Player of the Game #11 (HEAT @ Bullets)

[FAH1223]

11-5! No more Gabe Vincent talking shid and calling our Bullets SOFT. Got the smirk off Jimmy Butler finally!

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Tally of POTGs

Harrell x3
Dinwiddie x2
Kuzma x2
Beal x1
KCP x1
Avdija x1

[FAH1223]

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[queridiculo]

I was all over KCPs performance in the first three quarters, but the Wizards probably don't win this game without his timely buckets in the 4th.

My player of the game.

[Benjammin]

No one played particularly well so I would give this to coach Wes for trying a lot of combinations and keeping the team focused on hanging in there.

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[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

No one played particularly well so I would give this to coach Wes for trying a lot of combinations and keeping the team focused on hanging in there.

Sent from my motorola edge plus using RealGM mobile app

No way. Wes killed us a few stretches not willing to take a timeout.

I'm going to go Harrell. He had some crucial plays late in the game to keep us just within reach (that tip he made I felt maybe the single biggest tipping point, it showed some grit when we desperately needed it). His +/- was great for this game.

[payitforward]

Yeah... boring by now, but it has to be Trez.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Beal. At times he was the only one scoring. And 9 assists ain’t too shabby. Deni had a very good stretch in the 2nd quarter.

[tontoz]

Last time i was undecided between Spencer and Harrell and gave it to Spencer. This time i'm going with Harrell.

KCP hit some big shots late but i can't help but cringe any time he does something other than catch and shoot.

[Frichuela]

Team effort. Difficult to say. I’ll give to Trez. Despite 3 turnovers, the heart of this team, with a great D on Butler at the end.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

I was all over KCPs performance in the first three quarters, but the Wizards probably don't win this game without his timely buckets in the 4th.

My player of the game.

He deserved it. He is cringe worthy when he has the ball for more than 3 seconds. He is totally a 3 & D guy, a catch and shoot option. Oh and his big plays, catch and shoot shots. Violà!

[nate33]

Beal was POTG and I don't really think it was close. Yeah, he made too many turnovers, but against Miami's switching defense, the entire burden of the offense was on Beal. Because they switch, all the off-ball actions and screens don't really work, which means the offense boils down to a lot of isolation. Beal had to run all the iso plays, and usually he had to deal with a hard double team whenever it got late in the shot clock. That just isn't easy against a first rate defense like Miami. Turnovers are going to happen.

Beal totally carried the offense, particularly in the 1st and 3rd quarters. I'm not going to let a few 4th quarter turnovers cloud my assessment of his game. Oh, by the way, on just about every late 3 by KCP or Dinwiddie, it was due to an assist that came from Beal because he drew the double team. Beal was also key in several late defensive plays, rotating to stop Bam on a layup, stopping Butler on a late game post up, and knocking the ball out of Lowry's hands on a fast break.

[montestewart]

Beal was POTG and I don't really think it was close. Yeah, he made too many turnovers, but against Miami's switching defense, the entire burden of the offense was on Beal. Because they switch, all the off-ball actions and screens don't really work, which means the offense boils down to a lot of isolation. Beal had to run all the iso plays, and usually he had to deal with a hard double team whenever it got late in the shot clock. That just isn't easy against a first rate defense like Miami. Turnovers are going to happen.

Beal totally carried the offense, particularly in the 1st and 3rd quarters. I'm not going to let a few 4th quarter turnovers cloud my assessment of his game. Oh, by the way, on just about every late 3 by KCP or Dinwiddie, it was due to an assist that came from Beal because he drew the double team. Beal was also key in several late defensive plays, rotating to stop Bam on a layup, stopping Butler on a late game post up, and knocking the ball out of Lowry's hands on a fast break.

For me it was close between KCP's clutch shooting, Harrell's fairly typical performance, and even team win. Beal, as you have described, was still arguably less than top Beal in some ways, and yet so many of those clutch shots began with him, and even without the ball he was pulling defenses toward him allowing more space for teammates.

Wizards don't win that game without many players coming through (even Kuzma hitting his FTs), but Beal's performance was the biggest difference maker, and his postgame comments show an awareness that he can improve.

[Zonkerbl]

Beal. He was the focus of Miami's defense, got nine assists. Way to force the defense's attention on you and then get the ball to the open man.

I think it's hard to vote for Beal because it just shows how badly this team could use a pass first, defense first point guard. Like a poor man's version of Gary Payton. Or Rondo. Someone like that, just not all star level. KCP is like a poor man's version of Beal who can play better defense.

[Ruzious]

It could have gone to any of Trez, KCP, Din, or Beal. Nobody had a great game. Beal's 6 to's more than offset the 9 assists, imo. Harrrell kept them in the game, KCP made some key 4th quarter shots, but I thought Din was slightly more important particularly with setting up the offense towards the end, so I went with him.