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

[dckingsfan]

They were 22nd in turnover rate last year, pretty bad for a veteran team.

Solid point - I thought last year the TOs were very much integrated into the offensive schema - there was just no room to operate. But the TOs are back with a vengeance... (although they are now 19th instead of 24th)

The Wizards are LAST in turnovers so far this season -- 17.3% of their possessions end in a turnover; league average so far is 13.9%.

Wow, that is pretty bad. Interesting that we are 19th in TOs but 30th in TO% (unless I am reading it incorrectly).

Implementing new offenses can be hazardous to a coaches longevity.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Solid point - I thought last year the TOs were very much integrated into the offensive schema - there was just no room to operate. But the TOs are back with a vengeance... (although they are now 19th instead of 24th)

The Wizards are LAST in turnovers so far this season -- 17.3% of their possessions end in a turnover; league average so far is 13.9%.

Wow, that is pretty bad. Interesting that we are 19th in TOs but 30th in TO% (unless I am reading it incorrectly).

Implementing new offenses can be hazardous to a coaches longevity.

If you're looking at total turnovers, it's a games played thing. Every team with more turnovers has played 1-2 more games than the Wizards.

[dckingsfan]

The Wizards are LAST in turnovers so far this season -- 17.3% of their possessions end in a turnover; league average so far is 13.9%.

Wow, that is pretty bad. Interesting that we are 19th in TOs but 30th in TO% (unless I am reading it incorrectly).

Implementing new offenses can be hazardous to a coaches longevity.

If you're looking at total turnovers, it's a games played thing. Every team with more turnovers has played 1-2 more games than the Wizards.

But of course they won't have ANY turnovers over the next 3 games

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

One more thing - our differential is -5.5. Which puts us only above the Nets and Sixers in the east. I would think that would put Wittman on the hot seat in a hurry.

This isn't a playoff team. Not right now IMO.

Looking at how much other teams have improved and how little overall upside this team has; there's a good chance the Wizards trend down.

[dckingsfan]

One more thing - our differential is -5.5. Which puts us only above the Nets and Sixers in the east. I would think that would put Wittman on the hot seat in a hurry.

This isn't a playoff team. Not right now IMO.

Looking at how much other teams have improved and how little overall upside this team has; there's a good chance the Wizards trend down.

It is interesting that the level of play in the east "seems to" have improved (small sample size though).

Cleveland is better than last year and Atlanta is still really good. Toronto and Chicago didn't take a dip and Miami is playing well. Add to that Detroit is playing much better than we are...

At this point, we are fighting for 7th or 8th seed. But, the offense could kick in and we could revert back to the mean on our D and be fine.

Going to be very interesting.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

One more thing - our differential is -5.5. Which puts us only above the Nets and Sixers in the east. I would think that would put Wittman on the hot seat in a hurry.

This isn't a playoff team. Not right now IMO.

Looking at how much other teams have improved and how little overall upside this team has; there's a good chance the Wizards trend down.

It is interesting that the level of play in the east "seems to" have improved (small sample size though).

Cleveland is better than last year and Atlanta is still really good. Toronto and Chicago didn't take a dip and Miami is playing well. Add to that Detroit is playing much better than we are...

At this point, we are fighting for 7th or 8th seed. But, the offense could kick in and we could revert back to the mean on our D and be fine.

Going to be very interesting.

Boston thumped the Wizards. Milwaukee has more wins. I thought Indiana would take a downturn but Paul George is back better than ever. Myles Turner will be a very good player. Vogel is a great coach.

Any of those three teams can win more games than Washington.

The Knicks are improving and they beat Washington. Orlando is better coached than last season. Charlotte has a revamped roster.

I honestly believe Washington is only 9th or so in the east.

[dckingsfan]

This isn't a playoff team. Not right now IMO.

Looking at how much other teams have improved and how little overall upside this team has; there's a good chance the Wizards trend down.

It is interesting that the level of play in the east "seems to" have improved (small sample size though).

Cleveland is better than last year and Atlanta is still really good. Toronto and Chicago didn't take a dip and Miami is playing well. Add to that Detroit is playing much better than we are...

At this point, we are fighting for 7th or 8th seed. But, the offense could kick in and we could revert back to the mean on our D and be fine.

Going to be very interesting.

Boston thumped the Wizards. Milwaukee has more wins. I thought Indiana would take a downturn but Paul George is back better than ever. Myles Turner will be a very good player. Vogel is a great coach.

Any of those three teams can win more games than Washington.

The Knicks are improving and they beat Washington. Orlando is better coached than last season. Charlotte has a revamped roster.

I honestly believe Washington is only 9th or so in the east.

If they keep playing like they are playing - I would have to violently agree with you. Hope some kind of switch flips.

[pineappleheadindc]

Bumping this thread to get board opinions of Randy's in-game performance tonight vs CHA (11/25)

[dandridge 10]

Bumping this thread to get board opinions of Randy's in-game performance tonight vs CHA (11/25)

I think he stayed with Neal a little too long, but we lost mainly because Wall and Beal disappeared and the Wiz settled for jumpers instead of attacking the rim despite no shot blockers on the Hornets.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Bumping this thread to get board opinions of Randy's in-game performance tonight vs CHA (11/25)

Not good.

Rode some players and lineups too long.

Should have gotten in Wall's ear and said "get to the friggin' rim!"

Kept running the same stuff over and over.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Two weeks later I feel the same. Ninth or so in the east.

[CMRicci89]

Took too long to make changes in the 4th. The bench right now cannot produce. Neal does nice stuff but Temple doesn't add anything. Have to think carefully here. Sack the coach now, and what's the goal for this season? We really need to get some momentum going, and perhaps Wittman needs to abandon the Small Ball offense and go back to what we did best last season. Wall isn't himself this season.

[dckingsfan]

Took too long to make changes in the 4th. The bench right now cannot produce. Neal does nice stuff but Temple doesn't add anything. Have to think carefully here. Sack the coach now, and what's the goal for this season? We really need to get some momentum going, and perhaps Wittman needs to abandon the Small Ball offense and go back to what we did best last season. Wall isn't himself this season.

Well, I think that is the issue more than anything else. He didn't/wasn't able to get the team into their offense - to get some easy baskets in the 4th quarter. So goes John, so goes this team. If he plays below all-star level we aren't going to the playoffs.

Add to that - Beal has not improved, is still oft injured and there you have it - an average team.

[dckingsfan]

I would add one more thing - I think that the FO and ownership has pushed Wittman to change his offense - and that is fine. But this team needs to live and die on the defensive end...

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

During the first couple of games this season, it seemed like Wall and Beal were in playoff mode, attacking the rim with ferocity, bringing defensive intensity on every possession.

Problem is, that is not sustainable over the course of an entire season. At some point, scheme and talent have to allow some coasting.

There are a lot of sins that having KD could cover up, such as getting easy buckets. If KD doesn't come, I really have no idea what this team is going to do.

[Tricky_Kid]

It will be interesting to see few more losses and what EG will do then. I heard enough BS that balls weren`t falling. This all pace and space in wizards version is a total disaster. Do U really think Wittman returns to old slower pace game? I don`t think so cause it would means He did mistake and "new offense" strategy was only waist of time. Never root for us to lose but maybe a small 5-6 losing streak make some changes.

[LyricalRico]

I would add one more thing - I think that the FO and ownership has pushed Wittman to change his offense - and that is fine. But this team needs to live and die on the defensive end...

Agree with this. Wouldn't be surprised if they told Wittman to use this season to prove he can coach a 21st century offense or his job is in jeopardy. Everybody thinks they can be Golden State just by playing faster.

[TheSecretWeapon]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/11/5/9674536/randy-wittman-after-timeout-plays-coaching-washington-wizards

A few interesting points that stuck out to me about this post over on Bullets Forever.

1) Plays after timeouts have been pretty effective at creating open looks. Just as importantly, they've opened up looks quickly, sometimes at crucial points in the game.

2) Randy has generally taken the long view with his team at the expense of short term wins and losses. Developing Wall, preserving Pierce until the playoffs, and this year, managing Dudley's minutes coming off injury.

3) Wall and Randy are in sync when it comes to what they're seeing on the floor. This is going to be critical next offseason as Wall will be a big part of selling the team (and Randy) to prospective FAs.

I haven't always been the biggest fan of Wittman, but most of that was due to the style of play and the way that style failed to play into Wall's strengths. That's really dominated my view of him prior to this year. Going forward, I think I'll have to start looking at other aspects of his coaching which I've previously paid much less attention to.

I actually found this article kinda disappointing. Umair (whose work I generally like) asserts that Wittman is excellent in designing after timeout plays, but the evidence he presents (several successful plays) doesn't support his assertion. To conclude that Wittman is excellent, he'd need to include a comparison with other teams/coaches. Where do the Wizards rank in offensive rating after timeouts? From what I could find online, last season (per Synergy) the Wizards weren't in the top 10 in efficiency after timeouts.

It'd be great if Wittman truly is excellent in designing after timeout plays, but it's still a big "maybe" -- at least in my eyes.

There's also the issue of how much "designing" actually goes on during timeouts. Most coaches I've talked with say they NEVER draw up anything new in a timeout because it's guaranteed that someone is going to forget his assignment. What they do in timeouts is review things they've already practiced.

Followed up on this with a new article at Vice. The article looks at after timeout (ATO) efficiency league-wide, but the lede was Wizards. And I included this:

The narrative about Washington being excellent in plays after timeouts because of Wittman is three years out of date. The Wizards ranked sixth in ATO efficiency in Wittman's first full season as head coach. In the years since: No. 25, No. 25, and No. 28. Since Wittman took over, the Wizards rank just No. 26 in ATO efficiency.

I'm going to be on Bleacher Report's Sirius radio show tonight at 6:40 to talk about the article, if you're interested. It's Sirius 83.

[AFM]

Nivek blowing up! Shout out the RealGM Wizboard bruh!

[TheSecretWeapon]

Nivek blowing up! Shout out the RealGM Wizboard bruh!

Sorry, couldn't work in a RealGM mention. I did manage to drop my data partner, Seth Partnow at NylonCalculus.

So, Wizards stuff...

During Wittman's tenure, the Wizards rank 26th in after timeout efficiency. In "late" ATO situations, they rank 25th.