GT #22: Clippers East vs. Bullets West 6:00PM EST (12/08/2019)

[smoothSeph]

They were throwing aggressive double and triple teams at Beal with All-NBA defenders, and refs were swallowing the whistle.. wtf is he supposed to do exactly?

3 guys on him...somebody is open... pass the ball, dont shoot it.

The players he was passing to weren't skilled enough do anything with the ball and kept hot potato'ing it back to him.. again, what is he supposed to do?

I think some people are overreacting and not respecting the caliber of opponent we faced tonight.

That and overestimating our personnel. I think Bertans is the only other player on this team that plays like he has a green light, then maybe Ish Smith. Everyone else is so hesitant to put the ball on the ground let alone shoot. Troy Brown did a bit more today but we'll need more of that to take the load off Beal.

[Illmatic12]

3 guys on him...somebody is open... pass the ball, dont shoot it.

The players he was passing to weren't skilled enough do anything with the ball and kept hot potato'ing it back to him.. again, what is he supposed to do?

I think some people are overreacting and not respecting the caliber of opponent we faced tonight.

That and overestimating our personnel. I think Bertans is the only other player on this team that plays like he has a green light, then maybe Ish Smith. Everyone else is so hesitant to put the ball on the ground let alone shoot. Troy Brown did a bit more today but we'll need more of that to take the load off Beal.

Yep. And this game shows that we are even missing the skillset of Jordan McRae , who was coming off the bench and efficiently creating offense to the tune of 9ppg/3apg on 58 TS%

When facing intense playoff-caliber defenses, often times the only open shots the defense will allow are pull-up jumpers. You need multiple ballhandlers who are capable of dribbling into that shot confidently. Beal/McRae/IT are the three guys on our roster who have a track record of doing it and only one was available tonight. When LACs defenders blanketed Brad and he pitched the ball to the weakside, it was often ending up in the hands of a player who was uncomfortable shooting the ball in that position.

The flashes Troy showed tonight were encouraging, if he can become a confident pull-up jumpshooter then it will completely alter the course of his career. In fact I've posted about this very topic at length in the Troy Brown Jr thread. However it's only one game.. if he can string multiple games together like this then it's time to get excited.

[TheBabyMaker]

Scheduled loss we just don't have the dogs to hang with a team like the Clippers. Don't know why Beal is crying to the refs he sign up for this ****. when have the Wizards ever got any respect. Arenas and Wall got a few calls thats about it.

[queridiculo]

Bradley Beal needs to stop being a losing star player. He needs to stop forcing shots. I feel like it would be hard not to trust your teammates when you have elite shooters and stretch bigs (bertans, wagner). I think he's just a stat padder.

You're completely clueless, exactly what do you expect to gain from this drive by posting nonsense?

[queridiculo]

Good effort by the bench wasted by a lack of quality in the starting 5.

Beal was getting punked by the Clippers physicality, and he didn't get any help from our coaching staff.
.

They were throwing aggressive double and triple teams at Beal with All-NBA defenders, and refs were swallowing the whistle.. wtf is he supposed to do exactly?

Two things Beal could have done is to give up the ball quicker, and attacking the close outs more aggressively coming off down screens.

He gave the Clippers an opportunity to recover time and time again by dribbling into the trap.

My post wasn't really intended as a critique of Beal though, I've specifically singled out the coaching staff and their inability to adjust.

This isn't the first game we've seen teams start to trap Beal hard coming of those down screen on the sideline.

It's been happening for the past five games and I still haven't seen the Wizards with a wrinkle to attack it.

Occasionally you saw them move the screens to the middle of the floor in the 4th quarter, but by then it was already too late.

Lack of adjustments has been an issue for some time under Brooks.

[DCZards]

Bradley did force some shots last night. I recall a couple of jumpers late in the second quarter. Look like he was getting a little frustrated. But, as others have said, he was up against maybe the best perimeter defense in the NBA. BB will be fine.

Ish is playing very well. I like the way he is constantly looking to attack when he has the ball in his hands, and is often getting to pretty much any spot on the floor he wants to.

Troy had his best offensive game of the year...by far. I don't know if he's going to have several great shooting games like that in a row, but we've now seen what the 20 year old is capable of. Need to patient and recognize that Troy will be an outstanding all-around player someday.

[nate33]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: RealGM!

Beal just went 12 minutes scoring only 1 point. He never seems to be aggressive at the beginning of games. 1 point won't cut it ever if you want to win.

Bradley Beal needs to stop being a losing star player. He needs to stop forcing shots. I feel like it would be hard not to trust your teammates when you have elite shooters and stretch bigs (bertans, wagner). I think he's just a stat padder.

[Illmatic12]

Good effort by the bench wasted by a lack of quality in the starting 5.

Beal was getting punked by the Clippers physicality, and he didn't get any help from our coaching staff.
.

They were throwing aggressive double and triple teams at Beal with All-NBA defenders, and refs were swallowing the whistle.. wtf is he supposed to do exactly?

Two things Beal could have done is to give up the ball quicker, and attacking the close outs more aggressively coming off down screens.

He gave the Clippers an opportunity to recover time and time again by dribbling into the trap.

My post wasn't really intended as a critique of Beal though, I've specifically singled out the coaching staff and their inability to adjust.

This isn't the first game we've seen teams start to trap Beal hard coming of those down screen on the sideline.

It's been happening for the past five games and I still haven't seen the Wizards with a wrinkle to attack it.

Occasionally you saw them move the screens to the middle of the floor in the 4th quarter, but by then it was already too late.

Lack of adjustments has been an issue for some time under Brooks.

Idk man.. Brads offensive game is heavily dependent on screens to free him to attack certain areas of the court. Who is the teams best screensetting big ? Thomas Bryant , who has been out/injured.

Beal was barking at Rui and Wagner on multiple occasions throughout the game, it was clear that the subject of his ire was their inadequate screening which wasn’t freeing him up in the way that he wanted. No surprise, they are inexperienced and don’t have the natural chemistry that Beal developed with Bryant over the previous 82 games.

So not only is Beal facing aggressive traps and double teams (bc none of his teammates can create their own shot) he’s also missing the one “dance partner” on the team who knows how to navigate those situations and still create gaps in the defense. You combine that with the constant fouling and grabbing off-ball against Brad that is going uncalled, and yeah you’re gonna see a couple frustrating shooting nights like those over an 82 game season.

Given the current injured+inexperienced state of the roster around Beal, Brooks is kinda doing the only thing he can do atm ..? Which is taking technicals/fines on behalf of his player to hopefully alert the league to the uncalled freedom of movement fouls. Same thing Kerr does for Steph Curry who also plays off the ball heavily.

[Ruzious]

Mahinmi leading to back to back turnoevers, that's the downside with having him out there.

Mahinmi has his good moments, but to count on him for any kind of consistent play has proven to be a losing formula. I'm fine with keeping his minutes limited.

[Ruzious]

Tough to complain after losing to the Clipps. Montrezel Harrell is impressive. If he can keep up the efficiency with more minutes and touches he's a max level player. He was just owning us down the stretch.

We had nobody that could contain him, and why Mahinmi was guarding him closely over 20 feet from the basket... that's like saying... "Sir, would you like to dunk on my team? Go ahead sir." Guess what - Rui ain't gonna get back to cover in this century. Speaking of Rui... please please please stop going for every pump fake. You'll never be a shot-blocker.

Fine, the Wiz had some solid offensive performances, but it's time they played better defense. Show a little backbone and pride. No IT excuse, and they still gave up over 130 at home. That can't keep happening.

[dckingsfan]

...but it's time they played better defense. Show a little backbone and pride. No IT excuse, and they still gave up over 130 at home. That can't keep happening.

I think that is going to be tough. The Wizards really don't have any elite level defenders and have large holes to boot (especially at PF and PG when IT is there). I also don't think they have a great defensive scheme to make up for the weaknesses either.

I think that you pointed out we need a really good defensive SF in the next draft. But even then, I don't think that will make up for the defensive weaknesses of Wall (anticipated) and Rui?

[Ruzious]

...but it's time they played better defense. Show a little backbone and pride. No IT excuse, and they still gave up over 130 at home. That can't keep happening.

I think that is going to be tough. The Wizards really don't have any elite level defenders and have large holes to boot (especially at PF and PG when IT is there). I also don't think they have a great defensive scheme to make up for the weaknesses either.

I think that you pointed out we need a really good defensive SF in the next draft. But even then, I don't think that will make up for the defensive weaknesses of Wall (anticipated) and Rui?

I think we need an explosive athlete who can play either forward position - someone like a George or a Siakam - more than anything else - or an Otto who could stay healthy and a more physical Oubre.

[WallToWall]

...but it's time they played better defense. Show a little backbone and pride. No IT excuse, and they still gave up over 130 at home. That can't keep happening.

I think that is going to be tough. The Wizards really don't have any elite level defenders and have large holes to boot (especially at PF and PG when IT is there). I also don't think they have a great defensive scheme to make up for the weaknesses either.

I think that you pointed out we need a really good defensive SF in the next draft. But even then, I don't think that will make up for the defensive weaknesses of Wall (anticipated) and Rui?

I think we need an explosive athlete who can play either forward position - someone like a George or a Siakam - more than anything else - or an Otto who could stay healthy and a more physical Oubre.

Or an athletic all-star caliber center. Perhaps there is one available for trade, or there is one in the next draft.

[Illmatic12]

I think that is going to be tough. The Wizards really don't have any elite level defenders and have large holes to boot (especially at PF and PG when IT is there). I also don't think they have a great defensive scheme to make up for the weaknesses either.

I think that you pointed out we need a really good defensive SF in the next draft. But even then, I don't think that will make up for the defensive weaknesses of Wall (anticipated) and Rui?

I think we need an explosive athlete who can play either forward position - someone like a George or a Siakam - more than anything else - or an Otto who could stay healthy and a more physical Oubre.

Or an athletic all-star caliber center. Perhaps there is one available for trade, or there is one in the next draft.

Unfortunately these players don’t grow on trees. Playoff caliber wing defenders are a highly valuable commodity , even a washed up Trevor Ariza is getting $15M/yr .

Looking around the league, many really good teams don’t have much of their payroll devoted to All-Star caliber centers, they get by with a platoon of specialty bigs who know their role (Zubac/Harrell, Theis/Kanter, Gasol/Ibaka etc)

I’m hoping we come out of the draft with at least one strong defensive wing on a rookie deal we can develop. As far as the center position that should be easier to upgrade through FA/trade

[payitforward]

We are a rebuilding team. Period. We need the BPA in the next draft. Period.

There isn't a single position at which we don't have significant need.

John Wall will enter his 11th season coming off a significant injury. If the BPA in the draft is a point guard, grab him.

Brad's our starter at the 2, but we need a young back up for him (6th man 2-3 type)

We have a quite good, developing young 3 in Troy Brown, Jr. Behind him... no one. Admiral's a long shot at best. McRae not young enough for us to "develop" him -- tho he's useful & I'm glad to see him playing well.

We don't have any depth at all at PF. Rui is still a question mark as a starter. Bertans is expiring.

We have 2 young Centers. Bryant is a lock to be a really good player in this league barring injury. Wagner is a roll of the dice.