Game 2 EC SemiFinals: Wizards @ Celtics 8 PM (TNT/1500 AM) [5/2/17]

[Wizardspride]

btw I know Dwight has his issues but we could have really used him snagging rebounds last night and defending the rim

Gortat gives us absolutely nothing defensively

I don't know if it's on Wall or Brooks, but we switch more than any other team I've watched. It seems like Wall is just jumping for the first opportunity to dish the responsibility of guarding IT to Gortat/Morris.

Then they get left on an island and well...die.

The Spurs switch just as much as us. Its better when Dedmon is playing C instead of Lee or Gasol.

Yep..and unfortunately the player who excels at this is in street clothes.

[Kanyewest]

btw I know Dwight has his issues but we could have really used him snagging rebounds last night and defending the rim

Gortat gives us absolutely nothing defensively

I don't know if it's on Wall or Brooks, but we switch more than any other team I've watched. It seems like Wall is just jumping for the first opportunity to dish the responsibility of guarding IT to Gortat/Morris.

Then they get left on an island and well...die.

The Spurs switch just as much as us.

Pretty much every team switches including the Warriors, Cavs, and Celtics. Kevin Love famously was able to guard Steph Curry on the perimeter in game 7.

[Kanyewest]

Wizards with only 47 points in the 2nd half. In the first quarter Washington had 42 points.

[nuposse04]

Whatever, this team is young. We're going to be right back there again next year. Win or lose my main concern is how to fix this team moving forward.

The problem with that sentiment is the man charged with fixing the problem... which HE created last summer... why would one have optimism moving forward?

[Kanyewest]

Oubre was the only Wizard to score in OT, had all of Washington's 5 points.

[FAH1223]

Whatever, this team is young. We're going to be right back there again next year. Win or lose my main concern is how to fix this team moving forward.

The problem with that sentiment is the man charged with fixing the problem... which HE created last summer... why would one have optimism moving forward?

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[Dark Faze]

If we can get heavy minutes for Mahinmi there's a chance we can get back to Boston 2-2

but he has to play regardless of whatever--he just has to

[Meliorus]

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Shot at Beal?

[blazeyo]

Whatever, this team is young. We're going to be right back there again next year. Win or lose my main concern is how to fix this team moving forward.

The problem with that sentiment is the man charged with fixing the problem... which HE created last summer... why would one have optimism moving forward?

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He says "shut the **** up" but to who?

[Mojo Amok]

The problem with that sentiment is the man charged with fixing the problem... which HE created last summer... why would one have optimism moving forward?

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He says "shut the **** up" but to who?

I saw David Spade courtside. Just sayin'.

[Dark Faze]

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Shot at Beal?

no idea

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Beal smh......

https://www.google.com/amp/deadspin.com/some-basketball-stuff-bradley-beal-did-last-night-1794873507/amp

Clearly not a good game for Beal, and probably one of his worst. Normally, you'd yank a player that was having this bad of an off-game. However, even at Beal's worst, we got nobody who has proven to be better than him on the bench. That is on EG, and a different topic.

That said, the bench has to rise up, challenge themselves, and play better. We can still win this, but not without something from the bench.

When Beal struggled their was an opportunity for Brooks to look deep down his bench at McClellan or Burke or Satoransky. Just steal five minutes or as long as they compete.

Beal could have reset.

This coach isn't maximizing the Wizards talent.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I keep trying to rationalize these first 2 games, and it's hard to do. We were the better team for 75% of Game 2, and still lost. By law of averages, that was our best shot as the road team to steal a game. Is it possible that we will be the better team for 75% of Game 5 or Game 7? Not to mention the high possibility of Boston stealing at least 1 home game?

Game 1 was another game that was completely in our control. Teams are 82-8 (don't remember exact stat) when they're up 16-0.

Even if our bench stopped being handicapped, can you really count on our starters to keep pounding them?

The only possibility is that we are actually so, so, so much better than Boston that Game 1 and Game 2 were both flukes on Boston's end where they made comebacks off of hot shooting and turnovers. Well, if we're much better the next 4 games could be all wins.

I think God was with Isaiah Thomas. He always was capable but he just willed his team while a perfect storm of things went Boston's way.

I expect Washington will destroy the Celtics in games three and four.

My heart says we're​ the better team and this could end in six.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Can we please stop blaming the refs and start blaming ourselves?

At 110-104 Gortat missed the back end of two free throws.

Boston hit two three point shots to tie.

Wall missed the first of two free throws.

Thomas hit two free throws.

Then, after Porter hits a tremendous three after ball movement; we go to isolation. Wall misses. Beal chokes. Game goes to OT.

None of that was on the refs. (The gift at Wizards 114-112 was on refs).

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[Saqs]

Beal smh......

https://www.google.com/amp/deadspin.com/some-basketball-stuff-bradley-beal-did-last-night-1794873507/amp

Clearly not a good game for Beal, and probably one of his worst. Normally, you'd yank a player that was having this bad of an off-game. However, even at Beal's worst, we got nobody who has proven to be better than him on the bench. That is on EG, and a different topic.

That said, the bench has to rise up, challenge themselves, and play better. We can still win this, but not without something from the bench.

When Beal struggled their was an opportunity for Brooks to look deep down his bench at McClellan or Burke or Satoransky. Just steal five minutes or as long as they compete.

Beal could have reset.

This coach isn't maximizing the Wizards talent.

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

10000 times this.

[payitforward]

Clearly not a good game for Beal, and probably one of his worst. Normally, you'd yank a player that was having this bad of an off-game. However, even at Beal's worst, we got nobody who has proven to be better than him on the bench. That is on EG, and a different topic.

That said, the bench has to rise up, challenge themselves, and play better. We can still win this, but not without something from the bench.

When Beal struggled their was an opportunity for Brooks to look deep down his bench at McClellan or Burke or Satoransky. Just steal five minutes or as long as they compete.

Beal could have reset.

This coach isn't maximizing the Wizards talent.

10000 times this.

Always possible, when something doesn't work out, to find something different in hindsight that would have. Had we gone to Burke or Satoransky & lost, people here would be fuming that Brooks gave up on his start SG.

I'd say Brooks has done fine in maximizing what he gets from the talent on the team. Last year's team had the same personnel -- & some better for that matter (Sessions) -- & won 41 games.

The problem Brooks has is that when he goes to "look deep down his bench" what he sees are the guys the resident incompetent GM put there.

[Dat2U]

Clearly not a good game for Beal, and probably one of his worst. Normally, you'd yank a player that was having this bad of an off-game. However, even at Beal's worst, we got nobody who has proven to be better than him on the bench. That is on EG, and a different topic.

That said, the bench has to rise up, challenge themselves, and play better. We can still win this, but not without something from the bench.

When Beal struggled their was an opportunity for Brooks to look deep down his bench at McClellan or Burke or Satoransky. Just steal five minutes or as long as they compete.

Beal could have reset.

This coach isn't maximizing the Wizards talent.

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

10000 times this.

You've got to be kidding. Your blaming a coach for not throwing bench warmers into the game? Guys who have proven they aren't ready for prime time? And your bashing the coach for not using them in the 2nd round of the playoffs? That makes zero sense. Brooks is simply going with the cards he was dealt. Have folks suddenly forgotten how Burke couldn't handle ball pressure at all early this season? And we want to throw him against Bradley & Smart? Really? You want to throw an undrafted rookie that's barely played in months into the national spotlight? You think guys can easily adjust to that? I'm at loss for words.

I can understand criticizing strategy but there is no freaking talent to be maximized here. You can't cook chopped liver and expect it to taste like a porterhouse steak. You force Burke or Sato at PG and you'd likely get bad results if not worse than what Jennings did. You throw McClellan In and he's probably overwhelmed by the situation. I have hope for Sato but not as a PG. He showed what he couldn't do early on but some on here have apparently forgotten that.

[Saqs]

They couldn't have looked any worse than Beal is the point. And if for nothing else than to possibly help him get his head out of wherever it was as it certainly was not on the importance of this game. Doing nothing but letting him continue to stink up the court certainly didn't help...

[Wizardspride]

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[nate33]

They couldn't have looked any worse than Beal is the point. And if for nothing else than to possibly help him get his head out of wherever it was as it certainly was not on the importance of this game. Doing nothing but letting him continue to stink up the court certainly didn't help...

As PIF already pointed out, you are saying this with 20/20 hindsight. There have been many games this year where Beal was horrible in the first half only to catch fire in the 2nd half. Indeed, that's perhaps the single best improvement that Beal has made this season. He has had practically zero games where he was bad for both halves. The correct move is to keep Beal in the game.

The only caveat I have is that it might have been worth it to give Sato a few minutes to see if he could stay in front of Thomas. Sato is our best guard at fighting around screens.