[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. 77, Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics; contributors: Rashad Mobley, Adam Rubin and Kyle Weidie via television sets.]

“I do not recall the dates in question, your honor.” —Crawfish

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. 3, Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics; contributors: Rashad Mobley, the return of Arish Narayen, and Kyle Weidie.]

Moral Victory or Encouraging Loss? Randy Wittman and Friends, Nov. 7, 2012 Read more »

Here to provide the DC Council Opening Statements (formerly “Need to Know Basis”) for Washington’s third game of the season in Boston are TAI’s Rashad Mobley (@rashad20) and guest Jeff Clark (@celticsblog), who writes about the Celtics at the SB Nation blog CelticsBlog, along with an additional game prediction from Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It).

Wizards Starters (0-2):

A.J. Price, Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza, Trevor Booker, and Emeka Okafor

Celtics Starters (1-2):

Read more »

Bradley Beal on his stuggles after the Wizards home opener against the Celtics:

Since he was officially announced as a member of the Washington Wizards, Bradley Beal has been compared to Ray Allen, James Harden, Dwyane Wade, and, as of last Saturday, Jeff Malone. He was not brought in as a savior, but as a complement to John Wall and Nene, and maybe even an upgrade over Jordan Crawford and the dearly departed Nick Young. And when Beal was announced as the starting shooting guard in the Wizards’ season debut last week, he was the second-youngest shooting guard to ever hold that distinction (Kevin Durant did it first).

Unfortunately for Beal, his performances in the first two games of the season haven’t reminded anyone of Ray Allen, The Beard, D-Wade, Jeff Malone, or even Quinton Ross for that matter. Beal has shot 2-for-13 and scored just 10 points over two contests. In crunch time against the Celtics on Saturday, Coach Randy Wittman felt more comfortable with A.J. Price and Jannero Pargo in the back court. Price commented that it seemed like Beal was the “first guy [other teams] talk about in the scouting report.” Based on Doc Rivers’ comments in the pre-game presser, that is 100 percent correct:

“Beal’s good, a solid, fundamental basketball player, and a great shooter. He reminds of a Jeff Malone, a thin Jeff Malone, except he can put the ball on the floor a little more, but he’s a terrific rebounder for his size.”

Beal has gotten words of encouragement from Trevor Ariza, who told him “it may not be your year this year, but you have to stay the course,” from Emeka Okafor, who told him to keep an “even keel,” and from Randy Wittman, who asked him to focus on other facets of his game like defense and rebounding. But Beal may also want to seek solace from two more unlikely sources: Jared Sullinger and Doc Rivers.

Read more »

Jordan Crawford, pre-game steez. Photo: K. Weidie

Bradley Beal, Wizards home opener program – photo: K. Weidie

“I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you how other people’s mindsets are, but I know that you have to have confidence in yourself. You know, 80 percent of this game is confidence.”

Read more »

The pre-game post before the second game of the 2012-13 season, Washington Wizards home opener against the Boston Celtics on Saturday,  November 3, 2012.

Here to tell you what you need to know and give a prediction is Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It, guest Ryan DeGama, who writes about the Celtics at the TrueHoop blog Celtics Hub, and surprise bonus predictor, TAI’s John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend).

Wizards Starters (0-1):

A.J. Price, Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza, Trevor Booker, Emeka Okafor

Read more »

[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. Click here for cumulative DC Council 3-star ratings over the course of the season. Game 48 contributors: Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20),  John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend), and Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It).]

Score

Read more »

Below is my rapid reaction to last night’s loss against the Celtics that also appeared on ESPN.com’s NBA Daily Dime run-down, followed by two additional sections posted just to TAI. But first, a John Wall lob to Jan Vesely GIF…

Wizards 76 at Celtics 88.

MVP: Rajon Rondo treated the Wizards like orange cones from the tip, his 11 assists certainly the reason why Boston had 24 total assists on 34 field goals. Per usual, Rondo turned a blind eye toward offense for most of the night, until less than six minutes left in the game and Washington hanging around within 11 points. A couple of teardrops did the trick, sending the Wizards home drying their eyes from a 4-0 season sweep at the hands of the Celtics.

Read more »

Why not start with a Vince Carter dunk and a Shaq reaction?

When people think back to NBA All-Stars battling on the Verizon Center hardwood in Washington, D.C. in 2001, they call it a great game. That’s slightly inaccurate. It was a great finish that came down to the very last possession and a missed attempt by Tim Duncan. But large chunks of the rest of the game were a sloppy mess, the two teams combined for 40 turnovers. Still, none of this is to take away from the great show put by Stephon Marbury, Kobe Bryant and MVP Allen Iverson, 15 fourth quarter points, 25 for the game. The East came back from being down 21 points to win 111-100, the stars trading big buckets and making Washington fans forget about how they got there.

The evening also featured homecomings of all sorts. Both Chris Webber and Rasheed Wallace, former Bullets big men, returned to Washington as All-Stars. Iverson, of course, returned to the place he called his “second home, his home away from home” after the game. And David Robinson, from nearby Manasas, Virginia, was making his final All-Star appearance.

The East had young-and-gunning guards and wings to complete — Iverson making his second All-Star appearance, along with Tracy McGracy (1st), Vince Carter (2nd), Allan Houston (2nd) Ray Allen (2nd), Glenn Robinson (2nd), Jerry Stackhouse (2nd) and Stephon Marbury (1st). Unfortunately, this crew didn’t know how to pass to each other in the game’s early going. Turnovers, often from trying to pass too much — with three courtesy of Iverson very early — resulted in the West jumping out to an 11-0 lead that was pushed to 30-17 at the end of one quarter.

Read more »

[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 16 contributors: John Converse Townsend and Kyle Weidie with first-hand coverage, and Rashad Mobley watching from afar.]

Score

Read more »