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| So far, going back to bigger has not made Washington Wizards better | So far, going back to bigger has not made Washington Wizards better |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| For the past three months, the Washington Wizards, mired in a loop of consistent inconsistency, have openly and regularly questioned their identity as a basketball team. | For the past three months, the Washington Wizards, mired in a loop of consistent inconsistency, have openly and regularly questioned their identity as a basketball team. |
| They entered the season focused on successfully transitioning to a new pace-and-space offense adopted to smash their second-round playoff glass ceiling. They broke up their starting front court of Marcin Gortat and Nene to do it, assuming their defense, ranked in the league’s top 10 the previous three seasons, would hold up. But the defense plunged, and Washington realized masquerading as a score-first team wouldn’t suffice as presently constituted. | They entered the season focused on successfully transitioning to a new pace-and-space offense adopted to smash their second-round playoff glass ceiling. They broke up their starting front court of Marcin Gortat and Nene to do it, assuming their defense, ranked in the league’s top 10 the previous three seasons, would hold up. But the defense plunged, and Washington realized masquerading as a score-first team wouldn’t suffice as presently constituted. |
| Now, with the Wizards at 20-23 and two games out of the playoff picture with 39 remaining, their defense remains porous, and they are adjusting to a significant lineup change. After starting a three-point threat at power forward for the first 40 games to create precious space on offense for point guard John Wall, the Wizards have reverted to the starting tandem of Nene and Gortat the past three contests. The shift has spurred a new wave of uncertainty on the heels of their second blowout loss in as many nights Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. | Now, with the Wizards at 20-23 and two games out of the playoff picture with 39 remaining, their defense remains porous, and they are adjusting to a significant lineup change. After starting a three-point threat at power forward for the first 40 games to create precious space on offense for point guard John Wall, the Wizards have reverted to the starting tandem of Nene and Gortat the past three contests. The shift has spurred a new wave of uncertainty on the heels of their second blowout loss in as many nights Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. |
| [Lowry outdoes Wall, and Raptors pound Wizards] | [Lowry outdoes Wall, and Raptors pound Wizards] |
| “I just think it’s just the changing of styles where we’re trying to find an identity right now,” said Wizards forward Jared Dudley, who started 26 games at power forward before Nene recently replaced him. “We’re trying to space. We’re trying two bigs. We just need to work on our consistency when it comes to that, and practice time will do that.” | “I just think it’s just the changing of styles where we’re trying to find an identity right now,” said Wizards forward Jared Dudley, who started 26 games at power forward before Nene recently replaced him. “We’re trying to space. We’re trying two bigs. We just need to work on our consistency when it comes to that, and practice time will do that.” |
| Practice time, however, is limited in the midst of a grueling NBA schedule, especially for a team that has spent most of the season without enough healthy bodies to conduct full sessions. The list of injured has included Nene, who has missed 23 games. So the Wizards, if they stick to the current starting combination, will have to figure it out on the fly. | Practice time, however, is limited in the midst of a grueling NBA schedule, especially for a team that has spent most of the season without enough healthy bodies to conduct full sessions. The list of injured has included Nene, who has missed 23 games. So the Wizards, if they stick to the current starting combination, will have to figure it out on the fly. |
| At least so far, Nene and Gortat have not played extensively despite starting together. Coach Randy Wittman has said he will modify his front-court lineup depending on matchups, and the duo have shared the floor for just 47 minutes since reuniting in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers last week, the game before they resumed starting together. | |
| On Tuesday, they played together only at the start of each half for a total of more than 12 minutes against Toronto’s front line of Jonas Valanciunas and Luis Scola. The rest of the minutes, garbage time excepted, alongside Nene or Gortat were logged by either Dudley or Drew Gooden III, two players with a green light to launch from three-point range. | On Tuesday, they played together only at the start of each half for a total of more than 12 minutes against Toronto’s front line of Jonas Valanciunas and Luis Scola. The rest of the minutes, garbage time excepted, alongside Nene or Gortat were logged by either Dudley or Drew Gooden III, two players with a green light to launch from three-point range. |
| But the returns on the small sample are not encouraging. With the two big men in the game at the same time, the Wizards have been outscored by 14 points and have accumulated a net rating of minus-18, scoring just 88.2 points and surrendering 106.2 points per 100 possessions. | But the returns on the small sample are not encouraging. With the two big men in the game at the same time, the Wizards have been outscored by 14 points and have accumulated a net rating of minus-18, scoring just 88.2 points and surrendering 106.2 points per 100 possessions. |
| “It’s totally different because the spacing’s just tighter,” Wall said. “It’s clogging up and forces me to kick it out, and I’ll make the right play when it’s the right play. We know the difference. We know when Dud’s out there, there’s more spacing because he’s able to shoot threes. When Nene’s in there, it’s a more physical, power game, kind of like we had last year.” | “It’s totally different because the spacing’s just tighter,” Wall said. “It’s clogging up and forces me to kick it out, and I’ll make the right play when it’s the right play. We know the difference. We know when Dud’s out there, there’s more spacing because he’s able to shoot threes. When Nene’s in there, it’s a more physical, power game, kind of like we had last year.” |
| The spacing differences were evident Tuesday. For the final 7 minutes 6 seconds of the second quarter, Wall was the best player on the court. With constant urging from Wittman, he utilized his blurring speed to relentlessly raid the paint. He collapsed the Raptors’ defense and dished to open teammates or forced referees to call shooting fouls after a couple no-calls. | The spacing differences were evident Tuesday. For the final 7 minutes 6 seconds of the second quarter, Wall was the best player on the court. With constant urging from Wittman, he utilized his blurring speed to relentlessly raid the paint. He collapsed the Raptors’ defense and dished to open teammates or forced referees to call shooting fouls after a couple no-calls. |
| Wall accounted for 15 of Washington’s final 19 first-half points and finished the quarter with 11 points and three assists as Washington swiftly sliced a 14-point second-quarter deficit to three at halftime. It was Wall at his finest, and the Wizards need Wall at his finest to win basketball games at this disappointing juncture. | Wall accounted for 15 of Washington’s final 19 first-half points and finished the quarter with 11 points and three assists as Washington swiftly sliced a 14-point second-quarter deficit to three at halftime. It was Wall at his finest, and the Wizards need Wall at his finest to win basketball games at this disappointing juncture. |
| And it all happened with Gooden at power forward. Wall recorded zero points on 0-for-2 shooting with three assists and a turnover in the game’s first 5:50, when Nene and Gortat were inside. | And it all happened with Gooden at power forward. Wall recorded zero points on 0-for-2 shooting with three assists and a turnover in the game’s first 5:50, when Nene and Gortat were inside. |
| “When this team is aggressive, we’re pretty good,” Wittman said. | “When this team is aggressive, we’re pretty good,” Wittman said. |
| The expected benefit of the bigger lineup is better rebounding. Yet Washington was outrebounded 14-11 with the duo on the floor, and the Wizards’ rebounding rate this season when they share real estate is 50 percent — narrowly better than what Washington has generated with front-court combinations of Dudley-Nene (47.5 percent) and Dudley-Gortat (47.4 percent). | The expected benefit of the bigger lineup is better rebounding. Yet Washington was outrebounded 14-11 with the duo on the floor, and the Wizards’ rebounding rate this season when they share real estate is 50 percent — narrowly better than what Washington has generated with front-court combinations of Dudley-Nene (47.5 percent) and Dudley-Gortat (47.4 percent). |
| [Wizards to revive Bullets name for one night against the Nuggets] | [Wizards to revive Bullets name for one night against the Nuggets] |
| Meanwhile, Washington went just 1 for 3 from three-point range and 2 for 2 from the free throw line in its 12 minutes vs. Toronto with Nene and Gortat. Both declined to talk to the media Tuesday. | Meanwhile, Washington went just 1 for 3 from three-point range and 2 for 2 from the free throw line in its 12 minutes vs. Toronto with Nene and Gortat. Both declined to talk to the media Tuesday. |
| Dudley insisted the Wizards can solve the problems, that they can improve spacing and reap the benefits of having two traditional big men on the court. The Wizards have done it before, he pointed out. They rode the configuration to consecutive playoff appearances and aren’t relying on it completely. It’s just a matter of “refreshing your mind.” But time is running out. | Dudley insisted the Wizards can solve the problems, that they can improve spacing and reap the benefits of having two traditional big men on the court. The Wizards have done it before, he pointed out. They rode the configuration to consecutive playoff appearances and aren’t relying on it completely. It’s just a matter of “refreshing your mind.” But time is running out. |
| “We have to figure out and figure it out fast,” Dudley said. “We have Denver coming in [Thursday]. No one’s feeling sorry for us. We just got to get right back after it. We just got to get a win. Anytime you get a win you feel better.” | “We have to figure out and figure it out fast,” Dudley said. “We have Denver coming in [Thursday]. No one’s feeling sorry for us. We just got to get right back after it. We just got to get a win. Anytime you get a win you feel better.” |