Yikes. Not good. I’m not sure if Jordan Crawford or Mo Evans or Jan Vesely froze, but… um… wow. John Wall and Trevor Booker also totally got duped by Lin turning down Tyson Chandler’s screen. So, team effort. Evans was asked about the dunk after the game. Let’s watch his answer.

Yes, it is just Wizards basketball right now. Also, take note of the crowd cheering Lin’s dunk. Very loud.

John Wall on the Verizon Center fans:

“When you play against certain teams, you already know the crowd is against us sometimes. So we just go out there and play. You make it a game, the crowd gets on your side.”

The Wizards lost 107-93 to the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. You can read a piece I wrote about the game on ESPN.com’s Daily Dime.

The Miami Heat come to Washington on Friday.

This has been a very special edition of ‘The Wizards Said WHAT?’

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 8, 2012 -- 3-on-3: Wizards vs. Knicks: The Long-Awaited John Wall vs. Jeremy Lin Part 2
• January 28, 2012 -- DC Council Game 19: Wizards 76 at Rockets 103: Remember Us? We Didn’t Get Fired.
• January 17, 2012 -- DC Council Game 13: Wizards 106 vs. Rockets 114: John Wall’s Big Day Brings No Rewards

The Wizards and Knicks face off for the second time this season, the previous meeting coming in Washington, a 99-96 Knicks win (the Wizards have only one trip to New York on their schedule). Without much deliberation, let’s get into tonight’s 3-on-3, featuring John Kenney (@JohnBKenney) of KnickerBlogger.net, the TrueHoop Network’s Knicks blog, along with TAI’s Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) and myself, Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It). Three questions, three answers starts now…

#1) When John Wall and Jeremy Lin (as a member of the Dallas Mavericks ) faced off in the 2010 NBA Summer League, Wall had trouble defending Lin (as did Lin with Wall). John went under a lot of screens and Jeremy made him pay. The Wizards won 88-82, thanks to 23 points from Cartier Martin, but Lin did score 11 fourth quarter points. Tonight will be the first meeting between the two since. Considering the environment (especially Lin’s recent boost into the limelight as the Knicks prepare to play Washington without Carmelo Anthony (groin), Amar’e Stoudemire (death in the family) and Baron Davis (presumably a beard-related injury or ailment otherwise)), how will this Wall-Lin matchup play out?

KENNEY: While many have focused on Lin’s offensive explosion, his defense has also been pleasantly surprising. Wall’s athleticism makes him a tough matchup to defend, but if Lin’s performances against Deron Williams and Devin Harris are any indication, he’ll do a fine job. (I also wouldn’t be surprised to see 6-foot-5 Iman Shumpert defend Wall at times.) And on offense, I expect Lin to score around 20 points, while delivering a number of nice assists to Tyson Chandler. The one concern should be that Lin must avoid foul trouble. If Lin is out for extended periods of the game, that means more Toney Douglas (currently in the worst slump of his career,) which helps explain why Lin played the entire 2nd, 3rd AND 4th quarters against the Jazz. Luckily, having Tyson defending the rim is a good safety net against Wall blow-bys.

MOBLEY: Based on the results of the last two Knicks victories, Lin will have to carry the offensive burden in order for his team to win–which is the equivalent of playing with house money. He’ll play loose and carefree. Coach Randy Wittman will tell Wall to run the offense and play within himself like he did against the Raptors. But Wall will struggle to balance that with his own competitive streak, and his numbers and overall game will suffer.

WEIDIE: Jeremy Lin will get his… Why? Because he’s a smart player, has great confidence, New York will be in desperate need of scoring, and Washington’s bigs are generally inept of pick-and-roll defense (aside from rookie Jan Vesely). Screening action has proved to be Lin’s bread and butter in his two dazzling games with the Knicks. They honeymoon, however, will be over for Jeremy tonight. Not that the Wizards will intimidate a depleted Knicks squad by any means, but I think John Wall remembers that Summer League battle and his athleticism advantage will overwhelm Lin (even though Lin has legitimate 6-foot-3 height). Before the game Sam Cassell was telling Wall in the locker room that Lin will try to bait Wall into some charges, so watch out for that.

#2) The Wizards have made some bench players look like All-Stars lately — Amir Johnson with 18 points and 13 rebounds for Toronto last Friday, and Linas Kleiza with 30 off the bench for Toronto on Monday — what bench player shines tonight? [NOTE: It could be a bench player from New York or Washington, as it also could be a player filling in for one of New York's unavailable stars -- the Knicks started Lin, Landry Fields, Jared Jeffries, Carmelo Anthony (now hurt; Bill Walker will likely replace him) and Tyson Chandler versus the Jazz on Monday; the Wizards started Wall, Nick Young, Chris Singleton, Trevor Booker and JaVale McGee.]

KENNEY: The Knicks have long produced bench-player All-Stars from among their opponents rosters, so I feel your pain. If the Wizards defense is not sound in locating Steve Novak, he could hurt them from deep, but lacks other skills. Iman Shumpert, now coming off the bench, looks to have been a great pick for the Knicks, but likely won’t shoot enough to burn the Wiz. It is unlikely any other (healthy) bench player for the Knicks possesses the requisite basketball ability to “shine.” On the Wizards side…Woah, Rashard Lewis still plays basketball? Against the Jazz, the Knicks took to deploying three players normally classified as shooting guards (Bill Walker, Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert) at the 2, 3, and 4 spots. If Lewis comes in at the 3, he’ll certainly be able shoot over whoever is guarding him. This would, of course, require him to still be playing basketball by the time the game tips off. Guess we’ll see!

MOBLEY: Lin and Wall promises to be an entertaining duel, but they cannot play all 48 minutes, which means the game within the game will be between backup point guards Shelvin Mack and Toney Douglas. Douglas has not played well as of late, but he’s a threat from behind the arc, and if he watched Linas Kleiza and Jerryd Bayless on Monday, he knows a big night is ripe fo the plucking. Mack’s play has been improving the past two weeks, this trend can only continue if he’s going up against the struggling Douglas. I’m giving the edge to Douglas.

WEIDIE: Tonight is Jan Vesely’s night, although I won’t go as far as saying he’ll look like an All-Star. With Knicks stars out, Jan will have a chance to come off the bench and provide a spark for Washington with deflections, defense and overall activity against New York’s second, second unit. The rookie is due for one of these games, and I’m not exactly sure how it will happen, but I’m betting Vesely will shatter his career-high scoring mark of 7 points (in 22 games played thus far).

3) If Mike D’Antoni, firmly on the hot seat in the Big Apple, were to be fired by the Knicks, how viable an option would he be for the Wizards/a fit with John Wall? (Also feel free to debate how hot D’Antoni’s seat is/should be.)

KENNEY: I am not of the opinion that D’Antoni’s seat is actually that hot. If warm, it appears that it’s in a Tom Coughlin “the-fans-get-skittish-when-the-team-loses-but-I’m-not-dead-yet” manner. However, as a mental exercise…at first thought, the Wizards seem well set-up to play at a fast tempo, considering their young and athletic roster. However, D’Antoni’s preferred offense isn’t just “run.” It also requires shooting the ball well from outside and establishing a solid pick and roll game. Wall hasn’t displayed enough PnR ability to make me believe he could do a great job in D’Antoni’s offense, although perhaps that part of his game would develop in the system. Nick Young, on the other hand, would score a ton of points, but there aren’t enough three point shooters on the roster to make me think D’Antoni makes sense at this time. A defensive-minded coach is probably a better choice (although, to those who say D’Antoni’s teams always play poor defense, the Knicks are currently ranked 10th in the league on D.)

MOBLEY: D’Antoni is a coach who thrived in Phoenix when he had a great, veteran point guard (Nash) and good players surrounding him (Amar’e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa, Tim Thomas, Shawn Marion, etc). He’s had lesser talent in New York, which is why he’s firmly on the hot seat. The Wizards, even with a promising guard in John Wall, have less talent than the Knicks, let alone the Suns.  If given the chance to coach in Washington, D’Antoni’s one season (he’d be fired after that) would mirror Flip’s Saunders’ three-year tenure:  Few highs, way more lows, and then a pink slip.

WEIDIE: D’Antoni’s fast-paced system would fit with the athletic abilities of John Wall and with parts of how Wizards management says its shaping the team (to run with John, but defense and toughness have often been cited first). However, Washington just doesn’t have the personnel to make it work under D’Antoni right now, much less any coach. But if Wall was surrounded by more shooters, I could easily see education under D’Antoni helping bring his game toward the measured pace it needs to be at (in a ‘using change of direction to an advantage’ kind of way, not necessarily slowing down). There might ultimately be better coaching candidates for Washington, but should D’Antoni be available when the time comes, I couldn’t argue with picking him.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2012 -- DC Council Game 23: Wizards 89 at Raptors 106: Wizards Head South, North of The Border
• December 17, 2011 -- The Rundown: Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers – Preseason Game 1
• December 15, 2011 -- Wizards Training Camp Day 6: Where Flip Talks Popcorn and Dray Finishes Last

Don’t let the Washington Wizards fool you on occasion, they are still a highly dysfunctional team. But they are our Wizards, and we wouldn’t have it any other way, right? There are signs of improvement… kind of like running Anacostia River water through a colander. You’re definitely going to filter out a boot, perhaps a used condom or two. No, the water isn’t now drinkable, still very tainted – Washington needs several Brita filters on their roster — but hey, progress.

In Washington’s 111-108 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday, the starting backcourt of John Wall and Nick Young set the tone — Wall with aggressive drives to the basket, and Young with his excellent ability to make rhythm shots that the offensive system provides for him. The duo combined for 60 points (31 from Wall, 29 from Young). Of course, as he’s apt to do, Young regressed over the course of the game. His points and field goals per quarter: 1st (11 pts, 4-7 FGs); 2nd (7 pts, 3-5 FGs); 3rd (5 pts, 2-6 FGs); 4th (4 pts, 0-1 FGs); OT (3 pts, 0-1 FGs). Toronto adjusted their defense to what Young was doing earlier in the game and he succumbed to it.

Afterward, Randy Wittman didn’t name names (he could’ve been talking about several of his players), but it was clear Young was the main target of his words.

“Do we have things to clean up? Absolutely,” said Wittman. “We still have to realize, when you’re a scorer in this league, and you are scoring, that the other team scouts just like we do. They’re going to get the ball out of your hands, and we have to be willing passers when that happens. That’s a compliment… that’s a compliment. They are doubling you for a reason, and now all we gotta do it make the simple plays,” continued the coach, speaking of how he decided to keep the ball in Wall’s hands toward the end of the game, heaping praise on his point guard for making a simple pass to Trevor Booker out of pick and roll action.

“You’re not going to dribble out of the double team more times than not,” Wittman later reiterated. ”You’ve just got to accept it, move the ball, make plays. Because then, when you do that three or four times early in that fourth quarter, they’re going to say, ‘We can’t double anymore and we got to play our own.’ Now it opens things back up again. We never made that adjustment, I thought, in that fourth quarter.”

Young, meanwhile, was seemingly oblivious to his play after the game. He spoke of how he got the team hyped before the game, said “the Kobe System” as he departed the media scrum and again several times as he trolled around the locker room, distracting Jordan Crawford with the phrase and his antics during Crawford’s own media session. Self pats on back were had and the season goes on. How much Young is actually increasing the value of his impending free agency with his play is a whole other question. The Chicago Bulls, for one, are probably glad that Young remains a Washington Wizard this season. In a contract year, he is shooting a career low 41-percent from the field. In two games against Chicago (supposedly Nick’s desired destination last summer before he signed a qualifying offer with Washington), Young has shot 29-percent on his field goal attempts.

The Wizards said WHAT? Yep, that’s what they said.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• March 4, 2011 -- Losing With Flying Colors: Wizards Splattered Like A Jackson Pollock
• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass

Score

Washington Wizards 111 vs Toronto Raptors 108 [box score]

Stat of The Game w/ Markus Allen

The most impressive part of the game is the 60-point combined output from two pairs of players: John Wall/Nick Young of Washington (31 and 29) and Jerryd Bayless/Linas Kleiza of Toronto (30 and 30). They put up points in similar ways, leading us to ask… Which duo was more effective across the board?

Blind Resumé

DUO A:
20-39 FGs, 10-18 from 3-point, 10-14 FTs — 60 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals

DUO B:
19-39 FGs, 2-3 from 3-point, 20-25 FTs — 60 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals

The Answers…

…

…

DUO A is Jerry Bayless and Linas Kleiza
20-39 from the field, 10-18 from 3 point, 10-14 from free throw, for 60 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals

DUO B is John Wall and Nick Young
19-39 from he field, 2-3 from 3 point, 20-25 from free throw, for 60 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals

Wall and Young were more effective, but it was still an impressive performance from Bayless and Kleiza.

Scene of the Game

Oh JaVale.

You hate to make this the scene of the game in a Wizards win, but man if it doesn’t give me the giggles. And aren’t giggles just positive pixels rendered into sound?

[Animated GIF via @JohnCTownsend]

D.C. Flag 3-Star Ratings w/ Markus Allen, Rashad Mobley and Kyle Weidie

<***> Rating the Starting 5, Bench & Coach out of 3 stars.

John Wall
	KYLE WEIDIE: Wall scored 11 points in the first quarter, 11 in the third and 7 in the fourth. He didn’t score any of his 31 total points in overtime, but set the tone from start to finish. His two hustling blocks on Amir Johnson in OT, the guy who looked like an All-Star against Washington last game, were something to see. I think Wall was genuinely embarrassed by the show Jose Calderon put on in Toronto and was able, against a team like Toronto, to get his teammates to follow his lead. And let’s face it, as bad a defender as Calderon is, no one else on the Raptors could keep up with Wall, either. Key play: early in the third Wall passed up a wide open three. He didn’t have his feet set, it just would not have been a smart attempt. Instead, he pulled the ball out. The ultimate result? A Chris Singleton three. Now that’s discipline and leadership. 2.75 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: This 30 point game certainly differed from the 38 point game (in defeat) that John Wall had against the Rockets. Wall looked creative and showcased his athleticism attacking the basket, and showed layups that could only compare to those of Derrick Rose. What is more impressive than him going 10-19 from the field and converting 11-14 free throws is that he did so by opening up his game with a jump shot. He came down the court at a fast pace, and while the defense played off expecting him to drive, he pulled up for a couple silky mid-range jumpers. Wall also got other players involved and dished 7 assists, neverminding the 4 turnovers. When Wall has the type of performance that he did Monday night, the turnovers don’t even matter; he plays his game and it all equals out. 2.5 Stars
	MOBLEY: Last week against the Magic, I criticized Wall for having Jason Kidd-like stats, without having a Kidd-like effect on the game. Last night, Wall looked like Kidd in his prime. He hit open shots, he passed up tough shots to get his teammates easier ones, he blocked shots, hit big free throws, sneered at the Raptors, and told everyone that D.C. was his house. For one of the few times this season, Wall could call himself “The Game Changer,” and I’d actually believe him. 2.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 8 out of 9 stars

Nick Young
	MARKUS ALLEN: At the beginning of the first quarter the Toronto commentator joked, “Nick Young only shoots when he has the ball. That statement holds so much truth, but on Tuesday night, it didn’t really mean anything. The best part of Young’s performance is that (without looking at his free throws), it looks like Nick had a typical game going 9-20. What you would’t know is that Young also went 9-11 from the free-throw line and ended up with 29 points. This was just simply amazing: we have learned that when Wall and Young play to their maximum potential, the backcourt can amount to 60 points! The only thing that can undermine that 60, is the 60 points also put up by Jerryd Bayless and Linas Kleiza. Regardless, Young and Wall looked like a more aggressive version the Monta Ellis and Steph Curry duo, showcasing perfect chemistry. One can only hope they can they do it again. 2.5 Stars (out of 3)
	MOBLEY: After 25 games (actually four seasons, but I’ll be nice), I have developed a bit of a Nick Young checklist that can be filled out after most of his games. A hot start? Check. A cold shooting spell in the middle of the game? check. Big shots down the stretch? Check. Drawing a four-point play with a Reggie Miller-like kick? Check. Two assists or less, despite having open teammates all around? Check. It’s not that Nick didn’t play well because he did, it’s just that he could have done a little more. 2 Stars
	WEIDIE: When Nick is able to score within the offense it’s a thing of beauty. When he forces the game, it some of the worst “Hey, I bet he played for Tim Floyd at USC” basketball you’ve ever seen. Nick played well within the offense early, but he’s exactly who Randy Wittman was talking about after the game as being too unaware to realize that defenses are adjusting to him and to use that to his advantage. Also, he had a chance to win the game, took a horrible shot, and got blocked by James Johnson. Does Nick want to be a popcorn player or just a chucker? 2 Stars
	TOTAL: 6.5 out of 9 stars

Chris Singleton
	RASHAD MOBLEY: Maybe Rashard Lewis’ knee injury was real, or maybe Randy Wittman simply wanted to save him the embarrassment of pulling him from the starting lineup … the truth is not clear. But what is clear is that Chris Singleton was the beneficiary of this move, because he was inserted back into the starting lineup for the 10th time this season, but for the first time since Flip Saunders was fired. Unlike Trevor Booker, who played well out of the starting lineup but usually much better in it, Singleton was passive against Toronto. He hit an open three, but he did little else on the offensive end of the floor. And on the defensive end, he started strong with a block and solid defense on DeMar DeRozan, but DeRozan returned the favor a couple of times and beat him. It would be convenient to break out the he’s-just-a-rookie excuse to account for Singleton’s uneven play, but he played better earlier in the season as a rookie, and these were the Raptors, not the Heat. 1 Star (out of 3)
	ALLEN: Chris Singleton was on the court for 25 minutes, and finished with 2 points on 1-4 shooting to along with 2 rebounds. He was nonexistent on the offensive side, but that’s alright because consistent production isn’t really expected of him yet. The good thing about Singleton is that when he plays, he doesn’t make foolish mistakes. He just finds ways to contribute in other areas. 1 Star
	WEIDIE: Singleton wasn’t always noticeable in the sudden start due to Rashard Lewis’ sore right knee, but he made some good plays. He still can pick up quick fouls due to bad positioning, getting behind on a screen, etc. He just needs more time and he’s getting it. 1 Star
	TOTAL: 3 out of 9 stars

Trevor Booker
	MARKUS ALLEN: Trevor Booker is continuing to show why he needs to be the starting power forward now and when Andray Blatche returns. Booker went 7-10, for 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks, and like Singleton, contributes a positive vibe to the team when he’s on the floor. He showed off his athleticism with explosive dunks and made hustle plays in transition. Booker is showing more and more potential, displays signs of being a great teammate, and is one of the key reasons the Wizards have won games. In the five Wizards wins this season, Booker has gone 19-24 on FGs for 47 points and 19 rebounds in 79 minutes of play. 2 Stars (out of 3)
	MOBLEY: He shot 70% from the floor and 90% from the line. He blocked shots, he hustled and got steals, and after the game, John Wall told CSN Washington’s Chris Miller that if Booker hustles AND hits that open 15-footer, he can be one of the top players in this league. Aside from his low rebound total (four) and that one instance when Linas Kleiza backed him into the lane like Adrian Dantley, I can’t say I completely disagree with Wall’s assessment. 2 Stars
	WEIDIE: I’m still bewildered that Booker was only credited with four rebounds (three were offensive). He simply killed it against the Raptors. Booker shook the with a couple thunderous slams (Cook Book SMASH!), he sprinted to coverage assignments in pressure defense, he made smart plays, he was an offensive threat. It’s not weird to say that right now, after John Wall, Booker is the best thing the Wizards have going. 2.25 Stars
	TOTAL: 6.25 out of 9 stars

JaVale McGee
	RASHAD MOBLEY: Let’s pretend JaVale McGee had never thrown the ball against the backboard and dunked it during a loss to the Houston Rockets. Let’s pretend JaVale McGee had a double-double last night with four or five blocked shots and the same amount of epic dunks. And let’s pretend those numbers had come against the Clippers on Friday. Those are the circumstances by which I could overlook McGee’s genius decision to sprint down the court (back on defense, ironically), even though his team still had possession of the ball. Unfortunately for JaVale, he did have that dunk against Houston, and he had just eight points and eight rebounds against Toronto, and coach Wittman had to sit him on the bench for extended periods of time, and he was unable to dominate the center trio of Aaron Gray/Jamaal Magloire/Amir Johnson. But when your play is average AND you run down the court in your customary cool gait, not even seeing the fact that your team is in the midst of starting an offensive set? Not even Pam McGee can spin that one. Not to mention, JaVale has once again made the Washington Wizards the object of national ridicule — even after a good win. 0 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: JaVale was the odd man out tonight, he went 4-9 for 8 points and 8 rebounds, but he wasn’t effective on defense, was dunked on, and had 4 fouls. It wasn’t that he played horrible, it’s just that he could have done way better against Jamaal Magloire and Aaron Gray, two match-ups he should dominate. There was also a possession where McGee was confused to whether the Wizards were playing offense or defense, and sprinted back to play defense when the Wizards clearly had the ball. He looked like a football player running the wrong way after picking up a fumble, and it summed up how he played Tuesday Night — not a big deal, but “C’mon Man!” 0.75 Star
	WEIDIE: I don’t know, man, I just don’t know. McGee is becoming so ridiculous that it’s not even worth it. I credit him for trying (I think), but his focus on the details of basketball seems to be dwindling. {shrugs shoulders} Actually… trying? He can barely block out. Substance versus style? McGee is more of a sad spectacle than anything at this point. 0.25 Star
	TOTAL: 1 out of 9 stars

The Bench
	RASHAD MOBLEY: This was one of the rare nights when the Wizards had three starters (Wall, Young and Booker) come up big (in terms of numbers and minutes) so there were fewer chances for the bench to shine, but they did so with intangibles. Shelvin Mack, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford and Kevin Seraphin all played big minutes in the second quarter and extended Washington’s lead from 10 points to 17 points. If it had not been for their inability to slow Linas Kleiza during that same stretch, they might have put the game away. Also, Jan Vesely HAS to look for his shot more. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	Sub Man of the Game: Jordan Crawford
	ALLEN: Jordan Crawford had a good night and did exactly what was needed since the starters were playing efficiently. He came into the game and went 5-11 in 25 minutes of play, scoring 13 points… no surprises. Kevin Seraphin was less visible on the offensive side of the ball than he was in the Magic game (where he went 6-7 with 12 points), but he had 8 rebounds against Toronto and was pretty solid, disregarding his 5 fouls. Mack contributed with 4 points and 4 rebounds in 9 minutes of play, played within himself and did his part. 1 Star
	Sub Man of the Game: Jordan Crawford
	WEIDIE: No one on the bench really starred, but they packed nice punch as a collective unit… I can’t find much wrong with any reserve who played. Crawford did take a bad shot or two… fine, but 13 points on 5-11 FGs is a nice, measured night for him. He hustled on defense, even though he did get burned by Jerryd Bayless a couple times. There was even a Mo Evans sighting, his 15 minutes, 3 minutes short of his previous season total, didn’t look particularly great, but let him chip of some rust. 1.75 Star
	Sub Man of the Game: Jordan Crawford
	BENCH TOTAL: 4.25 out of 9 stars

The Coach: Randy Wittman
	KYLE WEIDIE: Why wasn’t JaVale McGee in for a key defensive possession at the end of the game? Simply put, by Randy Wittman in the post-game presser, rookie Jan Vesely, who subbed for McGee, is better at guarding screening action in just about any situation, including late game switching situations. Wittman’s team almost lost an 18-point lead with three minutes left in the third quarter to the freaking Raptors (practically thanks to Anthony freaking Carter), but he’s not going to dwell on that. 1.75 Star (out of 3)
	ALLEN: Randy Wittman came into the game stating that he was looking to change the rotation after the Wizards 107-81 loss against the Clippers. Rashard Lewis was not active against Toronto, so the coach replaced him with Chris Singleton and left Booker at the four. The bench did not have to be extremely active Monday night, due to the starters performance, and Wittman allowed his three hot players (Wall, Young and Booker) to log time of 44, 43 and 41 minutes. There should have been more pressure on the perimeter, where the Raptors went 13-26, but Wittman was content. He allowed the Wizards to run a fast-paced offense which beat the Raptors in getting to the free throw line (+7 attempts), had 23 fast break points, and had 42 points inside the paint. 1 Star
	MOBLEY: After last night’s game, coach Wittman said a win is a win, and in theory that is the case, especially for a young team. Before the game, he told his team to consider the matchup against the Raptors to be a playoff game, and I admire that motivating tactic as well. But it still baffles me that the same coach could not motivate the Wizards to even show up for a quarter against the LA Clippers.   Perhaps the answer I see is in a pack of Marlboro Lights. 2 Stars
	COACH TOTAL: 4.75 out of 9 stars

Seen on the Scene w/ Kyle Weidie

As the game was over and as fans were filing out, two youths yelled, “Great win, Ted!” as team owner Ted Leonsis took to exiting through the team tunnel. He looked up, smiled, perhaps made an internal blog monologue note. “Well, he heard us,” said one youth to the other as they started to leave. The next day Leonsis turned to some beatnik-esque pixel poetry on his blog, Ted’s Take. After highlighting, for some reason, that 14 out of 30 NBA teams have a record below .500, Leonsis wrote:

We played a team above us in the standings last night – that had beaten us easily last Friday. I am happy we won for our fans; even though the game went to overtime. The game was played on a Monday night – and attendance was at the 14,600 mark; as I have noted – we sell 14 to 15 k tix to all games now – and when we play a traditional opponent or a glamour team – our attendance swells to sell out or near sell out capacity.

[...]

We played with well more than half of our payroll sitting on the bench or in street clothes – with Lewis-Turiaf and Blatche out.

What does it all mean? It means that in reality, the Wizards almost blew an 18-point lead to the Raptors. And aside from Turiaf, the Wizards are a better team without more than half their payroll on the floor. Also, only about 2,000 of the supposed “14,600 attendance mark” were in the building just before tip-off. The semantics behind the stats of whether butts were actually in seats or not, the Wizards could use a more legitimate boost from the home crowd, not a fabriated perception.

But hey, you gotta start somewhere…

Also….

TREVOR BOOKER SMASH!

Top Tweets

@CarbonPrimo: Wall yelling “ITS MY CITY MAN!!!! THIS IS MY CITY” to the folks in the front row.

@MimiPh: Dream big! RT @adammcginnis: Wizards just need 5 more wins to avoid becoming worst winning% ever, which is 9-57 finish

@wzzntzz: Javale workin onit RT @NickSwardson Can’t believe no NBA player has perfected the half court sky hook. Unguardable shot. Boss.

End Scene

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

“We still have things to clean up, absolutely. We still have to realize that when you’re a scorer in this league, and you are scoring, that the other team scouts just like we do. They going to get the ball out of your hands, and we have to be willing passers when that happens. That’s a compliment. That’s a compliment. They are doubling you for a reason. And now all we gotta do is make the simple plays.”
-Randy Wittman… wonder who he was walking about (name rhymes with sick lung… a la cigarettes)

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 6, 2012 -- 3-on-3: Wizards vs. Raptors: Stupor Bowl Monday
• January 20, 2012 -- DC Council Game 14: Wizards 105 vs Thunder 102: From Subway To Chicken Wings
• January 18, 2012 -- ShareBullets: Rating 20-Percent of a Wizards Season: Where Are The Stars?

Here we go again… Tonight’s Wizards-Raptors game is the third of four meetings between the two clubs. Washington and Toronto have split the 2011-12 series thus far, each team celebrating a decisive victory over the other — the average winning margin is 16 points. Although the Torontonians have been more successful on the road (5 wins) than the D.C. locals have been at home (3 wins) this season, the Raptors haven’t won a game at the Verizon Center since 2009. Consider heading to the game if you have a couple of hours to kill tonight: tickets can be scored for a buck! Raptorholic Sam Holako (@RapsFan) of ESPN TrueHoop/Raptors Republic joins TAI’s John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend) and Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) for tonight’s 3-on-3 roundball roundtable. Three questions, three answers starts now…

#1) Fact or Fiction: Rashard Lewis will score four or more points tonight, joining Jason Kidd and Paul Pierce as the only players in NBA history to have scored at least 15,000 points, grabbed 5,000 rebounds and hit 1,500 three-pointers in their careers. [UPDATE: Lewis is out versus the Raptors due to what is being called a sore right knee; Chris Singleton replaced him in the Wizards starting lineup.]

HOLAKO: Fact. If Rashard can’t score 4 points against the Raptors, then he probably doesn’t deserve to be in that company. On a side note, I was hoping Lewis had more gas in the tank after the ‘steroid’ incident. I’m a big fan of his; undeserved massive contract not withstanding.

TOWNSEND: Fact. I’ll play the numbers: Lewis is averaging 8.5 points per game this season and has scored fewer than four points in only four his 22 appearances this season. Watching Lewis this season — looking like a zombie —  it’s almost hard to believe he’s accomplished so much, especially since Lewis is a few years younger than both Kidd and Pierce.

WEIDIE: Fact: He’ll get time for chances because there’s really no one else. No other healthy veterans to replace, sadly, who is likely the Wizards’ best back-to-the-basket scorer (although Trevor Booker is coming along lately). Remember how Lewis scored the first eight points of the third quarter for the Wizards in Toronto on Friday? Yea, something absurd like that may happen again. So, congrats on the impending achievement, Sweet Lew.

#2) The last time these two clubs met, Toronto ripped off 68 points in the paint, walking away victors in a 106-89 contest. The Raptors posted a franchise-record 61 rebounds in regulation time (the second-highest total in team history), including 23 offensive boards, which helped create 28 second-chance points for Toronto. What, if anything, can the Wizards do to slow the Raptors rebounders?

HOLAKO: Toronto has been making a living (a poor living at that) on the perimeter for most of the season. You had to appreciate them pulling down 61 rebounds and getting 28 second chance points, but that is not the norm; not even close to being the norm. The Raptors seem to rebound the offensive glass more aggressively against the Wizards (they had 14 in the first game of the season), so keeping active bodies on Amir Johnson, Ed Davis, and James Johnson will be key in slowing them down. After falling short with the furious comeback against the Heat last night, I expect this one to be a tighter affair, similar to what we saw in the first game of the season.

TOWNSEND: Boxing out would be a good start. The Wizards have some wide bodies (Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin) and some freak athletes (JaVale McGee), but they’re often short on discipline, focus, anticipation, and effort. The team’s bigs need to get on the grind and throw their weight (and hips) around. Respect the hustle.

WEIDIE: Putting a body on Amir Johnson (13 rebounds, 7 offensive off the bench on Friday in a pseudo-All-Star effort) will help this time. Continuing to start Trevor Booker (inserted back into the starting lineup in place of Jan Vesely for the Clippers game) will probably help too — it appears that Toronto got 11 of their 23 offensive rebounds in the first quarter last Friday. The most influential component, however, might be JaVale McGee showing up and actually caring about being a presence against the likes of Aaron Gray and Jamaal Magloire. After all, McGee is the future of the NBA according to his mom.

#3) With Andrea Bargnani still out indefinitely with a calf injury, who will be the difference-maker for the Raptors, losers of the last three games in Washington, D.C.: Jose Calderon (who dished out 17 dimes in Friday’s win over Washington) or the Toronto bench (which scored a season-high 68 points in that same meeting)?

HOLAKO: Look for Calderon, Bayless, Barbosa and Amir Johnson to lead the charge. DeMar is a bit of an enigma since he’s had a tough time with consistency this season (had a monster game against the Heat last night). If Kleiza and Johnson can keep up their recent pace, they will make it tough for the Wizards in the paint. Ultimately, this is the second game of a back-to-back for the Raptors, so I’m liking the Wizards’ chances if Rashard, Young and Crawford can open up some space in the paint for Wall, McGee and Brooker (I like this kid, he’s got heart) to operate.

TOWNSEND: Jose Calderon had three assists and five turnovers in a matinee loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday, an unlikely line for the NBA’s assist leader (and a guard with one of the better assist-to-turnover ratios, 4.26-to-1). I expect Calderon to bounce back with a strong performance, working the pick-and-roll against a polite Wizards defense. It’ll be important for Calderon to get the Raptors out to a fast start in this one; Toronto has not begun the second quarter with a lead since a January 13 meeting against the Indiana Pacers — a 95-90 loss, and a game in which the Raptors were outscored 80-63 over the final three quarters.

WEIDIE: I don’t think Calderon looks like Steve Nash in the process of chewing up the Wizards again like he did on Friday (17 assists by himself, four more than the Wizards had as a team). Washington should be more weary of Raptors bench players who pack an offensive punch — such Linas Kleiza and Leandro Barbosa — as opposed to Jordan Crawford, the only real capable scorer off the Wizards’ bench.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2012 -- DC Council Game 23: Wizards 89 at Raptors 106: Wizards Head South, North of The Border
• December 2, 2010 -- Symbolic Red Gear & Matador D: Toronto Raptors Olé! Washington Wizards
• February 7, 2012 -- DC Council Game 25: Wizards 111 vs Raptors 108: Indefensibly Sprinting Back On Defense

When Washington and Toronto matched-up in Canada last Friday night, Amir Johnson of the Raptors came off the bench to score 18 points and grab 13 rebounds in a 106-89 win over the Wizards. ”They’re making him look like an All-Star,” someone probably said, also noting that this Washington franchise has seemed peculiarly deft doing so over the years. During my time following the team since 1990, nights like Johnson’s certainly don’t seem like an anomaly. But just how good is Washington at making otherwise mediocre opponents look like All-Stars? And how does Washington compare to other teams?

I used the glorious Basketball-Reference.com database to search for answers. First I needed to set up some requirements:

1. Since Johnson is the subject, I wanted someone who has scored at least 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench. Certainly a guard could look like an All-Star with 17 points and 8 assists off the bench, as would a non-starter scoring 25 points in a reserve role (ignoring other stats), but I eliminated them for this particular exercise. Also, you could certainly have a no-name starter put up All-Star stats, but assuming he’s starting with other quality talent, his success is somewhat dimmed. A bench player it is.
2. The player’s team has to win the game. Because All-Stars, or at least All-Star efforts, always are victorious, right? (No, not right, but just another factor of elimination for this post.)

Basketball-Reference.com returned 662 instances of a player tallying at least 18 and 10 off the bench, in a win, since 1985-86, the extent of BBR’s dataset (this includes Johnson’s 18 and 13, by the way). However, the results needed to be narrowed down further:

• Surely All-Stars come off the bench for one reason or another, so I had to eliminate them… anyone who has ever been an All-Star at least once (whether they actually played in the game or not).
• I also wanted to eliminate those who have won the NBA’s 6th Man Award, since putting up numbers off the bench is kind of what they are supposed to do/are good at.
• Thus, eliminated were the likes of A.C. Green (All-Star), Antawn Jamison (6th Man/All-Star), Roy Tarpley (6th Man), Shawn Kemp (All-Star), Detlef Schrempf (All-Star/6th Man), Hakeem Olajuwon (All-Star, came off the bench to put up 18 and 12 for the Rockets in 1991 for some reason), and many, many more. 
• In total, there were 239 of 662 instances of 18 and 10 off the bench in a win by non-All-Stars/6th Man Award winners.

The remaining 423 instances were accomplished by 212 different players; 26 of those 423 instances came against the Washington franchise, second most after Golden State (36), and more than Denver (24), Sacramento (22), and Indiana (21). As you can see, there’s a reason why so many of these performances seem familiar to Wizards fans.

So who has performed like an All-Star with at least 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in a win against Washington? 22 different players have. Here we go…

1. Charles Davis (Bucks) – 3/18/1986 (26 pts, 10 rebs)
2. Thurl Bailey (Jazz) – 11/24/1987 (18 pts, 14 rebs)
3. Ron Anderson (Sixers) – 2/1/1989 (18 pts, 13 rebs)
4. Greg Anderson (Spurs) – 3/28/1989 (20 pts, 10 rebs)
5. Hot Rod Williams (Cavaliers) – 1/5/1990 (18 pts, 14 rebs), 3/28/1991 (18 pts, 14 rebs) and 3/16/1992 (25 pts, 11 rebs)
6. Jerry Reynolds (Magic) – 4/19/1991 (24 pts, 14 rebs)
7. Loy Vaught (Clippers) – 2/18/1993 (20 pts, 14 rebs)
8. Dino Radja (Celtics) – 12/1/1993 (22 pts, 10 rebs) and 4/9/1995 (20 pts, 12 rebs)
9. Chris Gatling (Warriors) - 1/26/1995 (18 pts, 12 rebs)
10. Alan Henderson (Hawks) – 1/9/1998 (18 pts, 11 rebs)
11. Marcus Camby (Knicks) – 3/11/1999 (19 pts, 12 rebs) and 4/6/2000 (21 pts, 15 rebs)
12. Kelvin Cato (Rockets) – 12/23/1999 (20 pts, 12 rebs)
13. Billy Owens (Warriors) – 2/20/2000 (18 pts, 12 rebs)
14. Lorenzen Wright (Hawks) – 11/28/2000 (23 pts, 12 rebs)
15. Marcus Fizer (Bulls) – 3/1/2002 (19 pts, 10 rebs)
16. LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers) – 2/11/2007 (18 pts, 10 rebs) *Note: could be an All-Star soon.
17. Chris Anderesen (Nuggets) – 3/20/2009 (18 pts, 11 rebs)
18. Ersan Ilyasova (Bucks) – 3/3/2010 (19 pts, 10 rebs)
19. Toney Douglas (Knicks) – 11/5/2010 (19 pts, 10 rebs)
20. Charlie Villanueva (Pistons) – 11/21/2010 (25 pts, 11 rebs)
21. Thaddeus Young (Sixers) – 2/23/2011 (18 pts, 10 rebs)
22. Amir Johnson (Raptors) – 2/3/2012 (18 pts, 13 rebs)

Quite a distinctive list. But what about Washington? They’ve certainly had instances where a mediocre Wizards/Bullets player has been made to look like an All-Star by an opponent. Indeed they have. It’s happened 10 times courtesy of 8 different players:

1. John “Hot Plate” Williams – 12/18/1988 (22 pts, 10 rebs vs LAL); 1/10/1989 (25 pts, 10 rebs vs DEN); 3/17/1989 (23 pts, 10 rebs at NJN)
2. Gheorghe Muresan – 4/24/1994 (21 pts, 11 rebs vs CHH)
3. Christian Laettner – 3/10/2001 (26 pts, 11 rebs vs NJN)
4. Tyrone Nesby – 2/15/2002 (18 pts, 10 rebs at PHO)
5. Kwame Brown – 1/2/2003 (20 pts, 12 rebs at CHI)
6. Etan Thomas – 11/19/2003 (18 pts, 10 rebs vs CLE)
7. Andray Blatche – 11/25/2008 (25 pts, 12 rebs vs GSW)
8. JaVale McGee – 4/6/2010 (25 pts, 15 rebs vs GSW)

Ahh… a veritable who’s who of Washington Wizards/Bullets non-All-Star All-Stars. What fun. So who’s got next?

Other reads from Truth About It:

• April 22, 2009 -- Wizards Fans, The Date is May 19th
• October 3, 2011 -- Washington Wizards Suspensions & Fines Since 1995
• May 22, 2009 -- Addressing JaVale McGee Trade Rumors

Score

Washington Wizards 81 vs Los Angeles Clippers 107 [box score]

Stat of The Game w/ John Converse Townsend

1. For the first time this season, Washington scored fewer than 20 points in each of the first three quarters (17, 17, 19).

2. Nick Young’s total shot attempts at the rim. (He’s averaging 1.8 attempts at the rim per game.) Both came in the first eight minutes of the game.

3. Three Wizards — Trevor Booker, John Wall and Head Coach Randy Wittman — were charged with technical fouls.

4. Chauncey Billups made a game-high four 3-point attempts vs. Washington.

5. The number field goals Nick Young made from the field. He attempted 16.

6. The number of free throws the Clippers made in the game. They attempted 17 free throws and won by 26 points.

7. The Clippers (23) scored seven more points than the Wizards (16) on second-chance opportunities. The key: rebounding. The Clippers were plus-21 on the glass (plus-4 OREB).

8. Blake Griffin’s game-high assist total (to go with 21 points and 11 rebounds) despite not playing a minute in the fourth quarter.

9. … um, the Clippers scored more than half of their points in the paint (56) in front of the 19,419 in attendance, the Wizards largest crowd of the season.

0. The number of times the Wizards had a lead over the Clippers.

Scene of the Game

Ke-viiiiiiiiiiiiiiin (and Blake).

Yes, people, Kevin Seraphin still looks very raw. But he’s a big body, sets a helluva screen (Kirk Hinrich was impressed during his time in D.C.), and the Wizards need things like this. Give him some more time. And, although he lost the ball going to the basket with much less authority than needed before he and Blake Griffin got tied up, give Seraphin credit for fighting some. Of course, Griffin did give Kevin a ‘You realize I’m winning this jump ball, right?… This is essentially a steal.’ look.

D.C. Flag 3-Star Ratings w/ Adam McGinnis, John Converse Townsend, and Kyle Weidie

<***> Rating the Starting 5, Bench & Coach out of 3 stars.

John Wall
	KYLE WEIDIE: 2 points, 1-9 FGs, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 28 minutes versus 14 points, 4-8 FGs, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 29 minutes. Which one was Chris Paul and which one was John Wall? Wall is the latter, Paul the former, ‘Can’t throw a rock in the ocean,’ I believe were Paul’s words after the game. Wall had the stronger stats, but you can’t say he had the stronger game since CP3′s Clippers won. Still, I can’t fault Wall’s night too much, I saw many more positives than negatives. This was a “surroundings” game… although, not saying that Wall doesn’t have a long, long way to grow before he can leave an imprint on a big game like Paul. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	MCGINNIS: Game Changer’s had a nice scoring outburst in second quarter and held Chris Paul to two points. He continues to gut it out in this disastrous season. 1.5 Stars
	TOWNSEND: Wall’s most memorable play came with about six and a half minutes left to play in the fourth quarter — you might remember it. The Wizards were in a half court set, and Wall’s answers to the Clippers defensive questions had grown tired. So he dribbled headfirst into a wall of Blake Griffin and Chauncey Billups, collapsing in a heap to the sounds of the referee’s whistle (timeout Washington) and boos from the Verizon Center crowd. 1.25 Stars
	TOTAL: 4.25 out of 9 stars

Nick Young
	ADAM MCGINNIS: Swaggy P was hot early and it was good to see him attacking the hoop on a few drives. He cooled off in second half and was unable to contribute in any other facet. Young still gives effort when the franchise likely does not have him in their future plans. We’ll see what 14 points on 5-16 FGs with fetches on the open market. 1 Star (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: Nick Young played one of his better games, but you wouldn’t know it from the box score. 14 points on 16 shots with 2 rebounds and 1 assist is par for the course. 1.25 Stars
	WEIDIE: Word is, Nick Young rented three rooms for Chauncey Billups at whatever hotel the Clippers stayed at… what can I say? He just wanted the guy to have plenty of space. Kidding aside via Billups’ 4-4 from long distance thanks to Young, there was also that play 12 seconds into the third quarter where, after gathering a turnover, Young called timeout falling out of bounds while no one except his teammate JaVale McGee was right in front of him waiting to receive the ball. Not the worst thing in the world to do, but a very Wizards thing nonetheless. 1 Stars
	TOTAL: 3.25 out of 9 stars

Rashard Lewis
	JOHN CONVERSE TOWNSEND: What we’ve learned: Rashard Lewis is a liability in transition. Earlier this season, Lewis was missing easy buckets, at times even stealing passes from teammates on the break. Last night, Lewissinglehandedly destroyed both a two-on-one and a three-on-one fast break, turning the ball over on both occasions. His three turnovers on the night were more than his totals for points, field goals made, free throws attempted, rebounds, assists, and steals. He played 22 minutes. It should be illegal to spell Rashard Lewis without b-u-y-o-u-t. 0 Stars (out of 3)
	MCGINNIS: I am starting to feel bad for Lewis because he does not belong on a NBA court anymore, and it is painful to watch him struggle with easy plays like failing to execute a 3-on-1 fast break. 0 Stars
	WEIDIE: I still don’t know if Randy Wittman was talking about benching Lewis or starting another veteran with Lewis. He’s not making bad basketball decisions, per se, but he’s performing horrible basketball actions. A possible unwillingness to be in Washington could be playing into Lewis’ executable demeanor. Also, Caron Butler pulled out all the moves on him. “DC, Stand UP!!!” 0.25 Star
	TOTAL: 0.25 out of 9 stars

Trevor Booker
	KYLE WEIDIE: Cook Book’s stats look like having to make a salad out of the lettuce and mayonnaise spillings from a Burger King burger — 4 points, 2-5 FGs, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks and 1 steal in 26 minutes. OK, not that bad… Booker did come out aggressive like his coach wanted, and Wittman gave him credit for doing so after the game. Still, when all was said and done, Trevor got caught up in the wave of the Clippers and couldn’t do much to establish himself, as he does have his personal limitations as well as those established by his team. Not too worried, the recipes will get more consistent, and right now, starting Booker is still the right book to cook from. As far as the Burger King? Don’t worry, he told me his pregame meal was a Cobb salad. 0.75 Stars (out of 3)
	McGINNIS: Cook Book got in early foul trouble and never found his groove. Trevor is going to need hours of slow jams. 0.5 Star
	TOWNSEND: Despite getting the start, and playing for more than 26 minutes, Trevor Booker was nearly outplayed by the Clippers’ Brian Cook, who saw around 6 minutes of game action in the fourth quarter. What more do you need to know? 0.5 Star
	TOTAL: 1.75 out of 9 stars

JaVale McGee
	ADAM MCGINNIS: When discussing McGee’s contract situation, pundits point to DeAndre Jordan’s 4-year, $42.7 million contract as the market for JaVale. Jordan absolutely destroyed the Wizards bigs and McGee offered little resistance. JaVale’s hook shots are becoming more of an adventure than any success. McGee might still get his big pay day, but his reps better destroy this game tape before their negotiations. Jordan even supposedly stared down Mama McGee after one of his dunks. BURN! 0 Stars (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: This game featured two centers from the 2008 NBA Draft. On the one hand you had $43 million defensive showstopper, and second rounder, DeAndre Jordan. On the other, you had Pam McGee’s coddled son, an 18th pick. While McGee was begging for bailout foul calls from the officials, Jordan was playing ball. McGee finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds. 0.75 Star
	WEIDIE: There are only so many ways to say that JaVale McGee is getting better, but not as much as he’s not getting better. If that’s confusing I am too. It’s hard to tell if McGee is going to change eventually or just become more like him. At least a Wizard will likely be in the dunk contest. 0.5 Stars
	TOTAL: 1.25 out of 9 stars

The Bench
	JOHN CONVERSE TOWNSEND: All things considered, the bench played well. They scored 51 of the Wizards’ 81 points (18 from behind the arc), outrebounded the starters and even turned the ball over less frequently. Shout-out to Mean Kevin Seraphin, who had a team-high 8 rebounds, his best mark of the season. 1 Star (out of 3)
	Sub Man of the Game: Kevin Seraphin
	MCGINNIS: There was no spark whatsoever, and the whole unit looked nervous when entering game; the Clippers just toyed with them. They kept playing hard, however, and had a decent final quarter, which prevented the loss reaching 50 points. In youth basketball, there are always a few kids who freak out when they get a pass on offense and can’t wait to dish it away. This is how to describe Jan Vesely on offense. Kevin Seraphin mistimes his jumps and consistently refuses to use his big body on box outs. Jordan Crawford knocked down a few threes, and Chris Singleton finally busted out of his slump with some solid burn. Hamady N’diaye getting some late garbage time produced my only smile of this Lob City massacre. 1 Star
	Sub Man of the Game: Chris Singleton
	WEIDIE: The ghastly domination worthy of movie comparison to a scary guy with a bunch of nails and pins in his head distracted from a 4th quarter that the Wizards won 28-20… Holy Smokes! Roger Mason Jr. plus-6, Hamady N’diaye plus-4!! 1 Star
	Sub Man of the Game: Jan Vesely (yea, Jan’s had a tough go of it lately, but I’m not going to sleep on the mostly decent job he did of guarding Blake Griffin)
	BENCH TOTAL: 3 out of 9 stars

The Coach: Randy Wittman
	ADAM MCGINNIS: Wittmania was fun while it lasted, it could be officially done with these weekend drubbings (Although Toronto at home on Monday provides a ripe opportunity to rebound). Wittman left the second unit in way too long to begin second quarter when the rout was getting worse, but that is just nitpicking since it likely did not matter. The Wizards have no reliable low post bigs, just part of the flawed roster, and run a bizarre offense focused on shooting inefficient long twos. The have also been creamed on boards in repeated games (69 total to Toronto and Los Angeles). On nights list this, Wittman might be wishing that he walked out the door with Flip. 0.5 Star (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: “We were back on the cigarettes, and I told them I’m pulling that cigarette out tonight,” Randy Wittman said before the game, talking about how his team had fallen off the wagon after a loss to the Raptors. Cigarettes were not so much the issue; the Wizards are fighting for their lives after a near fatal of nicotine poisoning. 0.5 Star
	WEIDIE: Cigarettes are a nasty habit. My dad knows. He’s even tried hypnosis during his tenured career, to no avail. Here’s Wittman’s problem: some if his players are going to smoke anyway. So when his whole team gets drunk on the game, and a couple of the habitual guys start lighting up, teammates with a buzz are going to start bumming cigarettes off the smokers and lighting up too. Doesn’t take long for the whole crew to start puffing cigs on the regular for the rest of the night. Some non-smokers might even start buying their own packs. 0.5 Stars
	COACH TOTAL: 1.5 out of 9 stars

Seen on the Scene w/ Kyle Weidie

There was a very ‘on to the next one’ feel after the game, as in there’s nothing to look forward to for the duration of this season. Pretty tough for the team, but probably good for the Wizards’ lottery chances. Now, this is not to say that some guys aren’t playing hard and won’t continue to do so. Many of them are and will; you have to love basketball to some degree to get to this level, and those who came from good college experiences like John Wall (Kentucky), Shelvin Mack (Butler), Trevor Booker (Clemson), Chris Singleton (Florida State) know the most about what it takes to be a team — also include Jan Vesely and Kevin Seraphin because of their structured international experience. Some of the Wizards will make it to the other side of this mess, some won’t.

Also Seen…

Caron Butler drilling a three over Rashard Lewis at the first half buzzer certainly stands out, which means one day Rashard Lewis could be doing the same for another team against the Wizards.

Of course, it took until later for me to realize that DeAndre Jordan gave JaVale McGee the ol’ salute after a dunk.

Finally, before the game in the locker room, John Wall told Nick Young that he could name the colleges of each player on the Clippers roster. He got all right except two: Brian Cook (Illinois) and Reggie Evans (Iowa).

Top Tweets

@dmbosstone: Wow. The #wizards fan couldn’t find G-Wiz in the shuffle game. That pretty much sums up the night for DC.

@malikshareef: The “mercy” rule should have been in the new NBA CBA. I don’t wanna watch this Wiz-Clips game anymore.

@gheorghetheblog: Wizards getting shot clock violations down 30. #NewTraditions

@WorldWiEdWard: If I’m Randy Wittman, right about now I’d pull a Bob Knight and throw a chair on the floor #Wizards

@ldrabick: Flip Saunders must have that feeling you have when you find out your ex is dating someone not as cute as you.

End Scene

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT (Do distressed bench shots get old? Don’t worry, we’re weary of this. The answer is not yet.):

“I think once that game started and they saw how hard they came at us, it was a ‘holy smoke’… I don’t know, I’m searching too.”
-Randy Wittman

[via @Jose3030]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2012 -- 3-on-3: Wizards vs Clippers: Randy Wittman Attempts To Pull Cigarettes Out Mouths of Wizards
• February 4, 2012 -- DC Council Game 23: Wizards 89 at Raptors 106: Wizards Head South, North of The Border
• March 4, 2011 -- Losing With Flying Colors: Wizards Splattered Like A Jackson Pollock

The Washington Wizards are a mess. They can team worse than they are, but the only one is the Charlotte Bobcats. They’ve, in brief times, competed against good teams, but always lose. They’ve given the Oklahoma City Thunder an anomaly to everyone’s surprise. They’ve gotten demoralized by teams very good, good, and mediocre, the LA Clippers working to migrate from good to very good status in their 107-81 blowout win over Randy Wittman’s team on Saturday night.

Washington has youth making lesson-learning mistakes, but they also have youngish mid-range veterans who continue to not “get it.” JaVale McGee, for instance, has more minutes of on-court development over his career than the likes of Ryan Anderson, Serge Ibaka and DeAndre Jordan. Yet those players, picked after McGee’s 18th position in the 2008 draft (21, 24 and 35 respectively), have developed into more indexed team intelligence for their franchises.

Jordan Crawford, age 23, is in the second year of a career that could go in a number of directions. Right now on a team like the Wizards, most of those don’t show a ton of promise, but there are glimmers. Nick Young, age 26, continues to show why he’s just another in a long line of capable NBA scorers who can’t do much else. In his fifth NBA season, he helps his team embody this quote said by Wittman after the loss to the Clippers:

“You have to read the situation and what they’re doing and not just play the play that’s supposed to be… they take this away, we’ve gotta do that. I don’t think we did the second part of it. They took this away and we just went ahead and tried to do it anyway.”

Sounds like mumbo-jumbo, but its essence conveys that the Wizards are still a first offensive option, me-first team; they have those kind of players. These efforts are led by the no longer fresh-faced players brought in by Ernie Grunfeld who were supposed to help establish new traditions — the McGees, Youngs and Andray Blatches of the scene – long before it became a catch-phrase motto for this season under Ted Leonsis.

Then there are the so-called veterans. Who, exactly, we don’t know. Rashard Lewis, Roger Mason, Mo Evans and Ronny Turiaf are on the roster, we know this. The first is a shell of his former self; the second is not a popcorn shooter who can’t play a lick of defense; the third was hastily signed into camp, out of shape due to his lockout involvement and a bad knee; and the last is ironically the veteran who could help the Wizards the most, but has been out since January 2 with, you guessed it, an injury.

Then there’s this other post-game quote from Wittman:

“Maybe I have to play another veteran guy, other than Rashard. It’s one thing to put the young guys out there, but they also have to learn to compete at this level of competition. And to me, I didn’t think we were ready for that. Maybe I got to sprinkle another veteran in there that knows what that game is all about before it starts. I think once that game started and they saw how hard they came at us, it was a ‘holy smoke’… I don’t know, I’m searching too.”

A veteran in addition to Rashard Lewis (even though Wittman said ‘other than’)? A veteran aside from Lewis (because he does bring needed veteran traits, aside from playing so poorly)? There are no other veteran options. Searching for… no one really knows. Leonsis and Grunfeld have a stated plan, but neither knows where that really leads the franchise, aside from proving dedication to staying a course. What does the plan say about future tough decisions? Amnesty Andray Blatche? Buy-out Rashard Lewis? Let Nick Young walk? Think long and hard about matching another team’s offer for JaVale McGee, if there are any?

Determining the fate of under-developed dead weight versus who needs more time, it won’t be easy. But then where will the Wizards be? With some damn fine career role players such as Trevor Booker, Shelvin Mack, Jan Vesely, maybe Kevin Seraphin… alongside John Wall, a pronounced as a game changer who clearly doesn’t have the answers. A player who is clearly more of a point guard to complement a star or two who just happened to be the best option in a weak 2010 draft.

The Wizards said WHAT? Well, I think everyone is still trying to figure that out. But they are going somewhere, even if that somewhere is still very far away. Because if you can’t improve past the 27 wins and 79 losses thus far in the Wall era, then you might have to adjust the plan.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• April 9, 2011 -- Ballsiest Wizards Offense Searching For A Defense
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• January 28, 2012 -- DC Council Game 19: Wizards 76 at Rockets 103: Remember Us? We Didn’t Get Fired.

Lob City comes to the District tonight… the highest highs and the lowest lows of the Wizards multiplied by the Los Angeles Clippers and divided by a 4-19 record against a 13-7 one. “I told them I’m pulling that cigarette out tonight,” said Wizards coach Randy Wittman before the game, referring to the very poor effort the Wizards gave in a loss to Toronto last night and how his team “fell off the wagon” back to poor habits. The coach is also going with Trevor Booker over Jan Vesely in the Wizards starting lineup. Talking to the Cook Book before the game, his focus will be keeping Blake Griffin away from the basket and on how the Wizards guard pick and rolls (Chris Paul runs a lot of them, Wittman admitted). What’s the key to stopping Paul on the P&Rs? “We got to make sure we stop the ball, make sure he can’t get in the lane. The more he’s in the lane, the more have to collapse, and the more the bigs are going to be open to throw the lob to,” said Booker. For tonight’s 3-on-3 drill we have Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) of ESPN TrueHoop/ClipperBlog, along with TAI’s Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) and Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It). Three questions, three answers starts now…

1) What’s the No. 1 thing Chris Paul has that John Wall doesn’t, but really needs to get?

ARNOVITZ: Vision. When Paul has the ball in the half court, he’s thinking about one thing — where he is relationally to the other shotmakers on the court and those on the defense who can alter those shots. Wall is speedy, but like most people in their early 20s – apologies to Louis CK – he has no idea how to do the job yet. That will change.

MOBLEY: Since this is the Super Bowl weekend, I’ll start with a football analogy. Rookie running backs tend ignore their offensive line and to try to use their God-given athleticism to make a big play.  Seasoned running backs patiently wait for the offensive line to open a hole (they may even rest their hands on the backs of the O-line while the play is unfolding) then they run right through. There’s an impatience to Wall’s game right now that manifests itself via the one-man fast breaks, the rushed jumpers, and the exasperation with his teammates. Chris Paul, with talented teammates in Los Angeles and less talented teammates in New Orleans, is a patient point guard. He lets the game come to him, he sets up teammates, and if he’s needed to do more, he does that too.

WEIDIE: Pace. Watch Chris Paul stop and go, use a screen how he sees fit, get a defender on his back. Paul has developed a killer jumper over his NBA career, but he started as a player who could control a game’s pace, use his quicks deceptively when he needs to, and create passing lanes with the measured ability to see a play unfold. In other words, chill sometimes John Wall.

2) Do we really believe that Blake Griffin isn’t into dunk contests and that he won’t participate this year? And if so, does that make JaVale McGee the favorite?

ARNOVITZ: I sense Griffin’s feeling at this point is, “I got a dunk contest for you — it’s called the NBA regular season and playoff schedule.” Is there anything he could do inside the collegial, choreographed boundaries of a dunk contest that will top the spontaneous combustion that comes with a real-life in-game dunk? His exclusion should make McGee, who had a good case for the crown last February, the favorite.

MOBLEY: Blake Griffin, like Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant before him, produced one legendary dunk contest victory, and then gracefully bowed out, and frankly I respect that.  To his credit though, he probably realizes that this year’s Clippers team has expectations and needs him, as opposed to last year’s team that was young and carefree.  JaVale McGee should be this year’s favorite, but in both his and the eyes of many observers (including yours truly, who was sitting courtside) he won last year’s contest. It is possible that he may not be quite as motivated this year if he can’t avenge his loss to Blake. Or perhaps I’m underestimating the persuasive motivation techniques of Pam McGee.

WEIDIE: We would only wish his highness LeBron would grace us with a kingly presence in the dunk contest… and then Blake Griffin would have to defend his honor against the best… and then who knows who else would come out the woodwork for a show in Orlando. But none of that will happen, and it will probably be JaVale McGee’s to win as long as he comes up with a gimmick that no one else’s length can accomplish.

3) The Clippers come off a spanking at home against the Nuggets and are looking to kick off a six-game road trip right in D.C. (with stops in Orlando, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Dallas up next)… The Wizards are playing with much more beat in their chest under new coach Randy Wittman, but Friday night’s 106-89 loss in Toronto was particularly disheartening. Danny Sheridan is favoring the Clips on the road by 9. What’s the final score and the main reason behind it?

ARNOVITZ: Clippers 108, Wizards 100. The Clippers’ lack of defensive speed on the perimeter was exposed on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Wizards’ lack of defensive wherewithal is an ongoing exhibition in exposure, really.

MOBLEY: The final score will be 111-100 Los Angeles, and the experienced backcourt of Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups will be the difference. Coming off of that bad loss in Denver, the Clippers will look to their veterans to set the tone early.  The Wizards will keep it close and be equally motivated after last night’s waste-of-an-effort in Toronto — plus they have just as much talent as the Clippers. Unfortunately, they lack the experienced players to lead them in these types of big games.

WEIDIE: Trevor Booker is starting for Jan Vesely, so the Wizards are giving themselves a better chance off the bat, but I’m thinking the Clippers take it 110-89. Too much Paul, too much Griffin, too much DeAndre Jordan, too much Caron Butler “D.C. Stand Up!” nailing the jumpers he missed so many times toward the end of his tenure with the Wizards. Randy Foye will, however, do nothing in a return visit to Washington.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass
• February 4, 2012 -- DC Council Game 23: Wizards 89 at Raptors 106: Wizards Head South, North of The Border
• January 31, 2012 -- DC Council Game 21: Wizards 88 vs Bulls 98: ‘Talking To Your Mom?’

Score

Washington Wizards 89 at Toronto Raptors 106 [box score]

Stat of The Game w/ Arish Narayen

Toronto was +24 in rebounding margin and set a franchise record in rebounds with 61. Of the 61 rebounds, a ridiculous 23 were offensive; by comparison, the Wizards had 11 offensive rebounds (37 total). The Raptors’ rebounding dominance happened without Bargnani, but Toronto’s job was made easy by Washington’s unwillingness to corral their misses.

Scene of the Game

A Dangerous Play.

The Washington Wizards: the highest highs, the lowest lows, and this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJFhLwSF7xo

D.C. Flag 3-Star Ratings w/ Adam McGinnis, Arish Narayen, and Kyle Weidie

<***> Rating the Starting 5, Bench & Coach out of 3 stars.

John Wall
	ADAM McGINNIS: John was invisible for most of the first half before waking up late in second quarter. Overall, the bright spot was drilling three mid-range jump shots in confidence without his customary ugly hitch. The bad is Wall only recorded four assists while his point guard counterpart Jose Calderon had 17 dimes. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	NARAYEN: Made some jumpshots on P&R plays, but got out-hustled and cut up in the passing lanes by Calderon. The most disappointing part of the loss was the Wizards’ complete lack of ball movement on offense; that responsibility begins and ends with Wall. Washington had as many blocks as assists (13), and shot 37.9% from the field. 1.25 Stars
	WEIDIE: The more comfortable Wall got with his jumper, the less the Raptors cared, because the Wizards point guard didn’t leave much of an imprint on the game, aside from once letting the Canadians ‘ooh and aah’ when Calderon pulled a slick spin move to turn down a screen and get Wall turned around (No, not ‘oohs and aahs’ as defined by Flip Saunders, which is booing Andray Blatche). Wall tried sometimes, but left too many glaring holes in his night and trying to establish it — watching Calderon get an offensive rebound put-back right in front of him with just 3:30 left in the first quarter was pretty bad. An especially poor ending to the first half, jumping to pass to no one there and travelling, seemed to set a tone that he couldn’t kick. Invisible in the first half? Only 6 points and 1 rebound of Wall’s 15 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds came after intermission. Wittman put him back in with the Wizards down 15 with 6:18 left, but no games would be changed on this night; Wall was back on the bench less than 2.5 minutes later. 1 Star
	TOTAL: 3.75 out of 9 stars

Nick Young
	ARISH NARAYEN: This was a typical Nick Young game. He led the team in scoring with 21 points, attempting numerous inefficient shots to get there. The difference seems to be that Nick’s shots go in when the Wizards need a bucket to stop a run; they miss badly when Washington closes the gap and needs a bucket to seize control of the game. When things are going well, Nick’s made buckets come within the flow of the offense; when things are going badly, ISO-Nick abounds. There is no denying that Young is a very talented scorer, but his reputation as a ‘black hole’ on offense is well deserved. Last night, on multiple possessions, Nick got the ball with the shot-clock under 10 seconds. Like other teams familiar with the Wizards, Toronto sent multiple defenders at Nick immediately. Why? Because they know he’s shooting anyway. Young gets an extra quarter-of-a-star for stripping Jerryd Bayless in the first quarter, retrieving the steal and … managing to turn the ball over in transition. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	McGINNIS: Similar to Magic game, Nick tried to keep the team in it with his offense late but eventually it was not enough. 1.5 Stars
	WEIDIE: Seems like there is an unspoken rule where Nick Young takes an individual fading jumper on the first couple of possessions… to get it out of his system. Whomever has come up with this plan doesn’t realize that such shots are connected to Nick like an IV. You know how Kobe works to get teammates established? Nick Young wears Kobe shoes, that’s about it. The scene: Young misses his third jumper in four tries in the game’s first five minutes. Steve Buckhantz says, “That’s not a good shot,” but before we know it, Young is stealing the ball from Toronto’s Jerryd Bayless… but before we know it, Young is almost bumbling the ball into a turnover before getting blocked at the rim by James Johnson, his fifth shot in the first 5:04. 1.25 Stars
	TOTAL: 4.25 out of 9 stars

Rashard Lewis
	McGINNIS: Sweet Lew looked stuck in mud throughout the opening half by laboring around the court. Lewis showcased that he still has some old man game left in the post by making several shots from the block, which fueled a Wizards third quarter comeback. He was unable to carry over any hot 3-point touch from his stellar shooting in Orlando and his defense was suspect all evening. 1 Star (out of 3)
	NARAYEN: Rashard Lewis is six points shy of 15,000 for his career. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he won’t pass that mark on a 3-point shot, as his long-distance woes continue: he was 0 for 3 from behind the arc last night, and is shooting 26.9% from 3-point range on the season. 0.5 Stars
	WEIDIE: The Wizards’ ‘big run’ out of halftime consisted of 8 Rashard Lewis points on 3 FGs and 2 FTs in the first three minutes of the third. Otherwise, Lewis missed his other seven shots over the rest of the game (0 for 3 from deep) and nabbed 4 rebounds, 0 assists in 31 minutes. Exactly. 0.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 2.25 out of 9 stars

Jan Vesely
	ARISH NARAYEN: Jan had a nice drive and layup on James Johnson early in the first quarter, but otherwise did not contribute in an ugly game. After his second foul, Vesely came out for Booker six minutes into the first quarter, and was out for the rest of the first half. When he got back on the floor in the third quarter, Vesely bit badly on a shot-fake, was charged with his fourth foul, and was subsequently benched for the remainder of the game. 0.5 Stars (out of 3)
	McGINNIS: Jan picks up fouls quicker than iTunes makes you update their software. He looked overmatched in all aspects. 0 Stars
	WEIDIE: Welcome to America, here is some Muscle Milk. Hopefully Jan continuing to start is not unswallowed pride by Randy Wittman. The kid’s a bit overwhelmed by starting at this point, clearly… or something. It was cute for a second because it was different, but time to change something up. 0 Stars
	TOTAL: 0.5 out of 9 stars

JaVale McGee
	KYLE WEIDIE: Some may look at McGee’s stat line and say, ’8 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks in 17 minutes? Play him more, coach!’ No, no, no, no sir… McGee was horrible. His arms weren’t active in P&R passing lanes, he floated around allowing Jamaal Magloire to get offensive rebounds, he picked up silly fouls, he threw mini tantrums when he couldn’t convert at the rim (see GIF at the bottom of this post… and this was all in the first quarter. On the night he went 2-8 on FGs, was riddled with foul trouble, and laid out a really nice rug that pulled the room together for Toronto to snag 23 offensive rebounds. 0 Stars (out of 3)
	McGINNIS: JaVale played only 17 minutes due to foul trouble and mistakes, especially in pick-and-roll defensive situations. 0.5 Stars
	NARAYEN: Abysmal game for ‘Vale, as he couldn’t finish around the rim (8 points on 2-8 shooting) and grabbed less rebounds than Jose Calderon, the Raptors’ point guard. McGee’s bad performance is exacerbated by the fact that the Raptors were without Bargnani, which presumably allowed ‘Vale to hang out in the paint and reduced the need for his unsightly decisions on perimeter D. Against a combination of Amir Johnson / Aaron Gray / and Jamaal MagLOLoire, McGee couldn’t get it done. But hey, at least he had some impressive blocks? 0.5 Stars
	TOTAL: 1 out of 9 stars

The Bench
	ADAM McGINNIS: The mob mentality of the youngsters which shined vs. Orlando was missing in Toronto. The Raptors ruled the glass, corralled more loose balls and outscored Wizards bench 63-35. Booker keeps being a steady offensive spark plug with nifty post moves and draining multiple Js. Kevin Seraphin had a few blocks but provided little resistance in rebound department by missing repeated box outs. Your backup center can not play 25 minutes and finish with two boards. Jordan Crawford played in and out of control. Mack had some positive burn in limited action. Singleton was a complete nonfactor; his rookie slump continues. 0.5 Stars (out of 3)
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	NARAYEN: Perhaps it was because he didn’t start, but Trevor Booker played with an intensity lacking in the rest of the team. He showed different variations of his offensive game, posting people up and making a couple long 2s. On the defensive end, he chipped in a couple blocks and actually attempted to snag rebounds. Cook Book finished 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 32 minutes. And even though his shot selection still hurts my soul, I was encouraged by Jordan Crawford trying to get others involved (3 assists). 1 Star
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	WEIDIE: Well, you can’t expect Kevin Seraphin and Shelvin Mack to have career nights every night. Actually, Mack was solid as usual versus the Raptors; Seraphin finished with 0 points, 2 defensive rebounds and 4 blocks in 25 minutes. Kevin tried to get tough a couple times, but his whole timing was off — missed a couple defensive assignments, took a questionable jumper. Booker scored 13 with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks off the bench, but didn’t do much to neutralize Toronto’s paint presence, as he was a team-low minus-14. Remember Chris Singleton? My dad’s probably making jokes about him being on the back of a milk carton right now. 0.75 Stars
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	BENCH TOTAL: 2.25 out of 9 stars

The Coach: Randy Wittman
	KYLE WEIDIE: It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why Wittman couldn’t get his team going north of the border, but the fact is, for the first time since he took over, his team failed him. The coach had plenty of guys try in earnest, but it was clear that after getting punched in the mouth by Toronto’s aggressiveness on the offensive boards early, they were never about to recover. Not sure if this caused the selfishness on offense or not. In any case, like many on the season, that was a game to forget. The key and the scrutiny will be on how Wittman’s team responds against the Clippers at home tonight. 0.75 Stars (out of 3)
	McGINNIS: Coach’s post game assessment that Raptors dominated in all facets was spot on. When the game was slipping away late in the third quarter, Wittman should have probably called a timeout to stem the momentum. The team never really quit but did lacked any toughness and Andray Blatche was not around to blame that on. 1 Star
	NARAYEN: By the coach’s own admission, the Wiz came out flat, gave poor effort, and generally were not ready to play. For a team with no practice time that wants to ‘get out and run’, Wittman needs to impress upon his players that securing the defensive rebound is a good first step in any fastbreak. 0.5 Stars
	COACH TOTAL: 2.25 out of 9 stars

Seen on the Scene

The JaVale McGee Reaction GIFs

["You're growns up and you're growns up and you're growns up."
-Vince Vaughn's character, Trent, in the movie Swingers]

Top Tweets

@StillUnknown85: Amir Johnson is all-star of the night courtesy of Washington’s defense

@HoopPlusTheHarm: Nick Young has been dunked on by DeRozan before. He’s not letting it happen again. Good, hard foul.

@CarbonPrimo: Did I just hear unedited music playing in Toronto? Canadians get it IN!

End Scene

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

“But we’ve got to get better and we are getting better. We can’t fault ourselves for one game..”
-JaVale McGee, via The Washington Post

[via @recordsANDradio]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass
• January 31, 2012 -- DC Council Game 21: Wizards 88 vs Bulls 98: ‘Talking To Your Mom?’
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman

#1) During his six-year tenure as president/GM of the Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo enjoyed some success before the departure of Chris Bosh, but since then, he has been criticized for his draft failures, the Raptors’ lack of a defensive mindset, and his puzzling free agent signings (most recently Jamaal Magloire and Anthony Parker).  During his nine-year tenure as Wizards team president, Ernie Grunfeld is credited with building playoff teams during the Gilbert Arenas era, but since then his moves (or lack thereof) have the Wizards mired in something worse than mediocrity.  Both GMs are now asking their fans to trust in the development of their young players, and to be patient with the rebuilding process once again.  Which GM deserves to be relieved of their duties?

McNEILL:   Maybe I’m being a homer, but I’m voting for Grunfeld. Besides lucking into John Wall with an easy pick, what has he done to warrant trust during his time in Washington? Colangelo was burned by Bosh, but there isn’t anyone surrounding the team who honestly thought he should have dealt him before that summer. Even the drafting of Bargnani is looking “safe” considering his development and how that draft class is now shaking out. Again, this is a homer pick, but consider Bosh was in place, and LaMarcus Aldridge (2nd pick after Bosh in 2006) was a redundant piece, so the only other player who might have been a better fit is Rudy Gay. So, sorry, I’m not buying the argument that five years with Brandon Roy (6th pick) is better than the decade Toronto will get with Bargnani.

MOBLEY:  I want to say Colangelo, because those rabid, supportive Raptors fans have watched Vince Carter and Chris Bosh lead the franchise to the playoffs, and now they have to watch Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan and Jose Calderon lead them to the lottery.  But Grunfeld is trying to rebuild the Wizards franchise into a contender for the third time in nine years, and everyone who started with him from Gilbert Arenas to Eddie Jordan to Flip Saunders is gone.  The official rebuild will begin when he follows suit.

McGINNIS:  Since Ted Leonsis took over ownership in 2010, Grunfeld has been a good solider in the new mandate of freeing up cap space and acquiring young players. This does not absolve his past mistakes or mean that he warrants a contract extension after it expires at end of this season. Flip Saunders was relieved of his duties and the company line was team needed a new voice, but this also applies to the basketball personnel department. It would seem appropriate for a fresh decision-maker to lead the Washington rebuild and beyond. Colangelo could have a future super star in 2011 draft pick Jonas Valanciunas, and with a loaded 2012 draft, those two picks could determine whether the Raptors GM is worth keeping around.

#2) True or False:  DeMar DeRozan and John Wall aren’t having disappointing 2011-2012 seasons, they just overachieved in 2010-2011 

McNEILL:  This is true In DeRozan’s case because he is showing that even with a high volume of shot attempts, he can’t put the ball in the bucket. His last game is typical of his output this year – he had as many made field goals (3) as turnovers and needed 12 field goal attempts to score 8 points. Ugly! Heck, even if Jordan Crawford can jack up shots he can score.

MOBLEY:  In Wall’s case this is definitely false.  Despite his refusal to acknowledge it, his struggles this year can partly be attributed to the habits he accured during the summer.  As he finds his comfort zone with Randy Wittman’s running and pressing style, he’ll revert to his rookie form.  DeRozan, like his fellow USC Trojan Nick Young, is adept at scoring and little else, and now that teams have figured out he’s a mild threat, he’s been neutralized a bit — even with Andrea Bargnani providing the ultimate distraction of having an All-Star season.  For now, DeRozan an overrated player.

McGINNIS:  Wall still has the talent to be a special point guard in this league and is only 21-years old. His defense is better from his rookie season, and he is using pick-and-rolls much more efficiently on offense. While Wall’s numbers have dipped a bit, DeRozan’s shooting percentage has nosedived from 47-percent to 38-percent. DeMar’s game seems to be modeled a la Nick Young’s, so he has be to drilling the mid-range shot to be an effective player. False, both have too much promise not to bounce back from their disappointing campaigns.

#3) It is no secret that a Wizards/Raptors game on a Friday night might be THE hardest game to sell to an NBA fan this season.  If it was your job to do so, what would you say?

McNEILL:  I would try to sell fans on the point guard matchup. John Wall has seemed to have turned a corner recently – or at least is attempting to – and Jose Calderon is one of the top assist guys in the NBA. If you like strong PG play, this is a game to soak up.

MOBLEY:  It’s all about the USC battle between Nick Young and DeMar DeRozan. 

McGINNIS:  It could be worse than trying to make someone pay money to see a Charlotte Bobcats game, although this match up is also a tough sell. I would market the angle of Wall and Wizards being a young team with a few foreign players in an international city like Toronto. Raptors could give out a bobble head, as people love free stuff. I would ask the crew over at The Basketball Jones for advice, because they already had me lobbying for Andrea Bargnani to be in All-Star based on this creative video.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 7, 2012 -- DC Council Game 25: Wizards 111 vs Raptors 108: Indefensibly Sprinting Back On Defense
• January 11, 2012 -- DC Council Game 9: Wizards 93 vs. Raptors 78: Start Counting At One Win
• December 2, 2010 -- Symbolic Red Gear & Matador D: Toronto Raptors Olé! Washington Wizards

According to BasketballValue.com, 177 different five-man units have seen action for the Washington Wizards this season. 177 sounds like a lot, but only 54 of those units have seen more than five minutes of court time together, so this post/results will focus on those, i.e., no need to include units such as John Wall, Jordan Crawford, Roger Mason, Rashard Lewis and Jan Vesely, who have seen a total of 0.03 minutes on the court together.

Five units have seen 31.75-percent of the total action. Those five units are:

1. Wall – Young – Lewis – Blatche – McGee (10.44% of court time, 110.25 minutes)
2. Wall – Young – Singleton – Booker – McGee (7.1%, 74.97)
3. Wall – Young – Singleton – Blatche – McGee (5.81%, 61.37)
4. Wall – Young – Lewis – Vesely – McGee (4.46%, 47.1)
5. Wall – Crawford – Lewis – Blatche – McGee (3.93%, 41.55)

Of those 54 “five minutes or more” lineups, these are the top five in Offensive Rating (an estimation of points scored per 100 possesions):

1. Mack – Crawford – Mason – Lewis – Seraphin (158.82 Off Rtg; 9.58 minutes)
2. Mack – Young – Singleton – Booker – Seraphin (140; 5.27)
3. Wall – Crawford – Young – Vesely – Blatche (137.5; 8.28)
4. Mack – Young – Singleton – Booker – Turiaf (136.36; 6.07)
5. Wall – Young – Booker – Lewis – Seraphin (136.36; 5.62)

What is obvious and curious here is that Shelvin Mack, not John Wall, leads three of the top five most productive offensive units; JaVale McGee is not in sight. Worth noting, the unit ranked sixth in productive offense includes Wall, Crawford, Young, Booker and McGee (135.29 Off Rtg; 18.08 minutes).

The worst offense… These six units provide the least amount of points per 100 possessions:

1. Wall – Crawford – Young – Blatche – McGee (53.33 Off Rtg; 7.8 minutes)
2. Wall – Young – Lewis – Vesely – Blatche (58.82; 7.38)
3. Mack – Crawford – Singleton – Vesely – Blatche (61.54; 6.2)
4. Wall – Crawford – Singleton – Booker – McGee (62.5; 12.5)
5. Wall – Crawford – Booker – Lewis – Blatche (63.64; 5.98)
6. Wall – Mason – Young – Booker – McGee (63.64; 11.08)

Note: Units 5 and 6 tied in Offensive Rating; John Wall is heavily present here, as is Andray Blatche. 

What about defense? These are the top five best defensive units (ranked by Defensive Rating, the estimated number of points allowed per 100 possessions):

1. Wall – Crawford – Young – Vesely – McGee (50 Def Rtg; 7.9 minutes)
2. Wall – Crawford – Booker – Lewis – Seraphin (54.55; 6.47)
3. Wall – Young – Lewis – Blatche – Seraphin (57.14; 6.87)
4. Wall – Young – Lewis – Turiaf – Blatche (62.5; 6.83)
5. Mack – Young – Singleton – Booker – Seraphin (66.67; 5.27)

Wall is in four of these five defensive lineups? Yes, Nick Young is in four too. Also notice that Kevin Seraphin and Rashard Lewis are involved in three each; JaVale McGee appears just once on the Wizards’ top defensive squads.

Defense… the worst lineups:

1. Wall – Crawford – Young – Blatche – McGee (150 Def Rtg; 7.8 minutes)
2. Wall – Crawford – Lewis – Turiaf – Blatche (150; 5.92)
3. Wall – Young – Singleton – Lewis – Turiaf (146.15; 5.52)
4. Mack – Crawford – Mason – Vesely – Seraphin (138.46; 6.38)
5. Mack – Crawford – Young – Booker – McGee (136.36; 5.8)

Hello, Jordan Crawford…

HOWEVER, since this is not some silly sport like football (just kidding football, I love you… although I’m still considering boycotting the Super Bowl because I dislike both teams that much… another convo) with specialists playing just one side of the ball, and since often in basketball, good defense can lead to g0od offense, let’s take a look a look at which lineups (within the pool of 54) play the best combination of basketball (Offensive Rating minus Defensive Rating):

1. Mack – Young – Singleton – Booker – Seraphin (140 Off Rtg, 66.67 Def Rtg; Net = +73.33)
2. Wall – Crawford – Young – Vesely – McGee (106.67 Off, 50 Def; Net = +56.67)
3. Wall – Crawford – Booker – Lewis – Seraphin (107.69 Off, 54.55 Def; Net = +53.15)
4. Wall – Young – Lewis – Blatche – Seraphin (106.67 Off, 57.14 Def; Net = +49.52)
5. Wall – Crawford – Young – Booker – Seraphin (127.27 Off, 81.82 Def; Net = +45.45)

Wall is around, Young is in four lineups, Crawford is in two (two units feature the Wall/Crawford/Young three-guard lineup), and Seraphin holds down the center position in four of the units, JaVale McGee just one.

The worst units, in totality:

1. Wall – Crawford – Young – Blatche – McGee (53.33 Off Rtg, 150 Def Rtg; Net = -96.67)
2. Wall – Young – Singleton – Lewis – Turiaf (71.43 Off, 146.15 Def; Net = -74.73)
3. Wall – Crawford – Singleton – Booker – McGee (62.5 Off, 130.44 Def; Net = -67.93) 
4. Mack – Crawford – Mason – Vesely – Seraphin (76.92 Off, 138.46 Def; Net = -61.54)
5. Mack – Crawford – Young – Booker – McGee (76.92 Off, 136.36 Def; Net = -59.44)

Crawford, McGee, Young and Wall are the most prevalent amongst these units (and those guys do play a lot, so….).

What does this all mean? It depends. Some people put a ton of stock in plus/minus numbers from various perspectives. The sample size of 22 games, one-third of a lockout-shortened season, could be too small (although probably enough to give a loo-see). Other important factors hide behind the curtain of these numbers… Which units may have seen better competition, compared to those that got run versus the Bobcats. To note, the Wizards have played the 12th toughest schedule according to Basketball-Reference.com. Also, the numbers behind BasketballValue’s “1 Year Adj. +/- (Adjusted Plus-Minus)” which goes to account for “both the teammates and the opponents on the floor” only reflects data for the top ten Wizards lineups in minutes. Also, there’s been a coaching change which seems to have mixed things up quite a bit.

Nonetheless, interesting fodder, don’t you think?

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 5, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Randy Wittman Is Searching Too
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• January 28, 2012 -- DC Council Game 19: Wizards 76 at Rockets 103: Remember Us? We Didn’t Get Fired.

Continued success in team sports is achieved through sacrifice; the best squads accept this, understanding that individual achievements must sometimes be tabled for the betterment of the team—roll tape of Michael Jordan deferring to Steve Kerr in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals.

When great players are unwilling to make sacrifices, Jordan has confessed, individual goals and accolades are even tougher to achieve. So why do the stubborn Wizards, selfish by self-description, refuse to play team basketball? The better question asks what can be done to change their approach.

The answer might surprise you: ramp up competition for individual rewards.

As explained by Brian Mossop, former neuroscientist and current community editor at Wired:

“When small rewards become visible trophies of status within a group, male players change their approach in competition, sacrificing their own best interest to serve the needs of the team.

“If these results extrapolate to competitive sports, it’s possible that helmet stickers could be subconsciously driving players toward team behavior through deeply rooted psychological mechanisms.”

Mossop’s story shared the science behind college-football helmet stickers, citing a Public Library of Science (PLoS) study on how competition for trophies triggers generosity in males. Back in the sixties, Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes introduced the now-unmistakable silver helmets with a new policy: small buckeye leaf stickers would be rewarded for those slept-on little plays that helped the team win a game, like sealing the key linebacker on a touchdown run.

Those coin-sized stickers became Ohio State icons; the buckeye leaf is trademarked.

“What seemed like a simple nod of recognition has now become a time-honored tradition,” Mossop wrote. “In all, 22 Division I FBS teams currently use helmet-sticker rewards. Yet these decorations are much more than small tokens of thanks. They embody a rite of passage, with a player’s status among his teammates measured by how heavily adorned in stickers his helmet becomes during the course of a season.”

Here’s where the Washington Wizards come into play. Peer-reviewed science says there is an incentive for Wizards players to compete like winners. Before this 2011-12 season, the Wizards secured a new whiteboard to the far-right corner of the Wizards locker room: the Charge Board. Players who draw charges drawn in both practice and official NBA games are celebrated on the chart, now crowded with red and blue basketballs (like buckeye leaf stickers on a chrome football helmet), the new standard by which respect and status is measured in D.C.’s pro hoops franchise.

The Washington Wizards Charge Board replaced a dry-erase board of a different disposition, one humored by an array of game-by-game statistical benchmarks (holding an opponent below a certain field goal percentage, for example). The new board was a motivational tool invented by Flip Saunders in preparation for his third season as Wizards head coach, a “constant reminder of the little things that matter,” wrote NBC Washington’s Sarah Kogod.

Team-related objectives: erased; altruistic behavior: embraced. The players have bought in, fighting to earn trophies by making the most selfless play in basketball, by stepping into the path of a runaway freight train. Roger Mason, Jordan Crawford and Shelvin Mack have spoken of willingly sacrificing their bodies for the team, both young and old(er) eager to earn bragging rights by climbing the Charge Board charts.

It isn’t irrational. On the contrary, it’s natural. The innate drive for status symbols, like helmet stickers or Charge Board balls, is tied to the fight for the Alpha. From an evolutionary standpoint, the most respected individuals within a group, having separated themselves from other male competitors, had the best chance to reproduce. In traditional hunter-gatherer societies, it was common for the distinction as top-dog to be gained by social actions and unselfish deeds, instead of simply physical superiority. Over time, socially conscious behavior was reciprocated by others for the good of the tribe.

A second way for hunters to increase their status was to accumulate animal skins, tusks or horns from kills, suggests Xiaofei Sophia Pan, a doctoral candidate focused on behavioral game theory at Professor Daniel Houser’s lab at George Mason University—she designed the PLoS ONE study. Trophy-hunting in subsistence societies was a powerful motivator, and the practice may reveal why traditions like Ohio State’s buckeye stickers, and now the Wizards Charge Board, are treasured in the world of competitive team sports.

“But one key point that Pan and Houser have shown is that the value of rewards—even small ones—changes dramatically once status and competition are factored in,” Mossop said. “Stickers aren’t the only factor driving team spirit, but small rewards that boost status seem to blur the lines we typically define between ego and team play.”

In basketball, a team’s best player sets the tone in terms of attitude. Andray Blatche may have been named captain, but the players follow second-year point guard John Wall. Wall has always been a team-first kind of guy:

“That’s how I am as a person. I have a lot of goals for myself. But I’m more focused on the Wizards organization, D.C., representing them,” Wall said. “I just got to go play my game. That’s the main thing I’ve got to do here, but also do it in the right way to keep my team happy and keep myself happy and try to win games.”

It’s no surprise that Wall is the Wizards Charge Board leader. By the look of things, the Game Changer has bought into the new tradition; the rest can’t help but follow—the classic fight for Alpha is unavoidable.

“I just want to say that I’ve only played four games and I’m still tied for third,” Ronny Turiaf revealed to Kogod. “I just want to point that out.”

Ernie Grunfeld detractors take note: Ricky Rubio currently leads the league in charges drawn with 19[1], but DeMarcus Cousins (18) and John Wall (16) are right behind him. Don’t sleep on the charge, either. It played a big role in the Washington Wizards’ extraordinary upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“This is just the type of thing you do to help your team win,” Roger Mason told Kogod, crediting John Wall for his team defense. “It doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, the newspaper writers don’t write about it, but the coaches put it up there because they recognize how important it is in games. When we won against Oklahoma City, John Wall took a lot of charges and those are momentum builders. I think he had three charges that game. That’s six points off the board for them.”

John Wall drew four charges in that game, two in critical late-game situations, according to the Wizards vs. Thunder play-by-play.

Taking a charge is tough, especially in the clutch, where referees will typically swallow their whistles. ”You have to commit an act of violence maybe involving an animal or something deviant for them to call a charge there,” Shane Battier said after the Miami Heat’s narrow four-point win over the Chicago Bulls.

Even in the case of a no-call, attempting a charge is still worth the trouble. ”The charge is effective because it puts doubt into the offensive player’s mind,” continued Battier, speaking about Derrick Rose’s game-tying shot attempt in the closing seconds. “Is the ref going to call it? No, but Rose stuttered and any doubt you create is a win for the defense.”

When the referees do make the call, the charge does show up in the stat book … in more than one place.

In the NBA, drawing a charge often means taking a knee or shoulder to the chest. No pain, no gain. But the offending player is hit with a turnover and an offensive foul, costing his team a possession and points, which hurts that much more.

Believe it or not, respect for the “other” has always been a part of basketball culture. Just take a look at the first 13 rules of basketball, drafted by the game’s law-giving father, James Naismith in the winter of 1891:

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed. The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.

The charge has always been respected, even as the game (and its rules) has evolved. Basketball’s international governing body, FIBA, made history in 2008 when it introduced the no-charge semicircles—better known as the restricted area arc—to the world to better police the rule and protect the players. Last spring, the NCAA men’s basketball rule committee recommended the league adopt the restricted area arc. The suggestion immediately approved for Division I play. NCAA Division II and III schools will implement the restricted area arc next for the 2012-13 season.

Maybe things have already begun to change in Washington, D.C. Since the Wizards win over the Thunder, they have averaged 11 assisted field goals made at the rim, compared to the 7.3 they averaged in the 13 games prior. And despite losing to an Orlando Magic team in shambles (thanks, in part, to an unfavorable free-throw disparity), the Wizards had won two of their last four games. If that isn’t progress, it’s certainly something in the right direction.

Who will lead the charge next?

Follow @JohnCTownsend

[photos: J. Townsend and K. Weidie, Truth About It.net]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 17, 2011 -- The Rundown: Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers – Preseason Game 1
• December 15, 2011 -- Wizards Training Camp Day 6: Where Flip Talks Popcorn and Dray Finishes Last
• January 24, 2012 -- DC Council Game 17: Wizards 83 at Sixers 103: Flip’s Last Game

Score

Washington Wizards 103 at Orlando Magic 109 [box score]

Stat of The Game w/ Kyle Weidie

The Washington Wizards went 7-9 from the free-throw line; Dwight Howard went 11-16, which is his best performance percentage-wise in 22 games this season. Why weren’t the Wizards able to get to the line? I dunno… don’t want to completely blame the referees because for most of the night they weren’t noticeable, with the exception of one very egregious non-call.

There were 34 seconds left, the Wizards down 105-100. Hedo Turkoglu missed a free-throw, Nick Young grabbed the rebound, and he immediately got the ball to John Wall who burst up the court. Sure, Wall was having a very bad night offensively, but the Wizards needed points and they needed to stop the clock. A quick trip to the free-throw line would have done wonders for Washington’s chances, and Wall was the best option to get that done. He tried, but the refs didn’t offer much help. NBA referees have the propensity to reward superstars on good to middling teams at home, and they pay little attention to lesser teams, like the Wizards. The situation is turning Ted Leonsis into Mark Cuban, he blogs: “This is the second game in a row where the disparity of free throw attempts is startling.”

Wall had some choice words for the refs … or someone on the Magic (perhaps more likely), but seemed to stay rather composed, considering. Let’s go to the video.

Scene of the Game

The Beautiful Game.

The sequence of the game, and perhaps of the season thus far…

Shelvin Mack runs a hand-off to Jordan Crawford on the left wing and then fades into the corner as Crawford takes the ball over a high screen set by Trevor Booker. As Glen “Big Baby” Davis helps on Crawford, Booker rolls to the hoop. Crawford — coming off the screen and seeing Mack’s man sag way deep into the lane (not sure why Chris Duhon felt he needed to stand right next to Dwight Howard on help defense) — whips the ball to Mack in the corner, who fakes out and blows by a recovering Duhon with a baseline dribble. Davis then steps up to help on Mack, leaving Booker rolling with a path to the basket… only Dwight Howard is in his way. No matter to Cook Book; he finishes over Howard with the lefty runner off the glass and jets back on defense, happy for just one moment before realizing he needs to call out the screen for the teammate who just got him a bucket. It was all very beautiful. Let’s watch…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMBO_WrxV_g

D.C. Flag 3-Star Ratings w/ Markus Allen, Rashad Mobley, and Kyle Weidie

<***> Rating the Starting 5, Bench & Coach out of 3 stars.

John Wall
	RASHAD MOBLEY: There’s a reason why Jason Kidd can have the stat line of 2 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals every day of the week, without complaints from the Dallas Mavericks. They would probably like for him to score a bit more, or get to the free-throw line a few more times, but they live with his scoring deficiencies because he has the uncanny ability to dominate the tempo and control the game without putting the ball through the hoop. Coach Wittman probably wanted Wall to score more than a single basket against the Magic, but on a night when Jameer Nelson was hurt, and the professional (but average) Chris Duhon was running the point, Wittman surely would have settled for the controlled version of Wall — that version was nowhere to be found. Even early on when it was clear that he could not finish once he got to the rim, Wall continued to drive at full speed and miss, without ever looking for a plan B. He did have some key assists during the Wizards fourth quarter comeback, but his failure to show up in the first half probably cost the Wizards a victory. 1 Star (out of 3)
	ALLEN: John Wall did not have a very productive night scoring wise, as he went 1-12 on FGs and only scored 2 points; however, in no shape or form was he the scapegoat for the Wizards loss. He had 10 assists, 7 rebounds and only 2 turnovers, controlling the ball well. It wasn’t that bad of a night for him, he just wasn’t scoring points. Wall took a couple jumpers in the first half, and continued to go scoreless until the end of the 4th when he scored on a layup. The problem seems to be the way he drives into the lane; he’s so fast that he looks almost reckless going into the painted area, and most times it appears that he doesn’t have the ball under control. The referees are seeing this and are not giving him the proper foul calls due to his frame and the fact that he’s not yet a superstar like D-Rose, who consistently gets to the line. This all goes back to Wall’s main problem: he doesn’t have a jump shot. Once he can open up that dimension of his game, it will allow him to effectively use his driving ability. Right now, the entire league knows that he can’t shoot. 0.75 Star
	WEIDIE: Wall took a jumper and missed 19 seconds in the game, from there subsequent attempts to hit a J looked forced, like he was trying to guide the ball in the basket with motion instead of fluid confidence. What I do like: despite a very off night offensively, Wall hustled and found ways to influence the game by gettnig the ball to hot teammates in the right spots. He was credited with 10 assists, 3 turnover (2 came in the last 30 seconds, one of those was due to a B.S. no-call on Dwight Howard). What I do not like: Wall’s body language. Because he was personally having a bad night, he was clearly pouting and feeling sorry for himself. Not much else to say than that shit has got to stop. This Tweet from @MrMichaelLee: “John Wall is really frustrated. He just walked past his teammates without giving any of them dap, then grabbed a seat on the floor.” 1 Star
	TOTAL: 2.75 out of 9 stars

Nick Young
	KYLE WEIDIE: Nick Young had 20 4th quarter points… Wow. Would you be surprised if I told you that four of the six FGs he hit were assisted by a teammate? Sure you would. On the night he had 24 points (22 in the second half) on 8-13 FGs (4-5 on threes) with 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 turnovers and 5 fouls (the fouls really hampered his first half). I give Nick a ton of credit for a solid final period. One thing I’ll say about him is that his offense never quits. Now, if Nick can just figure out how not to get burned by cats like J.J. Redick in the early going… 1.75 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: Young kept the Wizards in the game at the end of the 4th quarter, shooting difficult shots, and actually nailing them. It was just amazing how flawless he looked shooting 3s; as soon as he threw a shot up I thought, “Wow Nick, bad sho—” but they went in, so I must give him credit. 1.25 Stars
	MOBLEY: My main man Phil Chenier said it best with 34.8 seconds left in the game: ”You love the 21 points (Nick ended up with 24 points) but Nick has the capability with his shooting, to have those big nights when he can spread that production out through four quarters.” 2 Stars
	TOTAL: 5 out of 9 stars

Rashard Lewis
	MARKUS ALLEN: Damn Rashard, someone must have had their feelings hurt, huh? I mean, that’s the only reason I can give for him having the best game of the season against his former team. Lewis penetrated the lane, hit three pointers (3-4), and really knew his spots in Amway Center. He scored 20 points on 8-12 FGs. There was a certain fire and enthusiasm he hit the court with. It gets us to thinking… Why can’t he do this all season? Is there a motivation issue? I say this because if Rashard played like this all year, the Wizards could probably justify his huge salary. Regardless of his motivation, special pre-game meal, or whatever helped Lewis out Wednesday night, it’d be great if he could continue to do this. However, that would only be the case in a perfect world. Sigh, at least we can dream and look back at this game. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	MOBLEY: Rashard decided he would show his former Orlando teammates what he used to do by shooting 8-of-12 from the field, and 3-of-4 from three (20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals). If I’m one of his current Wizards teammates, I’m pulling him aside and asking him what I need to do to coax that type of effort out of him nightly. Maybe he needs The Kobe Treatment, the blood-based serum currently being used by the guy the Wizards traded away to get Lewis. 2 Stars
	WEIDIE: Lewis hit at least three three-pointers in a game for the first time all season (so, once in 20 games); he did such in seven out of 32 games last season, at least. Not completely sure how to evaluate Lewis’ big game in Orlando outside of saying, ‘Show us more, and enjoy these two stars.’ 2 Stars
	TOTAL: 5.5 out of 9 stars

Jan Vesely
	MARKUS ALLEN: I mean really? Two games in a row? Why did he start just to be benched again? Jan had 0 points and 0 rebounds in 16 minutes of play. The messed up part about it is that I thought he actually was playing good defense on Turkoglu until he hit a bank shot fade away three pointer that must have killed Jan’s confidence. I don’t know what Wittman was trying to prove, but I’m sure Trevor Booker will start next game. 0 Stars (out of 3)
	MOBLEY: First the basketball gods showed us promise from Chris Singleton, then they took it away. For their latest trick, those same gods flashed Jan Vesely’s talent for a couple games, but as of late they taketh away. Vesely had a shot attempt, a foul, two steals and a goaltend and nothing else. 0 Stars
	WEIDIE: I’m giving Vesely half a star because expecting him to be a presence against a tough, experienced Magic front line of Howard, Ryan Anderson and Hedo ‘Hey, that’s a rookie, I’ll gladly throw up 16 shots and make five’ Turkoglu is asking a little much, especially when JaVale McGee and Rashard Lewis are Vesely’s defensive support. Randy Wittman has to find a situation where Vesely’s confidence can be restored. 0.5 Star
	TOTAL: 0.5 out of 9 stars

JaVale McGee
	RASHAD MOBLEY: JaVale McGee is Charlie Brown and Dwight Howard is Lucy. It doesn’t matter that JaVale had been playing well leading up to Wednesday’s game, and it doesn’t matter that Dwight has been vocal with his frustration toward his inept teammates during Orlando’s four-game losing streak. All that matters is that when JaVale takes on Dwight, that ball is pulled away when he tries to kick it and the Wizards center falls flat on his rear. Some of the fouls JaVale picked up against Howard seemed awfully petty, but others were just a matter of Dwight being too much for the smaller, weaker McGee. And to make things worse, at one point in the fourth quarter when Dwight backed JaVale into the post, and gave JaVale the belief that he had a shot block opportunity, Dwight dunked in his face, and smiled all the way back to the Orlando bench. 1 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: It was a real tough game for JaVale; he struggled to get rebounds, was shut down on offense, and didn’t record a single block. McGee was in trouble from the beginning, and ended the game with 5 personal fouls. Dwight Howard had 23 points and 18 rebounds, and embarrassed the league-leading shot blocker with a posterizing dunk. Just as D-Rose mentored John Wall, D12 mentored JaVale through action. Hopefully McGee can learn valuable lessons from these experiences. 0.25 Stars
	WEIDIE: Predictably, McGee tried to block too many shots, got out of place on defense a bunch, picked up some silly fouls, and tried to force his own offense in the early going. To his credit, he stayed active when brought back in the game late, but with 24 minutes, 6 points (3-7 FGs), 6 rebounds (3 offensive), 2 assists and 1 turnover (0 blocks), it just wasn’t his night… and it might never be his night against Howard. 0.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 2 out of 9 stars

The Bench
	MARKUS ALLEN: The bench was outstanding – they rebounded, scored efficiently and genuinely made the Wizards look like they had chemistry for once. Mack, Crawford, Singleton, Booker, and Seraphin looked better than any performance we have seen of the starting five all season. The second unit combined for a total of 51 points, and had 29 of the Wizards 43 points in the first half; and they are the reason that the Wizards found themselves in a competitive situation for most of the game.Shelvin Mack: Mack scored 12 points on 5-11 shooting, to go with 4 assists and 2 turnovers. He facilitated the ball and made two clutch threes that gave the Wizards momentum, all in just 16 minutes. Jordan Crawford:Crawford scored 19 points on 7-19 shooting, hit 3 of 6 3-pointers and also shared the ball with 6 assists. This was a defining game for Jordan; I believe he’s found out what his capabilities are, and knows that if he wants to take a lot of shots, he has to: 1) Hit his 3-pointers and 2) Get others involved. Trevor Booker: Trevor Booker will start the next game for the Wizards, I just would like to reiterate, because it is so obvious that it needs to happen. Booker plays with passion and energy like no other Wizard. He had 8 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes of play. Trevor’s game can be summed out by the nice reverse layup he had en route to the Wizards grabbing a 34-30 lead in the second quarter. Kevin Seraphin: I was really impressed by the effort of Seraphin. He played defense against Howard very well; at one point he blocked Howard’s jumper which led to D-12 getting upset. The ref hit him with a tech. Seraphin hit mid-range jumpers and went 6-7 on FGs with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. 2.75 Stars (out of 3)
	Sub Man of the Game: I would put entire the lineup of Mack-Crawford-Singleton-Booker-Seraphin as the bench players of the game, but if I have to pick one I’ll go with Jordan Crawford.
	MOBLEY: Trevor Booker and Jordan Crawford continued to do what they normally do: Booker hustled on both ends of the floor, and Crawford did his Dominique Wilkins impression by scoring 19 points on 19 shots (although he had six assists, and kept the Wizards in the game in the first half with 12 points). But the play of Shelvin Mack, and more importantly the ever-shrinking Kevin Seraphin (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks) which were pleasant surprises. And the bench as a whole has now allowed me to have playoff fantasies about this Wizards team that now has the potential to go 10 guys deep with a press that would even make Nolan Richardson applaud. 2.75 Stars
	Sub Man of the Game: Kevin Seraphin
	WEIDIE: Shelvin Mack and Kevin Seraphin had career nights, providing much hope the this Wizards franchise, along with Trevor Booker, is grooming some of the best role players ever. Now they just need a superstar and star and they will be gravy in X amount of years. It all sounds somewhat possible. 2.75 Stars
	Sub Man of the Game: Really want to reward Shelvin Mack, but giving it to Seraphin.
	BENCH TOTAL: 8.25 out of 9 stars

The Coach: Randy Wittman
	RASHAD MOBLEY: There were two moments during this Magic vs. Wizards game where Coach Wittman really impressed me. The first was his willingness to pull a Gregg Popovich, and go with his bench for most of the second quarter. JaVale and Nick Young were saddled with foul trouble, but Wall, Rashard Lewis and Vesely were not, and they still spent the majority of the quarter on the bench. Second, when the Wizards had defensive lapses against the Magic (and there were plenty), Wittman didn’t slam his clipboard, put his head in his hands or call for a knee jerk substitution. He merely clapped his hands and motioned for the Wizards to get the ball out of the net, inbound it, and keeping attacking on the other end.  That’s a coach — albeit an interim one — who has faith in his players and his system, and given how much that was outwardly lacking with Flip Saunders, that deserves 2.5 stars. 2.5 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: The bench really helped the Wizards out last night, and Wittman respected their efforts by keeping them on the floor. The lineup of Mack-Crawford-Singleton-Booker-Seraphin was risky, but was also productive and worked very well. Grunfeld stated that he has noticed a difference in the players attitudes since he has made the change at coach, and their effort against the Magic was definitely a testament to that. 1.5 Stars
	WEIDIE: It had to be a tough balance for Wittman… When to bring his starters, who had been playing so poorly, back in for a superior-playing second unit that was starting to tire. The coach did the best he could… sometimes you just can’t help it when the opponent attempts 30 more free-throws than your team. 2.25 Stars
	COACH TOTAL: 6.25 out of 9 stars

Seen on the Scene w/ Kyle Weidie

Roger Mason Jr., assistant coach…

During a stoppage in play before J.J. Redick was to take the ball out of bounds, a girl sitting courtside was all too happy for the photo op.

And there’s always this guy… 

[screen shots via Comcast SportsNet Washington]

Top Tweets

@MrMichaelLee: A few fans at Amway Center chanting, “Trade Dwight Howard!” Surprisingly, it’s not really taking off with everyone else #wizards

@McCarrick: I like the message Wittman is sending by leaving the bench in. Accountability on the Wizards has been rare

@MikePradaSBN: Wall reminds me so much of Gary Payton. Check Gary’s numbers in his first three years

End Scene

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

“We got nine guys on their rookie contracts. Right now, they’re, not getting the respect. That will come. We keep playing as hard as we play night in and night out, we’ll eventually get calls, but tonight, that’s hard to overcome against a big team like Orlando.”
-Randy Wittman, via The Washington Times

Random Posts

• June 2, 2009 -- Evaluating Etan Thomas in 2008-09
• April 9, 2008 -- Game 78 Preview: Washington Wizards vs. Boston Celtics
• December 18, 2010 -- Nick Young Talks About Gilbert Arenas, His Departed Friend

Look, Dwight Howard has long known that he does not want to be a member of the Orlando Magic past this season, so does it matter that his current team is in such disarray, losers of four games in a row with Howard calling out his teammates for effort? Probably not. In fact, it likely prompts GM Otis Smith even more to make a move, but it doesn’t make him any less desperate. (Read: this painfully drags on for Orlando up to the March 15 trade deadline… Have a fun next six weeks Magic fans!) So with Baby Dwight wanting a cure-all change of venue, but not able to cure-all as Superman himself, his team takes on the lowly Washington Wizards tonight, with Howard likely preparing to be as proud as a schoolyard bully (Orlando is favored by 10 points). This 3-on-3 drill prior to possibly just one of Howard’s last 23 games in a Magic uniform includes Nate Drexler (@natedrex) of TrueHoop Network blog MagicBasketball.net, along with TAI’s John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend) and yours truly, Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It). Three questions, three answers starts now…

#1) Which stat is more surprising? That the Washington Wizards have a higher offensive rebound rate (ORB%) than the Orlando Magic (0.261 ORB% compared to 0.259 for Orlando; league average is 0.264)?  NOTE: WAS eFG% = 0.442, 29th in NBA; ORL eFG% = 0.495, 9th in NBA)….

OR, that JaVale McGee is shooting worse on free-throws than Dwight Howard? (McGee is at 0.433 this season, 0.600 for his career; Howard is at 0.460 this season, 0.592 for his career.)

DREXLER: This is tough, because neither of these surprise me all that much. I suppose JaVale getting out sniped by Dwight from the charity stripe takes the cake, though. Look, when you have two bigs who shoot 60-percent and below for their careers, no amount of badness should catch you off guard, but McGee is getting close to 30-percent land! The biggest surprise of all is that no matter how hard I try to convince myself that JaVale McGee has star potential it just isn’t so. Guy sure is athletic, though. Why is it that athletic guys can’t shoot free throws?

TOWNSEND: Dwight Howard has always been consistent, if reliably unreliable, from the charity stripe, so I’m more surprised by JaVale McGee’s continued struggles at line. McGee has demonstrated a bit of a weakness for jump shots and perimeter-oriented play, as if he was a two-guard trapped in a 7-footer’s body, making it tough to comprehend how his free-throw percentage has dipped almost 25 points since his rookie season.

WEIDIE: As the eFG% indicates, it’s not wholly surprising that Washington is snagging more of the available offensive rebounds in their games than Orlando. With poor shot selection and the long arms of McGee — he averages 4.0 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes, ranked 10th in the NBA among those who have played more than 500 minutes this season — offensive rebounds are easier to come by for Washington. I’m surprised the JaVale McGee’s free-throws have regressed the point where he’s worse than Howard. Overall, NBA free-throw percentages have decreased during this lockout-shortened season (0.763 league average in 2010-11, down to 0.745 this season), but still… McGee seems to have OK touch for someone his size, at least better than Howard, so I’m not quite sure why he’s so horrible at the freebies.

#2) David Stern has asked you to start a franchise in Bangalore, India. You get to take four players from Orlando and Washington with you, but there’s a catch. You must select three players from one roster and only one player from the other. Who you got? [Note: I asked this question before a game versus the Bobcats... figure it might be tougher to answer with Orlando.]

DREXLER: It’s mighty tempting to take three guys from Washington right now, but I’m taking John Wall to India with me. From Orlando I take Dwight Howard, Ryan Anderson, and J.J. Redick. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t excite me, but I’m left with very few options. Note: the only reason I take three guys from Orlando is that I can’t for the life of me justify a third good player in Washington. I take John Wall and Rashard Lewis all day, but then what? Nick Young? Jordan Crawford? I’d rather shoot for something of a respectable percentage than risk it with a volume shooter. Plus, I think Howard, Anderson, and Redick would have an impact on the young John Wall — maybe teach him a thing or two about defense.

TOWNSEND: I’ll keep it mostly in-house again. From the Washington Wizards: John Wall (to run the point), Nick Young (to score points) and Chris Singleton (to lock it down outside). If you were to drop those three into a cage with Dwight Howard (the most obvious selection) standing behind them, they would handle all comers without breaking a sweat — even in the tropics.

WEIDIE: In Bangalore, you do as the Bangaloreans do… and I have no idea what they do, but I imagine that they would love to see a combo of John Wall, Jan Vesely, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. Might not be the best and brightest, but Lob City would immediately be outsourced from Los Angeles to India. Otherwise, should this team have to compete against other teams of NBA players (which I envisioned when coming up with this question), then the combo of Wall, J.J. Redick, Ryan Anderson and Howard should get the job done.

#3) Which one (explain): A) The Washington Wizards: just what the Orlando Magic, losers of four in a row, five out of seven, need. OR… B) The Orlando Magic: in such disarray that they might lose to the Washington Wizards, at home.

DREXLER: B. The Magic look really, really bad right now. I watched Orlando beat Washington a few weeks ago, and it wasn’t pretty then. Now, as things have further dismantled, I think the Wizards could steam roll them. The key is whether or not JaVale McGee decides he wants to try to stop Dwight Howard. I don’t think he necessarily can, but there isn’t anyone else who is going to hurt you on the Magic roster. Wow, it’s pretty depressing to have just typed that. One other note: Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson are not playing in tonight’s game. I can’t imagine that hurting the Wizard chances in taking this one.

TOWNSEND: The Wizards don’t always play well at home, but they are a miserable road team. Washington has dropped seven consecutive games against the Magic, losing their last two at the Amway Center, and have put together an embarrassing 10-35 all-time record in Orlando, Fl. Remember the last meeting between these to teams? Dwight Howard surely does, having piled up 28 points and 20 rebounds. Option A.

WEIDIE: A or B is contingent on JaVale McGee having the best game he’s ever had against Dwight Howard, which wouldn’t be saying much. In 11 contests against Dwight, McGee has averaged 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.4 minutes. McGee has scored in double figures versus Howard just once — 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench in a 121-94 Wizards loss on April 7, 2010 — and the most rebounds he’s pulled down is seven (twice). So for the Wizards to have a chance, McGee needs to have his best game by far, and that is not something I have a ton of confidence in at this point. So I choose A, even with both Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson reportedly out for Orlando. But if JaVale ever does put together a decent game against Howard, watch out, because it could mean him kicking the door wide open on a break through.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 5, 2012 -- DC Council Game 6: Wizards 85 at Magic 103: Making Progress Harder To Find
• February 17, 2011 -- John Wall Raised His Game, But No One Went With Him
• February 5, 2011 -- When Roles Get Lost: Wizards Fall To Magic 110-92

Last Saturday, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reported that the Los Angeles Lakers have “expressed interest” in signing Gilbert Arenas. On Sunday, ESPN’s Chris Broussard confirmed the report, saying the Lakers have “considered the idea” of adding the guard to their roster. On Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Lakers had yet to interview or work out Arenas. On Tuesday, via Kevin Ding the Orange County Register, Lakers coach Mike Brown acknowledged that team personnel had “just conversation” about the former Wizard, also confirming that there had been no workout, nor a review of Arenas’ past game video by Brown.

After Monday’s Wizards-Bulls game, I spoke with Nick Young, a good friend of Arenas, about how his former teammate was doing and about his prospects of joining the Lakers.

You said you talk to Gilbert just about every day. How is he doing? Is he just down in Orlando working out?

“Yea, he’s been working out. He said he got the — I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this — but he got that Kobe treatment on his knees…”

[I make some lame joke about the "Kobe System" commercials. -- NOTE: This past June, Kobe Bryant underwent treatment on his knee in Germany.  Orthokine Therapy, developed by German doctor Dr. Peter Wehling, also a former physician to Pope John Paul II,  involves "centrifuging the patients blood and using the serum as an anti-inflammatory drug." Tracy McGrady reportedly introduced Wehling to Bryant, who in turn recommended the therapy to Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees. In addition to a clinic in Germany, Wehling is said to have a small outpost in Los Angeles.]

“Yea, yea… you could say it’s the Kobe System, but he said it feels great, his knees feel great, and he’s been working out. When I seen him last time, he looked like he was in shape. He lost a lot of weight.”

When did you last see him?

“When we went to Orlando the last time we played [the Wizards played the Magic on Orlando on January 4], so he looked like he was in good shape.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in Arenas, have you talked to him about playing for both of you guys’ hometown team?

“Oh yea, oh yea… most definitely. That’s a big thing for him. That’d be real big for the Lakers to add him to their team because they need a guard. They’re young… without [Derek] Fisher on the court – [Darius] Morris, I think — they’re real young at the guard spot.”

[NOTE: Lakers point guard Steve Blake is currently out due to fractured cartilage in his rib cage and has recently been cleared to start running on a treadmill.]

Any other teams that he might fit in with?

“I really don’t know, I just heard really about the Lakers. For him to come back home, that part, I think that would calm him down. I think it’d be good.”

Now, I know he got officially re-engaged this summer… Has he set a wedding date? Are you invited to that?

“He did? Oh yea… I remember that… he told me. I think he’s serious this time,  I think he’s serious this time. I talked to… Laura [Govan] was in L.A. a couple times, so I think they’re serious.”

But he hasn’t set a wedding date yet?

“No date yet, no date yet, but I’m going to be up there… I’m probably going to be the best man,  you know…. Nah!!”

[Nick laughs and rolls out into the night.]

Other reads from Truth About It:

• December 15, 2010 -- Lakers Have Style, Wizards Looking For Substance – Los Angeles 103, Washington 89
• December 8, 2010 -- Chalk Up Moral Victory No. 3 In 115-108 Loss To Lakers; Should The Wizards Be Ready To Stand Behind Their Message Of Toughness?
• December 9, 2011 -- A Couple Washington Wizards Training Camp Musings

If anything, Randy Wittman has proven that he’s no Flip Saunders, past his own claims of the two being “polar opposites.” No, it’s not about wins and losses (beating the Bobcats twice? please), at least for the rest of this season. Yes, outcome is important and positive outcomes are nice, but ask a fan about winning or losing, and the Wizards can’t win. From moral victories to lottery losses to scoreboard reward, not many can be satisfied in this current state of four victories and 17 losses.

Wittman is willing to try more new things, starting Jan Vesely at the four over Andray Blatche for example. Or, down 78-63 to the Chicago Bulls on Monday night with nearly a quarter left to play, throwing a full court press after a Chicago timeout allowing Tom Thibodeau to insert M.V.P. point guard Derrick Rose back into the game. It’s not like Saunders didn’t reach deep into his bag of gimmicks, responsiveness from his players was clearly the issue.

“I was a little hesitant to really do what we did there in the fourth quarter,” said coach Randy Wittman at the end of the night, “because… [chuckles]… we hadn’t worked on it, but I said, ‘Let’s go, guys, we got one chance here to make this a ball game.’”

Washington responded immediately — with a unit of John Wall, Jordan Crawford, Nick Young, Trevor Booker, and JaVale McGee – racing to a 15-8 run in fewer than four minutes. Thanks to the pressure, the Wizards trimmed their deficit to eight points. A Nick Young three-pointer capped the comeback, with Wittman afterward stomping his feet all over the hardwood floor to remind Young to not bask in his offense, but rather to find the shooters and pressure as necessary. Chicago answered by finally breaking Washington’s full-court defense with ease, ending the Wizards run with a Carlos Boozer dunk, holding their lead at 88-78.

“Our point guards Shelvin [Mack] and John are picking up 84, 94 feet… Book [Booker] has to ability to really cover a lot of ground, and I thought he did a heckuva job of trying to get the ball out of Rose’s hands early, make [Joakim] Noah and those guys make a play,” said Wittman. “JaVale… there’s a little technique being the last man standing back there with what you have to do. You know… he didn’t know. We haven’t been able to work on it. He came away from the basket a little bit too much — a couple drop-offs to [Carlos] Boozer where you got to make Noah, the 7-foot center, make plays driving down the middle of the floor.”

After a very poor shot by Young — he caught himself in the air and tried, in a spastic manner, to draw a foul to no avail — and a turnover by Derrick Rose, Wittman called timeout with 6:11 left in the game, his team still down 88-78. They needed a much-deserved break. However, coming out of that timeout, the young heroes of Washington did everything they could to destroy their momentum on a single possession. Three missed jumpers — Young from 21 feet, Wall from 17 feet, and Crawford from 21 feet — and two McGee offensive rebounds later, the Bulls were on their way to pushing their lead back up to 14 at 92-78, leading to another Wittman timeout.

The Wizards would again get within eight points at 96-88 with 1:15 left, but by then they were spent. Chicago mentally dominated the game, but not without providing Washington with valuable learning opportunities. The final score was 98-88.

When the Wizards came out the season’s gate with five straight losses, looking like one of the laziest, dumbest, most selfish, most uninspiring teams ever seen, owner Ted Leonsis wrote a post on his blog titled, “Going as I expected.” Hardly believable now with a coach fired. Monday night’s loss to the Bulls was more along the lines of what should have been expected for this season — a young team gladly getting scrappy, sharing the ball and trying until the end, but getting beat by the more veteran squad. Sure, youth, no summer league and a short training camp provided great barriers, but those are mere excuses.

The Wizards franchise faltered when they did not establish more of a culture of toughness and accountability from day one this season. The continued pacifying of Blatche is just part of the problem, not sure how much you blame management for trusting him several times over. Now, the attitude of Randy Wittman and his willingness to impose principles of defensive pressure upon his team (and for them to see that it works), might just have a large hand in righting the ship. No, Washington won’t be running dead-legs to give opponents 48 minutes – or even 10 minutes — of hell on every occasion. But now the Wizards see they are capable, that they have the tools, and most importantly, they are starting to trust each other. The practice of aggressive defense helps subconsciously impose the desired culture on the players, just maybe.

Washington is starting to do a lot of things right lately, despite results that continue to irk the wider fanbase. Impatience at this point can be fruitless, but hardly unjustified. Poor effort in heavy doses at the beginning of this season taints recent good effort. With more nights like the one against Chicago, they will start to win over some skeptics. But to solidify the foundation, the Wizards have to build from game-to-game, and not fall into the spiral of rebuilding that seems to reduce this team to rubble.

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 31, 2012 -- DC Council Game 21: Wizards 88 vs Bulls 98: ‘Talking To Your Mom?’
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• January 20, 2012 -- DC Council Game 14: Wizards 105 vs Thunder 102: From Subway To Chicken Wings

Score

Washington Wizards 88 at Chicago Bulls 98 [box score]

Stat of The Game w/ John Converse Townsend

At the conclusion of the 3rd quarter, Derrick Rose had attempted as many free throws (11) as the Washington Wizards. Worse, Rose finished the game having made more free throws (14) than the Wizards attempted (13). Chicago made 24 of their 31 free throw attempts in a comfortable 98-88 victory, their seventh-consecutive win over Washington. Wanna know how that sits with Ted Leonsis? “We haven’t yet earned the respect of the league’s officials,” he writes on his blog, pointing out the very same discrepancy between the charity afforded to the league’s reigning M.V.P. and a team of losers.

Scene of the Game

OBEY WITTMAN.

Original Screenshot via @recordsANDradio.

D.C. Flag 3-Star Ratings w/ Markus Allen, John Converse Townsend, and Kyle Weidie

<***> Rating the Starting 5, Bench & Coach out of 3 stars.

John Wall
	JOHN CONVERSE TOWNSEND: Wall tried his best to show the inimitable Derrick Rose what was what from the opening tip, beginning with a discontinued dribble on the game’s first possession… And that’s kind of how the night went for Wall, who is talented in his own right, but doesn’t yet have the command over the game (or the ball) that Rose does. John Wall took a deep breath as he searched for answers in the Verizon Center rafters before disappearing into the locker room after the game; whatever answers he may have found left him shaking his head. 2 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: It always intrigues me to see John Wall go against Derrick Rose. Two No. 1 picks, both with similar skill sets and a Caliparian pedigree, thrust into completely different situations. Wall had his hands full going against Rose, who was aiming to redeem himself after a loss Sunday to the Heat. Rose was efficient from the field and went 14-15 on free throws, shooting floaters and just showing his MVP form. Wall, on the other hand, was not too bad, just average; he had 20 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers. This was a good game for Wall to learn from Rose, and I hope he took some valuable information out of it. 1 Star
	WEIDIE: Wall come out in full-on attack mode versus Rose. No, he wasn’t trying to match a league M.V.P. in a contest of who could piss the furthest, rather, he had to look for his offense in hopes of sparking something for Washington against a stingy Chicago defense. But the fact that Rose had 13 points (6-8 FGs) and 3 assists in the first quarter to Wall’s 8 points (3-7 FGs) and zero assists in the period pretty much sums up the story of the night. When asked after the game, and in light of Rose’s performance, about the difficulties of developing decision-making as a point guard (when to look for yourself, when to look for teammates), Wall said, “It’s not hard when you got guys like Kyle Korver that can make shots, and you can run off down screens and a guy like Carlos Boozer that can pick-and-pop, and Luol Deng and guys you can run plays for that make shots and create their own shots, it’s kind of easy.” Sure it is, John, sure it is. 1.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 4.75 out of 9 stars

Nick Young
	MARKUS ALLEN: I believe that Nick Young may have wanted to show the Bulls why they should have been more interested in him during free agency (Chicago chose Rip Hamilton, who did not play). Young had 17 points on 7-20 shooting. He took a lot of tough, contested jumpers and actually drained a 3-pointer that cut the Bulls lead to eight in the third; however… let me reiterate the amount of tough, contested jumpers he took. At the end of the 4th quarter the Wizards were down 88-96 with 35 seconds left to play; Nick Young came down the court and missed a bad three in transition that essentially put the game out of reach. Not to say that the Wizards would have won if he had made a better decision, but it was just one of those plays that summed up Nick Young as a whole. 0.5 Stars (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: Before the game, Nick Young and Kevin Seraphin had a fancy little pregame routine, a not-so-secret handshake if you will. The two bumped fists, got their roll in vintage Daunte Culpepper fashion, before going in for a second helping of daps and pounds. I share this vignette because it was Young’s best performance of the night. 1.25 Stars
	WEIDIE: Young forced a couple shots very early in the game, and went 0-4 on FGs in the first quarter. His second quarter was better with 5 points (2-5 FGs) and 4 rebounds (this included an offensive rebound tip-back… HUH? Exactly). In the third, Young took, and missed, just one shot in four minutes, but he did drop a nice dime to Jan Vesely for a dunk. In the fourth, Young turned on his offense (and defense), knocking down 5-10 from the field (2-4 from deep), but don’t think all of those shots were good… And don’t think that Randy Wittman didn’t have to stomp his feet on the floor multiple times to remind Young to play pressure defense and find the shooters after Young would take time to bask in rare offense from the Wizards (Washington scored 29 points in the fourth). 1.5 Stars
	TOTAL: 3.25 out of 9 stars

Rashard Lewis
	JOHN CONVERSE TOWNSEND: Rashard Lewis was big on the boards vs. the Bulls, pulling down eight rebounds, one shy of the team-high, for just the third time since February of last year. Lewis’ best moment came with about four minutes left on the clock in the 2nd quarter: the vet blocked one of Rose’s shot attempts in transition, grabbed an offensive rebound, assisted a JaVale McGee layup, and then pulled down a defensive rebound after a missed layup by Ronnie Brewer. Lewis’ offense, however, was bottled up like spring water — flavorless, transparent and overpriced. 1 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: Rashard was nonexistent on defense, and was also somewhat at fault when it came to Kyle Korver shooting 5-12 from three. He had five points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes of play. There were a couple wide open three-point attempts which would have bought the Wizards some momentum that Rashard failed to hit, but at this point there’s no reason to criticize someone who consistently plays poorly… He’s getting payed $21 million to shoot 25-percent from three. That’s $840,000 for every 1-percent. Ha… that’s all I can do, sorry. 0.25 Stars
	WEIDIE: It’s a constant struggle to justify the presence of Rashard Lewis. It’s a study in sadness over having no one else, and an appreciation that he’s not Gilbert Arenas. The Good News: Lewis is a veteran and this is easy to tell amongst a team of youth… this counts for something. Also, his mere presence to make a shot acts as a helpful threat for the Wizards offense. Bad News: Lewis went 1-4 from the three-point line against Chicago and this actually improved his percentage from that distance on the season. 0.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 2 out of 9 stars

Jan Vesely
	KYLE WEIDIE: During glimpses of him in training camp, Vesely looked lost. But when it came time for him to play, you get tell the kid was oozing with basketball instinct (with the exception of offense). Against the Bulls on Monday night, Vesely looked lost again, as if a mysterious cloud from a mysterious island surrounded him, in the process strapping his eyes open Clockwork Orange style, forcing him to watch highlights of Derrick Rose over and over while Carlos Boozer pounded him with a jousting stick from American Gladiators. It was probably pretty intense for the young fella… and thus his statline was: 15 minutes, 1-3 FGs, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, 1 turnover. Jan will be alright, and I’m not one for knee-jerk reactions, but perhaps starting Trevor Booker should be in Randy Wittman’s next recipe. 0.5 Stars (out of 3)
	ALLEN: Vesely looked terrified going against the Bulls and was in no position to deal with Carlos Boozer down low. At one point in the game Vesely had the ball in his hands, only to be outmuscled by Joakim Noah; it really showed his lack of physicality and I believe his spirit was crushed by being dominated. He only played 15 minutes, had 2 points and 3 rebounds. 0 Stars
	TOWNSEND: So, uh, maybe it’s time to get Trevor Booker back into the starting lineup. There’s no ‘O’ in Jan Vesely. 0.75 Star
	TOTAL: 1.25 out of 9 stars

JaVale McGee
	MARKUS ALLEN: JaVale McGee had a pretty solid game with 16 points on 7-12 shooting, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. JaVale showcased somewhat of a post game and briefly bullied Omer Asik. He snagged six offensive rebounds (which mostly came from poor Nick Young shots), and was effective with his put-back attempts. There was a nice alley-oop from Wall to McGee, and he just showed an intensity that allowed the Wizards to stay in the game. There was one bonehead play that could have seriously injured McGee; while Joakim Noah was coming down the lane, McGee set up for a charge… and stuck his knee out in a way that could have ended devastating. Besides that dumb decision, I applaud JaVale for showing up and competing pretty well against Noah and Asik. Not every day you see him try to take a charge, either. 1.25 Stars (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: McGee didn’t seem to think much of his match-up, Joakim Noah. After his first score, a finger roll over Noah’s head, McGee held up his right hand in the air as he paraded backward across the timeline. I applaud McGee’s confidence, but I don’t think much of his pick-and-roll defense. 2 Stars
	WEIDIE: JaVale McGee… good player, great athlete, continues to get lost on the court within his own actions to the detriment of the team. He’ll probably get better over time, or maybe not. In P&R defense, he often morphs from a living, breathing deer in the headlines into a chair, waiting to be run over by Derrick Rose’s magical sports car. But let’s not forget all the good McGee does, patrolling the paint and all… he’ll be much better at doing so in the future with work in the weight room. 1.75 Stars
	TOTAL: 5 out of 9 stars

The Bench
	KYLE WEIDIE: Trevor Booker came out with a solid burst of fire and ready to bang with Carlos Boozer after witnessing teammate Jan Vesely get abused in the early going. In his first six minutes of action, Booker had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block — he finished the game with 14 points (7-9 FGs), 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, 0 turnovers, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes. The rest of the bench didn’t provide much… Jordan Crawford chipped in 10 points on 16 shots (3 assists, 2 turnovers), and Kevin Seraphin had 4 points, including his third career jumper from beyond 16 feet, and 3 rebounds in 14 minutes. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	ALLEN: The Bench was all about Trevor Booker. He had 14 points and 9 rebounds, coming in for Jan Vesely who was completely tapped out of the game. He had a great impact coming off the bench in 26 minutes of play. This performance, as well as the 16 point, 6-6 FGs performance against the Bobcats should thrust Booker into the starting spot of Andray Blatche. Meanwhile, Jordan Crawford went 5-16, took a lot of bad shots, and the rest of the bench didn’t produce. Kevin Seraphin looked completely lost on offense in the paint, getting a three-second call and also double-dribbling. Once again, I would like to state that Trevor Booker owned the bench and had a great night. 1.5 Stars
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	TOWNSEND: Kevin Seraphin had a game to forget, and some other Wizards players spent some time in the spot light, but it was Trevor Booker who made the most noticeable impact, as I expected he would. Booker, demonstrating that he’s the most developed and game-ready combo-forward on the roster, made a strong case to be the Wizards starting power forward. 1.5 Stars
	Sub Man of the Game: Trevor Booker
	BENCH TOTAL: 4.5 out of 9 stars

The Coach: Randy Wittman
	MARKUS ALLEN: Randy Wittman must be respected for getting his team’s head actually into the game. Wittman made a bold call in choosing to full court press the Chicago Bulls; the Wizards were able to force turnovers and make the Bulls change up their offensive game-plan. Wittman stated that, “I was a little hesitant to do what we did in the fourth quarter because we hadn’t worked on it.” The confidence that the coach has instilled in his team has shown a bit already, as defensive effort just wasn’t quite the same under Saunders. Wittman is also good at balancing his rotation with getting plenty of in-game experience for his young players. We can expect Wittman to continue to try new techniques, which should allow them to further develop and improve. 1.5 Stars (out of 3)
	TOWNSEND: Randy Wittman hasn’t yet convinced me he’s the answer at head coach in D.C., but does seem to be getting more out of the roster than Flip Saunders did, which is like saying he’s more capable of squeezing water from stone. 1.75 Stars
	WEIDIE: Wittman gets 2.25 stars because of his willingness, hesitantly, to throw full-court pressure at one of the NBA’s best teams early in the fourth quarter, because he’s getting more out of his players, and because of his post-game press conference… Aside from suggesting that a reporter call his office if he had any tips as how the Wizards could’ve better defender Derrick Rose, Wittman, in his press conference, asked a cameraman, who was on his phone for one reason or another (seemed work-related), if he was talking to his mom… because it distracted Wittman in mid-thought. More than worth the funny scenery (and the video below). 2.25 Stars
	COACH TOTAL: 5.5 out of 9 stars

Seen on the Scene w/ Kyle Weidie

After the game, Derrick Rose was spotted wearing a white Dolce & Gabanna James Dean hoodie, as seen here on the Saks Fifth Avenue website for the price of… “Sorry, this item is not available.” Dammit! How do celebs like Rose and Justin Beiber, also seen by fashion sites wearing D&G James Dean hoodies, ever expect us to be cool like them?!! Related: James Dean died in a car crash at age 24. If I were 23-year old Derrick Rose, I’d probably wait a bit before sporting a dead white guy on my gear. Wait, did you say it was made by Dolce & Gabanna? SPLEN-DIIIIIIIIID!!!

Top Tweets

@CraigStouffer: Anyone else think Omer Asik looks like Judge Reinhold? “You guys had shirts on when you came in here.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhJmkafAPd4

@BullsbytheHorns: @Truth_About_It Omer Asik is Linguine’s twin from Ratatouille… http://pic.twitter.com/XJtnHIly

@MrMichaelLee: I must say, Derrick Rose is doing a very solid John Lucas III impersonation vs #wizards

End Scene

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

“What’s that? Talking to your mom?”
-Randy Wittman upon being distracted by a cameraman on the phone during his post-game presser… Let’s watch…

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 4, 2012 -- DC Council Game 23: Wizards 89 at Raptors 106: Wizards Head South, North of The Border
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass

Derrick Rose had a tough Sunday against the Miami Heat. His team lost, and he missed two crucial free-throws with his Bulls down one point and 22 seconds left. He missed a potential game-tying jumper with three seconds left too. He took it kind of hard.

“I think of my legacy, I want people to think of me as being a clutch player,” said Rose before facing the Wizards in Washington the next night. “Someone that always comes through a majority of the time when they’re on the court, and yesterday it hurt a little bit, but I know it will help me in the long run.”

Rose was later asked if it’s hard to adjust, coming off a tough 97-93 loss like that on the road in Miami and into a road game the next night in another city.

“Aww hell no. Hell no. It just makes me hungrier, where tonight… I’m going to try to go crazy.”

That he did. Rose scored 13 points on 6-8 shooting against Washington in the first quarter, while picking up three assists with zero turnovers. He did it with his norm of slicing direction changes, with much help from screens.

“I watch him on T.V., but in person it’s different. It’s way different,” said Wizards forward Trevor Booker after the game. Rose’s stylings may be normal for Rose but quite abnormal judging by the confused/baffled/sour look on JaVale McGee’s face as he checked out with 5:52 left in the period. Randy Wittman had seen enough, he wanted to try something else, but not before spending genuine time consulting with McGee on his defense.

Other dubious P&R defensive combinations like Nick Young and Kevin Seraphin also came up short. The Bulls had a 26-16 lead after 12 minutes, and with his dimes, Rose was directly responsible for 20 of those points. He finished with 35 points (10-20 FGs, 14-15 FTs) with eight assists, five turnovers, three blocks, two steals and zero rebounds. (He doesn’t really go for boards, doesn’t really have to.)

Rose’s Bulls won 98-88, a slimmer margin than Chicago’s largest lead of 22 points, thanks to some fight and a scrappy full court defense from Randy Wittman’s Wizards in the fourth quarter. Wouldn’t you know it, the final margin was a point above the pre-game betting line of nine. Chicago doesn’t necessarily have to worry about a close one against one of the league’s worst, for a meat and potatoes defensive team like they are, a simple win will do.

The Wizards Said WHAT?

Oh, they said a lot … and it was all about Derrick Rose.

Example Quotes of … who? More in the video below.

“Did he dice it up? Yeeaaa… I mean, is that what you want me to say? I think you watched the same game I did.”

 ”I was like, ‘Wow’ … sometimes I caught myself spectating, just watching him and some of the shots he hit … just unbelievable.”

Other reads from Truth About It:

• January 31, 2012 -- DC Council Game 21: Wizards 88 vs Bulls 98: ‘Talking To Your Mom?’
• February 8, 2012 -- The Wizards Said WHAT? Nick Young: ‘That’s Our Word, Be Great’
• February 6, 2012 -- DC Council Game 24: Wizards 81 vs Clippers 107: ‘Holy Smoke’ Wizards Puff Puff, But Don’t Pass

Andray Blatche is out 3-5 weeks with a strained left calf muscle, Washington Wizards coach Randy Wittman announced prior to tonight’s game. In the locker room a couple hours before facing the Chicago Bulls, John Wall spoke with the media about life, for the time being, without ‘Dray.

Q: How do you replace Blatche’s points?

WALL: “Look for Jan [Vesely], Book [Trevor Booker], Kevin [Seraphin], and each of those guys to step up in that role and play the four position… Just do the best they can. We’re not telling them to be ‘Dray [Blatche], but just be the player they is and do the right thing to help us out. You’re going to lose a lot of points from ‘Dray, but you can bring out the assets on the defensive end with the other guys. So they can still help us.”

Q: How does the offense change without the skill set Blatche provides as a big man?

WALL: “Just basically try to get them the ball in situations where you know they excel at. Don’t try to put them in the same situations that you put ‘Dray in, and shooting 19, 17-foot jump shots. You try to get them close to the basket where they can penetrate and kind of find guys at the free-throw line area where they feel more comfortable at.”

Q: How much tougher does the lack of Blatche’s ability to step out as a big man make it for offensive spacing?

WALL: “It’s not kind of hurting the spacing because you roll and replace with somebody. You know, you don’t have somebody that’s popping for jump shots, you have somebody that can roll and [you can] find them like that with a pocket pass. It can be tougher but sometimes it can be easy, so you just gotta go with the flow of the game.”

Other reads from Truth About It:

• February 2, 2012 -- Stickers for Selflessness: Leading the Charge Against Hero-Ball
• January 30, 2012 -- DC Council Game 20: Wizards 102 at Bobcats 99: ‘W’ is for Wittman
• January 28, 2012 -- DC Council Game 19: Wizards 76 at Rockets 103: Remember Us? We Didn’t Get Fired.