GT #30: Bullets @ Suns 9 PM (NBCSW/980 AM)

[queridiculo]

Something must be going on behind the scenes, I'm assuming Beal related. The whole demeanor of the team has gone out the window. Doesn't make sense.

Naw, the Wizards just aren't any good.

They've had some miraculous wins that covered up a bunch of the stench to start the season and they're just crashing back down to the mean.

I don't believe they're quite as awful as their record over the last 20 indicates, but I feel they just have too many players out of position and being asked to step into roles they are not suited for.

Neither Kuzma nor KCP should be starting, and neither Gafford nor Harrell are starting centers in this league.

Neto and Holiday shouldn't be higher than 3rd on a NBA depth chart, but you've got them logging 36 minutes a night for this squad.

I don't think it's an alarmist thing to say that the Wizards have exactly one active starting quality player on this roster in Beal, and you're just not going to consistently going to win in the NBA when you've got such a talent discrepancy and not everybody on the same page.

[JWizmentality]

Rookie coach has already lost the team.

[FAH1223]

Rookie coach has already lost the team.

I don't think so. The players just aren't good.

Wes has made bad rotations lately though. No doubt about it. But these guys just suck. We legit have one starting player in Beal and everyone else is a bench player.

That's why now the team is so "OMG RUI AND TB COMIN BACK" cause they both have some talent... and TB as we've seen before was a really efficient offensive player. But are those guys starting level NBA players?

As much grief as Westbrook brought... he is a Hall of Famer who can make people better around him.

Watch on YouTube

[Dolevi]

So much for playing decently. Worst team I've ever seen defending the PNR. Teams are attacking it every time.

We aren't coached in team defense..

[DCZards]

Something must be going on behind the scenes, I'm assuming Beal related. The whole demeanor of the team has gone out the window. Doesn't make sense.

Naw, the Wizards just aren't any good.

They've had some miraculous wins that covered up a bunch of the stench to start the season and they're just crashing back down to the mean.

I don't believe they're quite as awful as their record over the last 20 indicates, but I feel they just have too many players out of position and being asked to step into roles they are not suited for.

Neither Kuzma nor KCP should be starting, and neither Gafford nor Harrell are starting centers in this league.

Neto and Holiday shouldn't be higher than 3rd on a NBA depth chart, but you've got them logging 36 minutes a night for this squad.

I don't think it's an alarmist thing to say that the Wizards have exactly one active starting quality player on this roster in Beal, and you're just not going to consistently going to win in the NBA when you've got such a talent discrepancy and not everybody on the same page.

This is pretty much on target. As much as the Zards have struggled on defense lately, it's the offense that has been the biggest problem,imo. Nobody other than Beal can be depended upon to have any offensive flow to their game. Dinwiddie was supposed to be that other guy but he's been a huge disappointment most nights and, sadly, often gets outplayed by Neto and/or Holiday.

Getting Bryant and Rui back at some point offers at least a little hope that the Zards will improve offensively.

[nate33]

Something must be going on behind the scenes, I'm assuming Beal related. The whole demeanor of the team has gone out the window. Doesn't make sense.

Naw, the Wizards just aren't any good.

They've had some miraculous wins that covered up a bunch of the stench to start the season and they're just crashing back down to the mean.

I don't believe they're quite as awful as their record over the last 20 indicates, but I feel they just have too many players out of position and being asked to step into roles they are not suited for.

Neither Kuzma nor KCP should be starting, and neither Gafford nor Harrell are starting centers in this league.

Neto and Holiday shouldn't be higher than 3rd on a NBA depth chart, but you've got them logging 36 minutes a night for this squad.

I don't think it's an alarmist thing to say that the Wizards have exactly one active starting quality player on this roster in Beal, and you're just not going to consistently going to win in the NBA when you've got such a talent discrepancy and not everybody on the same page.

I agree that the Wizards overachieved to start the season and were never really that good. Their on/off differential was never more than one or two points above 0. But I disagree that the Wizards have exactly 1 starting caliber player. The problem is, we don't have a first tier star or a guy good enough to be the third best player on a good team. We have a team full of 4th and 5th starters, and 6th men.

I think KCP starts for 70% of the teams in the league. He's just a 4th or 5th starter. Kuzma could start on maybe a quarter of teams in the league. Gafford starts for a few: Dallas, Charlotte, Detroit, Toronto, maybe Portland.

One of the big problems was that we had a legit starting caliber guy over the first 10 games in Dinwiddie, before he suddenly decided to become a passive role player.

[badinage]

What I see — what I think — is:

Dinwiddie and Wes aren’t eye to eye. That, plus the fact that Dinwiddie is hobbled and can’t get to the cup. He’s a detriment at this point. But worse, I think — and I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s a smart, engaging, interesting guy — worse is that Dinwiddie has become a team cancer. (Read his recent post-game presser, where he talked about how the O has been changed several times already and how there’s — in his mind — a disjunction between “everybody eats” and “we need you, Spencer, to be aggressive.”)

And Beal is baffled by the new rules, which have taken him back to the Beal of 3 years ago, not the Hardenesque Beal that we know and kind of love, and have come to count on.

His body language is terrible. He makes poor 4th q decisions. He’s not good enough to be — or to be thought of, or to have the team be organized around him as — the man.

There’s talent here, and there’s depth.

Enough to win.

Enough to be good.

But not with a cancer, and not with a top banana who isn’t playing well, and not with so much poor shooting most nights.

And not without trust and effort — which takes us back to the cancer and the top banana.

[DCZards]

What I see — what I think — is:

Dinwiddie and Wes aren’t eye to eye. That, plus the fact that Dinwiddie is hobbled and can’t get to the cup. He’s a detriment at this point. But worse, I think — and I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s a smart, engaging, interesting guy — worse is that Dinwiddie has become a team cancer. (Read his recent post-game presser, where he talked about how the O has been changed several times already and how there’s — in his mind — a disjunction between “everybody eats” and “we need you, Spencer, to be aggressive.”)

And Beal is baffled by the new rules, which have taken him back to the Beal of 3 years ago, not the Hardenesque Beal that we know and kind of love, and have come to count on.

His body language is terrible. He makes poor 4th q decisions. He’s not good enough to be — or to be thought of, or to have the team be organized around him as — the man.

There’s talent here, and there’s depth.

Enough to win.

Enough to be good.

But not with a cancer, and not with a top banana who isn’t playing well, and not with so much poor shooting most nights.

And not without trust and effort — which takes us back to the cancer and the top banana.

“Cancer” is far too strong and negative of a word to describe Dinwiddie’s impact on the team. Yes, he hasn’t played well but I don’t think he’s even close to being a “team cancer.”

As for Beal, his careless turnovers, often at critical times, are beyond frustrating. But most nights his scoring is the only reason the Zards are even competitive.

[Ruzious]

For the folks blaming Beal, he was 11 of 18 - including 2 of 3 from 3 for 26 points and 5 assists. The other 4 starters combined for 24 points and 6 assists. That's absurdly low production from 4 of the 5 other starters. And really, the only surprise from them was Gafford's awful game. Avdija was our top reserve, but even in his best game, he took only 6 shots in 26 minutes. He's gotta be a bigger part of the offense. Neto took 11 shots and Holiday 10. They made a good percentage, but they can't be 2nd and 3rd in shots taken.

[badinage]

I don’t get this business of — that guy isn’t a starter in this league.

A starter is … one who starts.

Go up and down the rosters of most teams, and you’re gonna find tons of so-so players. Many of them starting.

The Nets — I mean, KD is brilliant and dominant, but after that? And a diminished Harden? Lots of scrubs. The Lakers: two greats, one good, and blech. The Celtics: two good, and yikes. Denver when healthy: one great, one good, and eh. Etc., etc.

And that’s not even getting into the crap teams, which are full of … crap.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

What I see — what I think — is:

Dinwiddie and Wes aren’t eye to eye. That, plus the fact that Dinwiddie is hobbled and can’t get to the cup. He’s a detriment at this point. But worse, I think — and I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s a smart, engaging, interesting guy — worse is that Dinwiddie has become a team cancer. (Read his recent post-game presser, where he talked about how the O has been changed several times already and how there’s — in his mind — a disjunction between “everybody eats” and “we need you, Spencer, to be aggressive.”)

And Beal is baffled by the new rules, which have taken him back to the Beal of 3 years ago, not the Hardenesque Beal that we know and kind of love, and have come to count on.

His body language is terrible. He makes poor 4th q decisions. He’s not good enough to be — or to be thought of, or to have the team be organized around him as — the man.

There’s talent here, and there’s depth.

Enough to win.

Enough to be good.

But not with a cancer, and not with a top banana who isn’t playing well, and not with so much poor shooting most nights.

And not without trust and effort — which takes us back to the cancer and the top banana.

“Cancer” is far too strong and negative of a word to describe Dinwiddie’s impact on the team. Yes, he hasn’t played well but I don’t think he’s even close to being a “team cancer.”

As for Beal, his careless turnovers, often at critical times, are beyond frustrating. But most nights his scoring is the only reason the Zards are even competitive.

Maybe cancer is a bit strong, but it’s not far off at this point.

[badinage]

What I see — what I think — is:

Dinwiddie and Wes aren’t eye to eye. That, plus the fact that Dinwiddie is hobbled and can’t get to the cup. He’s a detriment at this point. But worse, I think — and I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s a smart, engaging, interesting guy — worse is that Dinwiddie has become a team cancer. (Read his recent post-game presser, where he talked about how the O has been changed several times already and how there’s — in his mind — a disjunction between “everybody eats” and “we need you, Spencer, to be aggressive.”)

And Beal is baffled by the new rules, which have taken him back to the Beal of 3 years ago, not the Hardenesque Beal that we know and kind of love, and have come to count on.

His body language is terrible. He makes poor 4th q decisions. He’s not good enough to be — or to be thought of, or to have the team be organized around him as — the man.

There’s talent here, and there’s depth.

Enough to win.

Enough to be good.

But not with a cancer, and not with a top banana who isn’t playing well, and not with so much poor shooting most nights.

And not without trust and effort — which takes us back to the cancer and the top banana.

“Cancer” is far too strong and negative of a word to describe Dinwiddie’s impact on the team. Yes, he hasn’t played well but I don’t think he’s even close to being a “team cancer.”

As for Beal, his careless turnovers, often at critical times, are beyond frustrating. But most nights his scoring is the only reason the Zards are even competitive.

“Several players have concerns about the direction and structure of the team’s offense, particularly whether they as individuals, and by extension the team as a whole, are being put in the best positions to succeed”
— Josh Robbins, The Athletic

Like I said: cancer.

Maybe not stage 4 — but it’s loose; and spreading; and it’s not coming from the coach.