GT #48: Wizards @ Magic 7 PM

[Benjammin]

So close to an excellent tank game...

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Sato simply a terror on defense tonight from multiple positions. He won us this game with his tenacity.

[nate33]

That was a bad turnover by Beal though. Just call a timeout if you get trapped like that!

Kara just said that Brooks had screamed for a timeout about 6 times but the refs didn't hear him.

[80sballboy]

Good win. Gritty. I guess call the tank off. This is a pretty good team right now. This could have been a loss after playing Warriors the night before and Orlando had the rest. They were good for one quarter, we were bad for about a quarter but Green and Beal were outstanding.

But what is really shocking how this team defends now. Pretty drastic change from before TA and after TA. And sure, before Wall/Kieff and after their injuries.

[JWizmentality]

The Wizards actually showed a little poise down the stretch. Got good shots and played good D in the final 2 minutes. That was a bad turnover by Beal though. Just call a timeout if you get trapped like that!

Nope. Stop with the window dressing. We played God awful. We got lucky period. If not for Vucevic two missed FTs and not capitalising on Beal brain fart. We lose.

[nate33]

Beal scored 11 of the Wizards' final 15 points once he came in at the 8 minute mark, missing only twice. (He assisted on the other bucket, and Ariza hit the two clinching free throws after Orlando's intentional foul.)

It's nice that he is no longer choking like he did all last year. He closed out the game nicely.

[nate33]

The Wizards actually showed a little poise down the stretch. Got good shots and played good D in the final 2 minutes. That was a bad turnover by Beal though. Just call a timeout if you get trapped like that!

Nope. Stop with the window dressing. We played God awful. We got lucky period. If not for Vucevic two missed FTs and not capitalising on Beal brain fart. We lose.

They played god awful during the collapse in the middle of the quarter, to be sure. But the last 1:40 was good. They executed. That Beal turnover was a blown call by the refs, ignoring the timeout call.

[nate33]

It was also a back-to-back with travel in between.

[nate33]

The Heat appear to have a win locked up against Cleveland, and the Nets are up 5 over the Knicks at the end of the 3rd. Even Charlotte is currently leading the Bucks at halftime.

This could be a perfect scenario. The Wizards win some games so the fans feel good, but they don't make up ground in the playoff race, allowing EG to make the prudent decision to sell our expiring vets for value and tank.

[80sballboy]

The Heat appear to have a win locked up against Cleveland, and the Nets are up 5 over the Knicks at the end of the 3rd. Even Charlotte is currently leading the Bucks at halftime.

This could be a perfect scenario. The Wizards win some games so the fans feel good, but they don't make up ground in the playoff race, allowing EG to make the prudent decision to sell our expiring vets for value and tank.

Yup. I was waiting for the implosion tonight due to fatigue but Vucevic helped out. I'm not so sure fans feel good though about this win. I think at least half want the tank. They've seen the Process in Philly and we really don't even have to go that low. Just miss the playoffs a few times because Green and Ariza are not coming back next season. Get rid of them, play Troy Brown, Devin Robinson, Randle and see where they fall.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

I hate to say it, but I really like Ariza. I kind of hope he stays through the season, though I know it’s the wrong thing to want.

[DCZards]

Yup. I was waiting for the implosion tonight due to fatigue but Vucevic helped out. I'm not so sure fans feel good though about this win. I think at least half want the tank. They've seen the Process in Philly and we really don't even have to go that low. Just miss the playoffs a few times because Green and Ariza are not coming back next season. Get rid of them, play Troy Brown, Devin Robinson, Randle and see where they fall.

I doubt that most Zards fans see the Process in Philly as something that is easily duplicated. In fact, most Zards fans probably don't want to endure a process where their team doesn't qualify for the playoffs for 5 straight years, while winning 20 or fewer games in 3 of those seasons.

[payitforward]

Well, how about these guys? Just going out there & kicking ass left & right...!

Orlando is a terrible team. I expected us to fade in the 4th quarter given we were on a back to back & didn't even pull into Orlando until 3:30 AM. & we did fade -- how not? But they gave us the game anyway. Thank you very much.

Basically, Green, Bryant & Mahinmi played well, & Beal had a terrific game -- & that was enough to get a road win.

[payitforward]

Yup. I was waiting for the implosion tonight due to fatigue but Vucevic helped out. I'm not so sure fans feel good though about this win. I think at least half want the tank. They've seen the Process in Philly and we really don't even have to go that low. Just miss the playoffs a few times because Green and Ariza are not coming back next season. Get rid of them, play Troy Brown, Devin Robinson, Randle and see where they fall.

I doubt that most Zards fans see the Process in Philly as something that is easily duplicated. In fact, most Zards fans probably don't want to endure a process where their team doesn't qualify for the playoffs for 5 straight years, while winning 20 or fewer games in 3 of those seasons.

Well... ballboy did say "we don't have to go that low...."

Anyway, now that Ernie has saved his job, there's no chance of us undertaking anything that lengthy & demanding. Which means, basically, that we'll never be a genuinely good team -- by which I mean in the top 20% say, & not for only 1 year. We've never been that under Ernie, we weren't that in 2016-17 (9th best record among 30 teams), we won't even get to that level again any time soon.

So, if what Wizards fans want is perpetual mediocrity, then lucky us -- we've got it. Or maybe we do. Right now, only 8 of the 29 other NBA teams have a worse record than we do. &, by definition, an average team has a record of 41-41.

[NatP4]

Bryant is averaging 18-11-2-1.5 per 36 on .720 TS% and a 22 PER. 13th in RPM for centers.

The guy is 21 years old

[Eli Babak]

The first half was great, but on the other hand, Orlando missed tons of open looks and Wiz were hot from 3. Second half was mostly awful and they should've lost but of course Vucevic (a chronic loser, good luck whoever gives him a big contract next summer) had to miss those FTs. Whatever, I hate the Magic so if Wiz have to win then do it against them. Just sick of these #SoWizards moments and wins by few points (this season).

(Though it's silly to think about tanking anymore, that ship has left, but if they don't trade vets for 2nds and cap relief at the deadline then there's a reason to be mad. If they get the 8th seed with whoever is in the team after the deadline then fine but no point keep chasing that when you can get some future assets for expirings.)

[queridiculo]

The Magic are a terrible perimeter team, so I am going to give them credit for executing their defensive game plan.

That third quarter lull almost cost them the game, but when you consider how poorly they have played on the road so far this season and the fact that this was the 2nd game of a back to back the Wizards this looks like a really good W.