Countdown to Don Newman Being Named Interim Head Coach

[Wizardspride]

Forget that.

Get me Mike D'Antoni.

I can't stand this anemic offense.

HELLLLLLLL NO!!! I dont wanna see the Wiz score 120ppg while giving up 130ppg

MDA's defense is atrocious and he barely practices defense in practice which was on record face. Thats okay give me Gentry same fast paced offense with a slight emphasis on D as well or maybe Mike Malone. He was pretty competent in SAC and didnt deserve to get fired. Anyone but Skiles, MDA or Mark Jackson

The funny thing is D'Antoni's Phoenix teams weren't bad defensively...despite what people thought.

They were actually middle of the pack defensively.


I think you're just looking at the amount of points given up.

That can be explained by the pace they played at.

[Dat2U]

I doubt anyone is getting fired outside of a team mutiny. Leonsis has said repeatedly that he chooses not to make personnel decisions based on feelings/emotions (as overcompensation for his younger hotheaded ways). Wittman/Grunfeld were on easy street just a few games ago, it's going to take a lot more turmoil before it gets hot under the collar for both.

[JWizmentality]

Lol...as one of Randy's biggest critics, no.

Suddenly this doesn't seems so ludicrous.

[tontoz]

I doubt anyone is getting fired outside of a team mutiny. Leonsis has said repeatedly that he chooses not to make personnel decisions based on feelings/emotions (as overcompensation for his younger hotheaded ways). Wittman/Grunfeld were on easy street just a few games ago, it's going to take a lot more turmoil before it gets hot under the collar for both.

Wall and Randy's quotes after last nights game may indicate something is brewing. Randy said the ball was sticking on one side and Wall was saying he was running the plays that were called.

[closg00]

Deja-vu, this pattern is all too-familiar, let's see if we can rebound after the allstar break back to being a Top-3 Eastern team instead of a team heading towards a 6th seed.

[FAH1223]

Deja-vu, this pattern is all too-familiar, let's see if we can rebound after the allstar break back to being a Top-3 Eastern team instead of a team heading towards a 6th seed.

A collapse with a healthy team could mean changes!

[miller31time]

I think it would take, minimum, a 10-game losing streak for Ted to even contemplate firing Wittman.

And even then, there would have to be some hostility in the locker room to go along with the losing.

Shockingly, another 5 losses doesn't seem that out-of-the-question right now.

[FAH1223]

I think it would take, minimum, a 10-game losing streak for Ted to even contemplate firing Wittman.

And even then, there would have to be some hostility in the locker room to go along with the losing.

Shockingly, another 5 losses doesn't seem that out-of-the-question right now.

Time to rev up the tank.

[closg00]

.....also time for Grunfeld apologist to put 100% of the focus on the coach.

[LyricalRico]

.....also time for Grunfeld apologist to put 100% of the focus on the coach.

You rang?

For the record, I don't put it 100% on the coach. Part of the issue was an over-estimation of what they would get from a Miller+Temple reserve backcourt, and Ernie has to make a move to fix that.

But it's clear that Wittman is behind the curve on 21st century NBA basketball. Literally the rest of the league has gone small but he refuses to adjust, he freezes out certain guys for no apparent reason, and his game management skills have always been suspect (not using timeouts to stop runs, horrible end of period plays, standing mouth agape while the refs screw us over, etc.).

Even assuming EG does make a move to bolster the backcourt over the next couple weeks, that still doesn't solve the issues Witt brings to the table. I was really hoping he would grow from last year's experience, but it looks like he's just doubling down on what he "knows". For those of us that thought this team really had a shot this year, it's getting tough to watch.

Then again, maybe a mid-season slump will be what it takes to jolt him to try new things. Hey, we can dream! It's not over yet!

[tontoz]

But it's clear that Wittman is behind the curve on 21st century NBA basketball.

And who was the GM that hired him? Who gave him an extension? Was it not clear last season that Witt was behind the curve?

[LyricalRico]

Even the owner has better end-of-game play-call ideas:

However, our late game execution last night was not up to our standards, we had a ten point lead at one point and stopped pounding the ball inside where we have an advantage, and started to settle for jump shots. There is a certain cadence of plays executed at game's end in the NBA where your best players will get opportunities to score, and to go to the foul line, and when you go off script, there is risk of execution. We fell short with a heave of a three point shot to end the game, but we had almost 6 seconds to go hard to the rim. Live and learn for our team.

http://tedstake.monumentalnetwork.com/2 ... -road-loss

[keynote]

Even the owner has better end-of-game play-call ideas:

However, our late game execution last night was not up to our standards, we had a ten point lead at one point and stopped pounding the ball inside where we have an advantage, and started to settle for jump shots. There is a certain cadence of plays executed at game's end in the NBA where your best players will get opportunities to score, and to go to the foul line, and when you go off script, there is risk of execution. We fell short with a heave of a three point shot to end the game, but we had almost 6 seconds to go hard to the rim. Live and learn for our team.

http://tedstake.monumentalnetwork.com/2 ... -road-loss

Eh, I didn't mind that play. TOR had a foul to give, and would've tried to foul Wall/whoever the minute he put the ball on the floor to go to the hole. Wall was able to get a relatively clean look without giving TOR a chance to foul him.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Even the owner has better end-of-game play-call ideas:

However, our late game execution last night was not up to our standards, we had a ten point lead at one point and stopped pounding the ball inside where we have an advantage, and started to settle for jump shots. There is a certain cadence of plays executed at game's end in the NBA where your best players will get opportunities to score, and to go to the foul line, and when you go off script, there is risk of execution. We fell short with a heave of a three point shot to end the game, but we had almost 6 seconds to go hard to the rim. Live and learn for our team.

http://tedstake.monumentalnetwork.com/2 ... -road-loss

Randy pissed off Ted, is how I interpret this.

Shots by Gooden didn't go over well with the owner (off the script). Wall playing hero ball didn't go over well (heave of a shot, particularly after Lowry blocked his previous attempt). Not enough shots for Nene or no Gortat (pounding the ball inside an advantage); and, especially not giving a guy like Pierce an opportunity to at least try and draw a foul are all things Ted seems like he would have preferred.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/2/12 ... to-raptors

3. Wizards have a losing record since late December

Via Ben Standig of Comcast SportsNet:

•On the season against teams with current winning percentages topping .600, the Wizards are 6-11. Wins over Chicago (2), Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio
•Against teams with current winning percentages topping .500, the Wizards are 10-15
•Against teams currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 10-17
•Against teams not currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 23-4. If we eliminate games against Oklahoma City and New Orleans - both over .500 but out the playoffs in the tough West - the record is 21-2.

I'll just let that sit here and marinate for a while...

The Wizards are clearly a just-above-mediocre team that has been feasting on non-playoff, losing teams.

[Wizardspride]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/2/12 ... to-raptors

3. Wizards have a losing record since late December

Via Ben Standig of Comcast SportsNet:

•On the season against teams with current winning percentages topping .600, the Wizards are 6-11. Wins over Chicago (2), Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio
•Against teams with current winning percentages topping .500, the Wizards are 10-15
•Against teams currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 10-17
•Against teams not currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 23-4. If we eliminate games against Oklahoma City and New Orleans - both over .500 but out the playoffs in the tough West - the record is 21-2.

I'll just let that sit here and marinate for a while...

The Wizards are clearly a just-above-mediocre team that has been feasting on non-playoff, losing teams.

Is this primarily a talent issue or a coaching issue?

Or some combination?

I know we need another PG but personally, I think Wittman is a HUGE liability.

[gtn130]

Even the owner has better end-of-game play-call ideas:

However, our late game execution last night was not up to our standards, we had a ten point lead at one point and stopped pounding the ball inside where we have an advantage, and started to settle for jump shots. There is a certain cadence of plays executed at game's end in the NBA where your best players will get opportunities to score, and to go to the foul line, and when you go off script, there is risk of execution. We fell short with a heave of a three point shot to end the game, but we had almost 6 seconds to go hard to the rim. Live and learn for our team.

http://tedstake.monumentalnetwork.com/2 ... -road-loss

I mean, advocating for getting to the FT line is laughable. Refs don't want to call game deciding fouls. Taking the game winning 3 is always the better move -- the two teams have nearly broken even for 99% of the game, so playing for OT is playing for a coinflip. Over the long run, taking the game-winning 3 is always inherently better:

2pt shot = 50%, OT = 50%. That's 25% win probability
A random 3pt shot is 30+%

[nate33]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/2/12 ... to-raptors

3. Wizards have a losing record since late December

Via Ben Standig of Comcast SportsNet:

•On the season against teams with current winning percentages topping .600, the Wizards are 6-11. Wins over Chicago (2), Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio
•Against teams with current winning percentages topping .500, the Wizards are 10-15
•Against teams currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 10-17
•Against teams not currently occupying a playoff spot, the Wizards are 23-4. If we eliminate games against Oklahoma City and New Orleans - both over .500 but out the playoffs in the tough West - the record is 21-2.

I'll just let that sit here and marinate for a while...

The Wizards are clearly a just-above-mediocre team that has been feasting on non-playoff, losing teams.

Is this primarily a talent issue or a coaching issue?

Or some combination?

I know we need another PG but personally, I think Wittman is a HUGE liability.

I'm not sure it's an issue at all. Would we be happier if they were better against above .500 teams but often got beat by inferior teams? My guess is that everyone would complain about their lack of consistency and "killer instinct".

The bottom line is that the Wizards simply aren't all that good. They're a solid, competent basketball team who takes care of business against inferior opponents. But they're not an elite team and those who deluded themselves into believe they were elite are now really upset that reality has set in.

The Wizards have one legit star in Wall. Nene is very good but only plays about 60% of the minutes that most good starters play. Everyone else on the team is either average for their position or below average. That's not enough talent to beat good teams featuring two all stars or one all star plus two or three above-average starters.

[FAH1223]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BulletsForever/status/567707228656791552[/tweet]

[McFilthy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BulletsForever/status/567707228656791552[/tweet]

I knew it had become a thing for the Wizards to fade in the fourth, but OH MY?!?! 27th ranked defensively in the fourth is staggeringly terrible. Why?
- Are the guys tired?
- No Gortat in the middle?
- Poor coaching decisions down the stretch?
- Non-clutch play?