine. We used up clock, and got good looks. Beal recognized the double teams and found the open man. He hit Brooks for a minimally contested hook shot, and then his Westbrook for a wide open 3. That should have been enough to win the game, if not for the turnover.

I reject the notion that this was a string of incompetent plays and stupidity. The only mistake was that neither Beal nor Brooks called a timeout when Beal was trapped. That's it. Everything else was fine.

This is basketball. Both teams are competent and both are trying to win. You can't expect perfection. You can only expect good clock management, and hopefully good looks on offense while avoiding fouls and denying good looks on defense. We did that.

Re-watch the last 3 minutes...moving-on though

[Ruzious]

We're focusing on what happened at the end, but that wouldn't be an issue if we didn't get killed on the boards. Our starting backcourt were our 2 leading rebounders. Our front court got a total of 2 offensive rebounds, while Tristan Thompson got 6. Our 3 centers got a total of 3 rebounds - all by Lopez. Their starting front court got 30 rebounds. Ours got 8. Not to mention, we got no production and 5 fouls combined from Bonga (0 for 5) and Avdija.

[queridiculo]

Wasted effort if there ever was one, but as far as I am concerned I don't really mind.

Those are the kind of games that are going to keep the Wizards in the lottery and from a team building perspective that's exactly what their goal should be.

You're not going to win many games where when you get a donut from 3/5th of the starting lineup, and despite all the feel good stories, the Washington roster leaves a lot to be desired.

[dobrojim]

Drew Gooden, he's not a bad guy and Im sure he means well but I miss Phil Chenier. Drew just talks way too much.

Phil’s a good guy but we really shouldn’t have let Kara Lawson get away.

[dobrojim]

A bad first quarter, but down just five. If it's not Deni's night, use Troy or Bonga.

File this under what ifs but if Brooks plays TBJ instead of Bonga, we probably win
as he woulda made at least one of those open 3s.

[nate33]

A bad first quarter, but down just five. If it's not Deni's night, use Troy or Bonga.

File this under what ifs but if Brooks plays TBJ instead of Bonga, we probably win
as he woulda made at least one of those open 3s.

TBJ doesn't defend nearly as well as Bonga though. Bonga made life a little bit difficult for Tatum.

[dobrojim]

A bad first quarter, but down just five. If it's not Deni's night, use Troy or Bonga.

File this under what ifs but if Brooks plays TBJ instead of Bonga, we probably win
as he woulda made at least one of those open 3s.

TBJ doesn't defend nearly as well as Bonga though. Bonga made life a little bit difficult for Tatum.

I’m unconvinced the difference (defensively) would have been determinative
certainly when compared to the shooting difference. But oh well.

[DCZards]

Drew Gooden, he's not a bad guy and Im sure he means well but I miss Phil Chenier. Drew just talks way too much.

Phil’s a good guy but we really shouldn’t have let Kara Lawson get away.

I loved Kara as a commentator. Couldn’t afford to keep her tho. Plus she had higher aspirations.

Gooden talks too much and doesn’t know what he’s talking about most of the time. The worst.

[nate33]

File this under what ifs but if Brooks plays TBJ instead of Bonga, we probably win
as he woulda made at least one of those open 3s.

TBJ doesn't defend nearly as well as Bonga though. Bonga made life a little bit difficult for Tatum.

I’m unconvinced the difference (defensively) would have been determinative
certainly when compared to the shooting difference. But oh well.

You are right, of course. It's an unknown. But Brooks also had no way of knowing Bonga would miss all those open 3's. Indeed, Bonga has been fairly reliable at canning open 3's if he has the time to wind up. Playing Bonga only becomes a bad decision after we see that he missed 5 out of 5 3's.

I just try and resist criticizing rotation decisions with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.

[dlts20]

Beal has to get off a better shot at the end. Yes he was in a awkward position but once it's clear that he has to shoot it himself, square up and take a normal shot, even if you have to fade some. Flipping the ball up like he did was unacceptable

[NatP4]

That one is a stretch IMO. Bonga is ALOT better than Brown defensively. Bonga missed shots but was +10 and played high level defense and really helped us get some consecutive stops and go on a nice run. Brown has been unplayable most of the season.

If anything, you could argue that playing Bonga for 20+ minutes would’ve given us a better chance to win.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

What the loss demonstrated is that although the Wizards have improved, they are not Scott Brooks-proof good. Mediocre to bad coaching Can still sabotage this team.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

The timeout at around 45 seconds was the real pivotal moment. Brooks basically gave them a free layup in order to defend the 3 point line. Boston drew up a play to get an easy layup immediately. That allowed them to just defend and not have to foul. We proceeded to get a Westbrook 3 at the end of the shot clock instead of driving the ball.

Then of course Brooks forgets to call a timeout when Beal gets stuck.

Top it off with matching Beal up on Tatum and not double teaming or trapping or anything, give up an easy layup. Then of course, Beal gets doubled on other end.

A million mistakes, in the last minute. It’s the clear difference between a good coach and a bad coach. Wasted a great performance by Beal and an important win for us.

All this, and one more.
In crunch time, only Beal wanted the ball. Last play of the game, it may have been desinged for Beal to shoot it. However, if he is being double teamed, someone has to get free and in a spot for a pass. Nobody else wanted it.

No. Russ was calling for the ball. He was open at the 3-point line. Boston left him open -- they were willing to take a chance on a made 3-pointer by Westbrook beating them.

But, what didn't happen was that nobody made a cut to the hoop. At least that's how it looked from the angles I saw.

Yeah, Westbrook had a pretty good looking lane to the hoop.