[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 46, Washington Wizards at San Antonio Spurs; contributors: Rashad Mobley and John Converse Townsend from D.C.]

A Texas-Sized Beatdown.

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 45, Washington Wizards at Memphis Grizzlies; contributors: Rashad Mobley, Adam Rubin and Kyle Weidie from the comfort of their own homes.]

Spare Me. With 1:37 left and the Wizards down 80-72, Memphis having just gotten an offensive rebound, Comcast went black. Only poor audio was available. What we heard: John Wall missing a close layup and Tayshaun Prince making a subsequent jumper to put the Grizzlies up 10, the first time the margin reached double-digits all game. But no, Buckhantz didn’t say “backbreaker”—he knew it was already over. The broadcast returned as Martell Webster hit a layup with a minute left to bring the Wizards within eight, and then the Wizards cut it to six with 34 seconds left. But that’s all they had.

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Final: Memphis 85, Washington 76, whereas the Wizards scored just 10 second quarter points, Randy Wittman put on a sour face, and Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) has your reaction… 

That game was…

….even more depressing than the Wizards-Sixers game.

For the second consecutive game, the Wizards offense looked completed neutered. After scoring 30 points on 61.9-percent shooting in the first quarter, the Wizards shot 21-percent in the second quarter and scored just 10 points. There wasn’t one player Washington could rely on for a basket. John Wall, even before he sprained his left shoulder, could neither run the offense effectively, nor break down Mike Conley off the dribble and cause havoc in the lane. Either Bradley Beal is the true MVP of the Wiz, or Randy Wittman is losing his team.

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 44, Washington Wizards at Philadelphia 76ers; contributors: Conor Dirks, Sean Fagan and Rashad Mobley from the comfort of their own homes.]

Skittles … ’cause losing tastes like ass

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Sixers 92 over Wizards 84—two bummer losses in a row. Ain’t that right, Jordan Crawford? This is your reaction…

That game was…

…a defensive tug-o’-war on top of an offensive turd.

It was good of the Wizards to hang around in the end and make things interesting (or for the Sixers to let them). Resiliency and all of that. But, several factors: Read more »

[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 41, Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves; contributors: Adam McGinnis and John Converse Townsend from the Verizon Center.]

No place like home? If you say so, lady. The Kings have more wins at home (12) than the Wiz have on the season (11). The Wizards haven’t beat the Kings in D.C. since their 136-133 OT win in 2010.

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Rapid reactions from TAI’s Adam McGinnis and John Converse Townsend, who saw the Washington Wizards fall to 11-32 after Kings PG Isaiah Thomas swished a last-second floater to win, 96-94.

MVP

Do you wanna know who Emeka Okafor is playing better than right now?  The Lakers’ Dwight Howard. Ironic, huh? No way that anyone ever imagined reigniting the “No. 1″ debate from 2004, but Okafor’s outstanding play and Howard’s struggles in Los Angeles, but here we are. Okafor dominated Sacramento in the first quarter with 14 points and four rebounds. His midrange jumper was flowing and he was getting to the free throw line (six attempts, a team-high). He finished with a game- and season-high 23 points, plus 15 rebounds. Okafor’s presence was felt on the defensive end, and he helped limit the Kings to just seven offensive boards. Okafor probably deserved more touches in crunch time. I cannot believe that I just typed that. Read more »

[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 42, Washington Wizards vs Chicago Bulls in D.C.; contributors: Rashad Mobley and Adam McGinnis from behind the television screen.]

F–k Yeah, Kirk Hinrich! via @JZickar Read more »

[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 41, Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves; contributors: Rashad Mobley and John Converse Townsend from the Verizon Center, with Kyle Weidie from behind the television screen.]

Bradley … Read more »

When Washington began the 2012-13 season by cratering to a franchise record in futility, the main focus of fan fury was thrust upon Team President Ernie Grunfeld and Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s CEO Ted Leonsis. Grunfeld’s litany of basketball management mistakes are well documented (see the 2009 and 2011 Wiz drafts for further reference), and his continued presence in the organization has left some analysts scratching their heads—and calling for change. Only Andray Blatche is slightly more unpopular than Grunfeld amongst Wizards faithful.

The goodwill and patience Leonsis earned when he took control of team in spring of 2010 has gradually subsided. His shifting plans to rebuild the Wizards appear to be marketing speak that are void of concrete results. Questions continue to swirl around his ability to build a winning basketball foundation.

Blunders of his stewardship include unnecessarily extending Blatche’s contract, believing that a core of JaVale McGee, Nick Young and Blatche would produce wins, taking on Nene’s hefty contract despite an injury-prone past, allowing Nene to play in the Olympics with a bum foot, and squandering salary cap flexibility by acquiring the large deals of two declining players—Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor—instead of just buying-out Rashard Lewis. In the eyes of the Wizards fan base, the most egregious decisions were renewing the contract of the maligned Grunfeld and his alleged passing up on trading for James Harden.

Leonsis’ reported role in pushing for both NBA and NHL work stoppages only fuel negative perceptions. The constant rosy blogging alongside the Wizards’ incompetent play just agitates his customers and makes you wonder what he is trying to accomplish with such an unsavory approach. His mocking tone makes him look out of touch to what is happening around him. His latest offering is to brag about the team being 5-5 over their last 10 games and how awesome this is because only six teams in the Eastern Conference have accomplished such a feat. As you might note, the Wizards have yet to reach double digits in wins on January 25th and the owner’s  “bad by design” has now morphed into describing the wonders of aspiring to mediocrity.

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