[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. 53, Washington Wizards vs Denver Nuggets; contributors: Adam McGinis and Kyle Weidie from the Verizon Center and Rashad Mobley from behind the television screen.]
The Washington Wizards bounced back from two poor losses to Detroit and Toronto with a 119-113 victory over the playoff-bound Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Is there something about this team playing up to quality opponents? Before the Reaction, Coach Randy Wittman attempts to explain:
M.V.P.
Scoring distribution. Seven different Wizards scored in double figures, and no one scored more than 17 points. Sometimes there was too much offense, at least for Washington’s taste. At half the score was tied at 64, and the Wizards were getting out-paced in fastbreak points, 12-0. Randy Wittman said that during the break, they only talked about defense. To start the third, Washington forced Denver into two missed 3s and two turnovers on the first four possessions, something Wittman gave much credit to after the game. Denver didn’t score until the 6:39 mark of the period and, in total, the Wizards out-scored them 30-14 in the third before holding on just long enough in the fourth to get the win.
[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. 52, Washington Wizards vs Toronto Raptors; contributors: John Converse Townsend and Kyle Weidie from the Verizon Center and Conor Dirks from the ATL.]
The Last of Jordan Crawford?
As previously described at the onset of the game, it was pretty much like that with Jordan Crawford for the entire game. He wrapped a towel over his head, he slouched at 45-degree angles, and at the end of the night, he threw his jersey into the crowd. One lucky lady caught it. Skuttlebutt said that some guy offered her $200 for it, but he didn’t have the money on him. Thanks to John Townsend, who coaxed her over for a phone pic so all the Internets could witness, this might be the last you ever see of a Jordan Crawford jersey in D.C.
Jordan Crawford is obviously in some sort of doghouse, perhaps even an outhouse. He obviously has a name that has come up in trade rumors. He is obviously frustrated, recently tweeting out his December 2012 stats:
[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. 51, Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons; contributors: Conor Dirks, Sean Fagan, and Kyle Weidie from behind the television screen.]
[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. 50, Washington Wizards at Milwaukee Bucks; contributors: Sean Fagan, Adam McGinnis and Kyle Weidie from behind the television screen.]
Real Deal Beal
[Bradley Beal shot chart vs Bucks, via NBA.com/stats]
[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. 49, Washington Wizards vs. Brooklyn Nets; contributors: Dan Diamond and John Converse Townsend from the Verizon Center, with Sean Fagan from B-R-DOUBLE OH!-K-L-Y-N.]
[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. 47, Washington Wizards vs Los Angeles Clippers; contributors: Kyle Weidie and Adam McGinnis from the Verizon Center, Conor Dirks from the road.]
Why not start with…
Chris Paul vs. the Wizards Girls?
The Wizards beat the Clippers, 98-90, on Monday night. This is your reaction…
Closing Time.
The proverbial set-up: ‘So Randy, how about those Clippers and injuries…?’ (L.A. played without Chris Paul, knee bruise, and Blake Griffin, hamstring strain.)
M.V.P.
Where would the Wizards be without Martell Webster? That was the first question I asked myself after the game. Washington made seven of their 12 measured 3-point attempts. Well, mostly measured. Jordan Crawford chucked up an ill-advised 3 with 7:18 left in the second quarter that got him benched for the rest of the game, but that’s another story. Webster was the star of this night with a team-high 21 points on 5-for-6 from deep. It was his fourth 20-point game of the season, and to that he added five rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers. The Wizards have long been desperate for shooters. And they knew Webster could shoot, but did they expect this?
[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.
