GT #4: 76ers @ Bullets 7 PM (MonSportsNet/106.7 FM)

[Northwest Roddy]

Haha. Wiz incompetence is no conspiracy. We have almost fifty years of evidence. Keefe played the vetrans because he wanted to win. That’s the irony. It wasn’t tanking by intent.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

With all that’s going on in sports with sports betting being a part of the equation, I often hear the word “rigged” used to explain an inexplicable outcome, I won’t used “rigged” to describe what I felt while watching the Wizards give up the lead to Philly, up a lot with 3 minutes left to play, instead I’ll use ‘staged’ because that’s how it looked and felt.


There is no way that no one on the team had the wherewithal to establish composure as the collapse was happening. It was strange to me how no one on the team really looked too perplexed at the possibility of losing the entire game, when saving the win would’ve been so easy, even if only winning by a single point.

Just utterly bizarre how accepting of the loss Brian Keefe was in the postgame interview, and really the whole team for that matter; I don’t recall seeing anybody that looked dejected.

Yeah you didn't think it was odd that CJ drove into 4 defenders to try an impossible layup when we were down 3 with the final possession?

I understand trying to extend the game, what I don’t understand is why McCollum would’ve been the person given the green light to make these key decisions late in the game as if he was so integral to the team’s early-on dominance or had made any big shots down the stretch.

Why Keefe relied on the veterans so heavily out of nowhere to take last shots and even throw in the inbounds pass was beyond me.

He really sold the young guys out in an utterly disgusting display of a lack of faith in them to close out a game.

[tontoz]

Let's not forget that Sarr and George both put up airballs in the last two minutes of OT.

This should be the last year that we are starting scrub vets and playing them big minutes.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

With all that’s going on in sports with sports betting being a part of the equation, I often hear the word “rigged” used to explain an inexplicable outcome, I won’t used “rigged” to describe what I felt while watching the Wizards give up the lead to Philly, up a lot with 3 minutes left to play, instead I’ll use ‘staged’ because that’s how it looked and felt.


There is no way that no one on the team had the wherewithal to establish composure as the collapse was happening. It was strange to me how no one on the team really looked too perplexed at the possibility of losing the entire game, when saving the win would’ve been so easy, even if only winning by a single point.

Just utterly bizarre how accepting of the loss Brian Keefe was in the postgame interview, and really the whole team for that matter; I don’t recall seeing anybody that looked dejected.

Yeah you didn't think it was odd that CJ drove into 4 defenders to try an impossible layup when we were down 3 with the final possession?

This is the playbook for this season play perfectly. Showcase the vets show they’re healthy and able to play minutes. Develop the young guys like Sarr. Play hard and competitive for 3 quarters. Blow the game at the end to get the loss and roll out the tank.

I’m sorry, we will lose other games that should allow us to remain in the top 8. You don’t lose a game like this against a team that may finish top in the conference, up by that much, with that little bit of time left in the game. You take the win and let it rest in the memories of the young guys as a positive that they’re capable of.

[Kanyewest]

Middleton hit the last shot for the Wizards at 2:41 to put the Wizards up 10. CJ missed 2 shots (1 blocked by Bona), then we had turnovers by Carrington, and George. Followed by a miss by MIddleton to close out regulation with a chance to win.

Then with the Wizards up 5, we have a Sarr turning over the ball twice along with a missed shot barely hitting the rim, a couple missed shots by McCollum, an offensive foul on Middleton (have to check how legit this foul was), and George missing an airball 3. Then George finally makes a 3 with the game out of reach.

It looks like there is plenty of blame to go around - in what may end up being a beneficial loss in the long run. Really the big issue is that Tre Johnson should be getting some of these crunch time reps - hard to take out two of the most established guys on the team though I understand there is a conflict (although that being said Kispert probably should have seen crunch time over McCollum just based on the way he was playing).

[Rafael122]

With all the scrutiny the League is under due to the gambling investigations right now, I actually wonder whether they will start to look at blatant tanking like the Wizards are doing. Its beyond obvious. I'm sure PHX is not very happy about it. You can bet their management will be quietly complaining to the NBA.

Phoenix wants us to be worse so there is no pick swap.

[GoneShammGone]

With all the scrutiny the League is under due to the gambling investigations right now, I actually wonder whether they will start to look at blatant tanking like the Wizards are doing. Its beyond obvious. I'm sure PHX is not very happy about it. You can bet their management will be quietly complaining to the NBA.

Phoenix wants us to be worse so there is no pick swap.

True, but the home run for them is that they pick top 3 and we lose the pick to the Knicks. Then there is also no swap, as I understand it.

[dckingsfan]

With all the scrutiny the League is under due to the gambling investigations right now, I actually wonder whether they will start to look at blatant tanking like the Wizards are doing. Its beyond obvious. I'm sure PHX is not very happy about it. You can bet their management will be quietly complaining to the NBA.

This. There are a few teams that should be penalized for this behavior. And we are one...

I am all for the NBA making the odds equal 1-14 at this point. It really degrades the overall product.

[Kanyewest]

With all the scrutiny the League is under due to the gambling investigations right now, I actually wonder whether they will start to look at blatant tanking like the Wizards are doing. Its beyond obvious. I'm sure PHX is not very happy about it. You can bet their management will be quietly complaining to the NBA.

Phoenix wants us to be worse so there is no pick swap.

Yup, plus they want the Hornets to be bad as well since the Suns would get the worse of Hornets pick this season.

[9 and 20]

I think it would be the Knicks complaining to the league about us tanking. We would go right back at them and say what about Ewing!!!!

[dobrojim]

Yeah you didn't think it was odd that CJ drove into 4 defenders to try an impossible layup when we were down 3 with the final possession?

This is the playbook for this season play perfectly. Showcase the vets show they’re healthy and able to play minutes. Develop the young guys like Sarr. Play hard and competitive for 3 quarters. Blow the game at the end to get the loss and roll out the tank.

I’m sorry, we will lose other games that should allow us to remain in the top 8. You don’t lose a game like this against a team that may finish top in the conference, up by that much, with that little bit of time left in the game. You take the win and let it rest in the memories of the young guys as a positive that they’re capable of.

If we finished 8th worse, we would probably lose our
pick as only one team would need to leapfrog us.
I'd be pretty nervous above 5/6th.

[DCZards]

Haha. Wiz incompetence is no conspiracy. We have almost fifty years of evidence. Keefe played the vetrans because he wanted to win. That’s the irony. It wasn’t tanking by intent.

This.

McCollum and Middleton played down the stretch because, despite how poorly they ended up playing, their vet presence/experience gave the Zards the best chance of winning.

Not buying the conspiracy (or rigged) nonsense.

[payitforward]

...in basketball having better players trumps everything else

Rinse & repeat 199 times.

[payitforward]

I don’t understand the Keefe hate on this board. ....

Me neither. He's obviously an outstanding coach!

[payitforward]

All I can say is PHUCK YOU Keefe.

For better or worse it's obvious what Keefe is trying to do.....and I hate it.

Keefe: Play badly and I will play you. Better yet, jack up shots and don't play D and you will get in the game. Do you hear that Justin?

Not sure what you two are so upset about.... The season is going just about perfectly so far.

[payitforward]

Haha. Wiz incompetence is no conspiracy. We have almost fifty years of evidence. Keefe played the vetrans because he wanted to win. That’s the irony. It wasn’t tanking by intent.

This.

McCollum and Middleton played down the stretch because, despite how poorly they ended up playing, their vet presence/experience gave the Zards the best chance of winning.

Not buying the conspiracy (or rigged) nonsense.

I'm with Zards and NWR on this. We did NOT blow this game intentionally.

[badinage]

It’s blatantly obvious Keef is under strict orders to tank. Take this as an example:

Read on Twitter

?s=46

As many have noted, this is fine as long as both vets (and Kispert) are gone post trade deadline.

Could it be that BK was trying to let them figure things out on their own? To give them a moment to grow and learn from, either way?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

When the sixers get Maxey, Edgecomb and McCain on the court together, that will be one wicked three guard lineup.

McCain is a very good basketball player, for sure. However, there's only one basketball. McCain is a ball dominant player. He will take touches from Edgecombe or Maxey on offense. If Philly plays all three they will be very small.

It's going to be interesting when MCain returns.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

People think this was some kind of tanking genius, we were trying to win the game, there will be plenty of blatant tank games ahead.

CJ and Khris did a good job tanking by being awful at the end and in OT

I don’t understand the Keefe hate on this board. This team has been an absolute pleasure to watch this year as they are competing hard. That was an undefeated Sixers team we controlled for three quarters with great ball movement and defensive intensity. I haven’t seen that level of defensive rotation since Flip Saunders was at the helm.

Did we blow a big lead? Yes. But we’re also a young, inexperienced team. Tre had three straight good looks from three in the fourth quarter that just didn’t fall. No hate, just unlucky. Any one of those probably changes the outcome.

Have we seen growth from our young players? Absolutely. I even thought Bub played great tonight.

They’re competing on defense, moving the ball on offense, and showing real growth. Sounds like a good coach to me.

Should we have won the game? Yes. But honestly, our top priority this year is to keep our pick, so this was the perfect outcome. Compete for over three quarters and still take the L.

I was expecting this board to be ecstatic after that game.

I agree, awolfinwater.

They are competitive. Fans of other teams are noticing talented Wizard players. They're 1-3 instead of 2-2. They beat Dallas. They outplayed Philadelphia for three quarters. They led Charlotte by 11 at half before pooping themselves. They played Milwaukee evenly for three quarters.

Trust the process.

[Kanyewest]

It’s blatantly obvious Keef is under strict orders to tank. Take this as an example:

Read on Twitter

?s=46

As many have noted, this is fine as long as both vets (and Kispert) are gone post trade deadline.

Could it be that BK was trying to let them figure things out on their own? To give them a moment to grow and learn from, either way?

There was at least one replay reviews as well during regulation which was used as a psuedo timeout.