[The DC Council -- After each Wizards game: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the bench, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is over the table. Game 14 contributors: Kyle Weidie and John Converse Townsend with first-hand coverage, and Sam Permutt watching from afar.]

Score

Washington Wizards 105 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 102 [box score]

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An unusual post-game locker room indeed, after a big 105-102 Washington Wizards win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at the Verizon Center. It was a release of coping amongst players relieved to exhale their goofiness, or at least some smiles in front of media pixel vultures. There was talk of swagger, trust, playing with no fear, and giving people the ball when they’re open. Nick Young enjoyed the sounds of ‘swish’ as much as lauding in the fact that Kevin Durant put up an airball against his defense.

It was doing the little things, the young Wizards realized. But John Wall, without hesitation, pointed out that they were still 2-12. And the much-maligned Andray Blatche? His message was simple: “I’m still here,” (why? stay tuned for part two) as he jokingly patted himself on the shoulder/back for hitting a 30-foot three-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to bring the Wizards within four points going into the final stanza.

The Wizards said WHAT? This is what they said… Pt. 1 featuring Flip Saunders, John Wall, Nick Young, Andray Blatche, Jordan Crawford, JaVale McGee and Roger Mason…

At every buzzer, there are key points you can look back on when considering the outcome — a game-changing instance, a slept-on moment, an initial reaction to the final score. Sure, in a contest of ebbs and flows, moments can be subjective, but it doesn’t make it any one less important than others. In a Wizards 105-102 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, these were some of those moments…

Obviously there’s a John Wall alley-oop dunk…

SAM PERMUTT:

With the Wizards struggling to make a basket in the third quarter, a streaking John Wall elevated toward the rim only to kick out to a wide-open Nick Young in the corner for an open three.  What many would call “lucky” shooting in the second half was often a product of superior point guard play from Wall and team execution, especially in pick-and-roll situations. After making five threes in the second half of the game, Young finished his post-game interview by swaggily pronouncing, “Straight buckets! I heat it up! Five for five!” Nick Young, ready to party. Oh, did I mention he played passable defense on Kevin Durant late in the fourth? Read more »

On the Wizards’ struggles to rebuild, particularly without a second star to help John Wall:

[Wall] does (have help). He does have some guys here, you know. He has JaVale, he has Andray Blatche, Jordan Crawford. They have a nice young core here, man. It’s all about being patient and knowing that if you’re working hard every single day that things are going to change soon. Like I said, they have a great group of guys here and they look like they enjoy playing with each other. It’s just a matter of time before everything starts to click. Same scenario with us, man. I didn’t know know what was going to happen. After the first year, losing 62 games, then the second year, losing 59. Coming back, your confidence is shot a little, not knowing what’s going to happen. But, if you stay positive and stay confident, things are going to change.

On whether Washington, D.C. is a destination for big-name free agents:

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Tonight before the Wizards-Thunder game I had a chance to quickly chat with Washington Wizards rookie Chris Singleton about his defensive assignment: Kevin Durant. Here that goes…

On your defensive assignment of Kevin Durant… are you ready to battle?

“I feel like I’m ready more than ever. I mean, he’s a tough competitor. He’s got so many different things he can do, he can shoot. He’s also 6’11″, can handle the ball. He’s got so many ways he can beat you. I’m just looking forward to the task.”

What tendencies of Durant’s do you have to limit? Read more »

[Oklahoma City Backpack Model - photo: K. Weidie]

The young team everyone wants to be comes to the District this evening. Odds-makers are comfortable giving the Oklahoma City Thunder an 11-point cushion over the Washington Wizards; many optimists and pessimists alike expect the visitors’ final margin to be double that. But hey, there could be some excitement… there’s always a chance for excitement. For instance, it might be interesting to see how Wizards rookie Chris Singleton matches up against Kevin Durant, or if John Wall can build on his 38-point performance and perhaps force Russell Westbrook into some bad shots. The ages of Oklahoma City’s starting lineup go something like this: 23, 23, 27, 22, 27; Washington’s go like this: 21, 26, 22, 24, 24 — the difference is five years. If only age and youth were valid assessors of team capability. In any case, you know the 3-on-3 drill… Today’s guest is Royce Young from the banging TrueHoop Network OKC-affiliated blog Daily Thunder; he is joined by TAI’s John Converse Townsend and myself, Kyle Weidie. Three questions, three answers starts now…

#1) People speak of the much-ballyhooed “Oklahoma City Model” with many across the web finding various to dissect Sam Presti’s mind. For one, nobody will deny that Presti is one of the best, if not at the very top, of his profession. But in all seriousness, how much (perhaps in an unscientific percentage estimate) did having the opportunity to draft Kevin Durant affect the success of the OKC Model?

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[John Wall weaves his way to the hoop and draws a foul versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.]

It is axiomatic that the NBA is a copycat League, especially given the incestuous nature of most coaching/front office jobs. This season, there is a stunning lack of parity: eight teams have a realistic chance of winning the title (and that’s being a bit generous). The other twenty-two are either a) borderline top-tier, b) making aggressively mediocre moves, c) rebuilding, or d) owned by Michael Jordan. For rebuilding teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the gold standard.

An NBA front office can only pitch a Rebuild to a fan base for so long. Most passionate fans will eventually get tired of seeing a middling product on the court — there has to be ‘A Plan.’ Today, the language of The Rebuild abounds. Organizations are increasingly looking to the Thunder as a model that must be emulated in order to resurrect their franchises. Indeed, Oklahoma City’s ‘blue print’ is the prototypical example of a successful NBA rebuild.

Last year, the Thunder were a Pau Gasol offensive rebound away from forcing Game 7 against the Lakers. This year, at the trading deadline, Thunder GM Sam Presti added Kendrick Perkins to an already formidable, athletic front-court, presumably giving Oklahoma City the size to match up with any playoff contender. Hailed by many to be a case of Presti-fleecing-Ainge, the Perkins acquisition represents the culmination of a four year rebuilding process by the Thunder. After extending Perkins’ contract, the pieces are in place for several years of relevance.

While the media heaps praise upon the current iteration of the Team From Seattle, many more are paying close attention as to how Oklahoma City reached their current perennial-playoff-contender status. Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is certainly a fan of Presti’s work. What transactions are Leonsis and (hopefully) GM Ernie Grunfeld learning from? In short, Presti dealt Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis (back when he was good, sorry Rashard), and took on Kurt Thomas’s expiring contract, all in the name of stockpiling draft picks and maintaining salary cap flexibility for the future. The Thunder also got lucky in the draft: Oklahoma City has three top-5 players. The Wizards are no strangers to lottery luck, but a draft haul like Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka in two years might be tough. Notwithstanding the draft, I’d settle for a front office that recognizes value when it is presented to them.

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{photo: K. Weidie, TAI}

There were varied reactions to the airing of ESPN’s Fab Five documentary this past Sunday.  Some people (like myself) were young impressionable college students when Michigan’s Fab Five rose to fame, and were captivated by everything they did — whether it was good or bad.  Others (like a friend of mine who is a Duke fan) watched the documentary and were reminded of all the negative feelings they felt toward Michigan out of loyalty to their team.  And of course, I’m sure there were some who watched with relative indifference toward the Wolverines, and simply enjoyed the stories, interviews and old clips of exciting basketball.

There are current NBA players who were much too young to watch and experience the play of Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Juwan Howard and Ray Jackson.  They may know about the later pro careers of Rose and Webber, and they definitely know of them via ESPN, TNT and NBATV, but they have no recollection of their college days at Michigan.  They probably know Howard as a contributing bench player for the Miami Heat, but they don’t remember the goatee’d one running up and down the court in maize and blue. King and Jackson probably don’t even register on their radar screens.

So in the ten minutes I had in the Oklahoma City Thunder locker room prior to their drubbing of the Wizards Monday night, I asked Kevin Durant, Daequan Cook and Cole Aldrich about the documentary and the Fab Five in general.  All three players were under the age of five when the Fab Five was taking the NCAA by storm, and I was curious to hear their musings. Plus, the chemistry of the Thunder overall seems to be identical, if not very similar, to the chemistry of those 1991-1993 Michigan teams. I asked each of them three questions:

1. Did you see the documentary
2. What did you know about the Fab Five, and what were your impressions about them and their game, and did they influence you?
3. Do you see similarities between them and this Thunder team

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The Wizards were slaughtered by the Oklahoma City Thunder like lambs in the path of Zeus’ lightening bolts from Mount Olympus on Monday night. The rivers in the Verizon Center run red with the blood of losing. In addition to their 116-89 take down by the Thunder, Washington has lost their last two games by a combined 48 points. The statistics and numbers relating the common place of losing could go on; now the Wizards set their watching to those numbers.

Injuries, inefficiencies, youth, lack of heart and effort … the Verizon Center has become a dollar store for losing excuses. Or rather, reasons. But hey, the kids are in the pool. This is a good thing. Adult time and a dolt time is over with the forced hiatus of several injured veterans. There are still problem children, but without notables who enjoy night club potent potables, losing couldn’t be more comfortable. Not necessarily more comfortable for the fans and certainly not for the players and coaches, but for those who will endure.

The air about the team is all about getting this over with as fast as possible, which could be dangerous in the complacency of an apathetic mis-education and development. Seventeen games equating over a fifth of a season are left … gosh that’s a long time. If it continues to end horribly, upon whom will that reflect poorly?

In other news.

JaVale McGee did some very JaVale McGee things against the Thunder, just as he did versus the Clippers. A positive event came when he caught a down field pass from John Wall and forced the rock in the hole while brushing his head on the underside of the backboard. Let’s view.

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With the Washington Wizards, I could point to a ton of self-induced actions that don’t go right during the course of a game. It boils down to a team that’s lacking focus, fundamentals, and a commitment to each other.

One specific time period that highlights much of the Wizards’ woes came over a three-minute span in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City on Tuesday. From the start of the quarter, when the game was tied at 76, to around the 7:30 mark, the Wizards and Thunder traded baskets. A Gilbert Arenas three-pointer put the Wizards up 90-89 at the 7:43 mark.

Over the next 180 seconds or so, with breaks for two Flip Saunders timeouts, the Thunder went on an 11-2 run, effectively ending the game. Here’s how it happened.

{7:34 – 4th Q}

Eric Maynor splits Andray Blatche and Earl Boykins. Andray, you’re reaching instead of moving your feet to close the gap. Your feet were growing roots. Your argument is invalid.

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I think I’ve been in denial. And by using the work ‘think’, I’m probably in full-blown denial.

I keep thinking that the Wizards, with all of their talent and health (of the big three), will somehow turn the corner. That they’ll somehow get over their loser’s mentality.

It’s not going to happen. This team is emitting the perception that they are rotten to the core. If they play like they have no guts then they need to be gutted.

Then again …. maybe, juuuuust maybe …. I mean, look at the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Wizards are only 2.5 games out of eighth/seventh place and four games from sixth. Not exactly what the team was aiming for, but if they could get themselves together and sneak in as a low seed, who knows what could happen.

Who am I kidding? Again, that denial thing.

The playoff picture in the East is like a waitress from Hooters. Both look nice, but neither is likely to provide a fruitful return stemming from hot pursuit. It’s just a tease, an illusion of something better.

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{Randy}

“We can’t reserve ourselves on defense. We gotta reserve ourselves on offense and give 110% on defense.

{Gilbert}

“Right now we stink … and we’re showing it.

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I actually rewatched last Friday’s loss against the Thunder on Saturday morning … and then was left with the “treat” of the game against the Spurs that night. Lucky me. And no, I didn’t rewatch the Spurs game on Sunday. I’m not self-loathing.

But as this player-induced, media-fueled soap opera surrounding the Wizards continues — [And Dan Steinberg is right, the players should stop ripping each other in the media. However, the media (of which I am apart, I suppose ... since I was called a "reporter" in a Tweet by an actual reporter) is good at taking windowed instances and magnifying them into potentially meaning much more. Than again, these players have been around the media plenty of times, they know what they're doing.] — it’s not necessarily about egos, or free-agents, or hidden agendas.

It’s about a group of players taking the personal responsibility to do the little things, and then that coming together under the coaching of Flip Saunders and the leadership of the three captains: Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison (Brendan Haywood should really be counted as a leader as well). Yes, I know … seems like these things should have been handled in training camp and the preseason.

If this team wants to get out of the current funk, it starts with the little things. I was able to capture several screen shots from the Wizards not doing the little things against the Thunder, probably could have taken more against the Spurs, but I didn’t. So without further adieu, here’s a sample of those which I was able to break down.

Changing The Game

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From my perspective, the killer against OKC was missed free-throws (19-27, 70.4%) and turnovers (20 for 25 Thunder points) … in addition to uninspired defense of course, namely by the prominent triumvirate that’s supposed to be leading the team.

But enough of that. I’ll have some screen shot breakdowns of the OKC game later, but tonight, the Wizards have to concentrate on the Spurs. Fabricio Oberto will make a homecoming, but his fellow Argentine, Manu Ginobili won’t be available (groin). Tony Parker is also day-to-day (missed Thursday’s game with an ankle).

The Wizards will take all the help they can get, especially as it’s been almost 10 years since they last won a regular season game in San Antonio. During that last win in the Alamodome, Mitch Richmond led all scorers with 31 points. Overall, the Wiz have lost seven in a row to the Spurs, last beating them at home in November ’05 thanks to 43 points from Gilbert Arenas on 15-20 FGs.

No room for moral victories tonight, this team needs a win.

{6 frames, wizards v. thunder}

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The Wizards play the Thunder at 8 pm tonight in Oklahoma City. I’ll be Twittering and perhaps chatting a bit on ESPN’s Daily Dime.

We’ll see if the Wiz have the consistency, energy and focus it takes to win. Word out of Oklahoma is that the Thunder practiced their zone offense at shoot-around today.

Watch out for that Thabo Sefolosha cat. His on-ball defense is something to get excited about … when not playing the Wizards, obviously. It won’t be easy for Mike Miller or Caron Butler, whomever Thabo is guarding. That means … no dribbling around and trying to force things, Caron.

Brendan Haywood will also being going against his old buddy,  Etan ‘The Poet’ Thomas. Wizards Insider has more on the game’s matchup.

Finally, it’s Zero vs. Zero tonight, as my fellow ESPN TrueHoop Network blog, Daily Thunder, points out. Russell Westbrook vs. Gilbert Arenas … hopefully it will be fun to watch (and Gil’s not throwing up stink bombs from deep).

Keep scrolling for what you need to know …

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