The Washington Wizards have made the false start perfect with their defeat at the Sacramento Kings. The notorious cellar child of the Western Conference lost 112:116. John Wall and Bradley Beal then went to court hard with the team.
“I think that sometimes we all play for ourselves. You complain about the throws, the playing time, whatever. Everyone only thinks of themselves,” Beal complained after the game.
Washington conceded their fourth bankruptcy in five games in Sacramento and the final phase was a reflection of the capital’s season to date. The Wizards fought their way into the game again and again, but then stood in each other’s way several times. So Markieff Morris made an unexplainable step mistake shortly before the end, Jeff Green caused a head shake with a much too wide inbound pass over the whole field.
But the Wizards wanted to attack properly this season after LeBron James had left the Eastern Conference. Newcomer Austin Rivers spoke openly before the season of a move into the Conference Finals and also franchise player John Wall was several times very offensive to the media.
The Point Guard was all the more disappointed after the recent defeat. “Of course I’m surprised at the start,” Wall admitted. “I actually think that we have a team full of veterans and yet it’s always the same. We have a great team on paper, a great Starting Five, even if Dwight Howard isn’t there yet.”
The center continues to struggle with buttock problems and is painfully missed by the wizards. At the moment Ian Mahinmi represents the multiple Defensive Player of the Year, but the Frenchman is not really a substitute and doesn’t help to solve the rebounding problem of the capitols.
But Wall will not accept this as an excuse. “Just because our team looks good on paper doesn’t mean anything. We have to go out and show it on the field, we’re not doing that right now.”
The Point Guard has an explanation for this, too. For him, the Wizards rarely act as a team. “We have players here who think only of their own throw. That’s never supposed to be a problem. Even if you hit or miss, you have to play defense on the other side. If you don’t play hard on both sides, you don’t have to play at all.”
Coach Scott Brooks was also visibly disappointed after the game and clearly addressed the problems in the defense. “You have to have the right players who want to defend every night. In this league you have to deliver day after day. You can’t choose when to play hard.”
Brooks took responsibility for the defeat and questioned the composition of his team. “I need to get better at finding the right five guys who want to show their full commitment.”
The next games for Washington won’t be any easier. Before they go back to D.C., the Wizards have to play two away games. In the night on Monday the Brooks team will be guests at the Clippers, two days later the Grizzlies will be the hosts for the Wizards.