Four thoughts about this game, and I am out.
This loss felt like the ones before the Gilbert Arenas gun saga, the ones where the Wizards simply didn’t show up. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. Tonight was Washington’s fifth loss of the year by at least 20 points.
And you knew it would be the outcome before the game even started.
“We knew how they were going to come in and play,” said Randy Foye. “Coach explained it to us. He stressed it to us yesterday in practice. He stressed it again in pregame when we went through their stuff. We just didn’t bring it tonight. Their effort was much higher. They beat us to every loose ball, made big shots when they needed them. We got it to ten, but it wasn’t enough.”
“Games that we lose like this, we come out and settle for J’s,” said Brendan Haywood, doing is best to keep it short and sweet, sort of like his numbers tonight (2 points, 2 rebounds), which were a byproduct. “When they’re not falling, we get down in big holes, early, quickly.”
What is up with Antawn Jamison?
“I think the last game I just couldn’t get into a rhythm, missed some easy shots, the ball just didn’t go down, forced some things late, started thinking,” said Jamison. “Tonight, it was just more of what they did. The comfort zone I like to get into. They did a lot of bodying me up and things of that nature. Tonight was just a tough game.”
“Against everybody, they were just extremely physical,” said Flip Saunders. “Players like to get to certain spots, and they didn’t let our guys – they took our guys three feet out of those spots, and if you a player away from his spot, it takes away a lot of their effectiveness. They were aggressive from the beginning. They pretty much mauled us, and that’s the way the game was going to play, and the first timeout with 9:20 to go, we didn’t respond. We kind of gave into their aggression.”
Yes, JaVale McGee had four blocks. He also took three of the most atrocious shots I’ve seen all year: an horrible hook shot, a jaw dropping-bad jumper from the elbow, and a front-rimmed finger roll.
Remember when Andray Blatche got suspended for sulking? Tonight, he was the poster child for effort.
“It’s just heart, man,” said Blatche. “We gotta have more heart.”
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