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After facing the best, Washington Wizards must be ready for the worst After facing the best, Washington Wizards must be ready for the worst
(about 4 hours later)
When Don Newman walked into the Washington Wizards’ locker room and addressed the team following their 134-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, he did not lament the defeat, one that dropped Washington to five games under .500 for the first time this season. He did not criticize the team’s defensive performance, which had yielded a season high in points, an impressive feat considering it was the 31st time in 47 games they had surrendered more than 100.When Don Newman walked into the Washington Wizards’ locker room and addressed the team following their 134-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, he did not lament the defeat, one that dropped Washington to five games under .500 for the first time this season. He did not criticize the team’s defensive performance, which had yielded a season high in points, an impressive feat considering it was the 31st time in 47 games they had surrendered more than 100.
[Warriors, behind Curry’s 51 points, run past the Wizards][Warriors, behind Curry’s 51 points, run past the Wizards]
Newman, filling in for Coach Randy Wittman for the second straight game, praised the team’s effort against the NBA’s defending champions and its current destroyers. If the Wizards sustain the intensity and effort the rest of the season, they’ll be fine. It was, Newman said, all a coach can ask for against a team that, at 45-4, has matched the best start in NBA history. Newman, filling in for Coach Randy Wittman for the second straight game, praised the team’s effort against the NBA’s defending champions. If the Wizards sustain the intensity and effort the rest of the season, they’ll be fine. It was, Newman said, all a coach can ask for against a team that, at 45-4, has matched the best start in NBA history.
[Brewer: Warriors are the greatest show in sports][Brewer: Warriors are the greatest show in sports]
A few minutes later Wizards guard Bradley Beal was asked if he also was pleased with the team’s effort despite the loss. He shook his head immediately. A few minutes later, Wizards guard Bradley Beal was asked if he also was pleased with the team’s effort despite the loss. He shook his head immediately.
“Man, don’t even say that anymore,” Beal said. “I know what you mean, but I hate losing. But we did play hard. If we play like that every game, we should be able to beat everybody we play. But we just can’t show up to play Golden State. We have to be able to carry this out throughout the rest of the year. It’s do or die now.”“Man, don’t even say that anymore,” Beal said. “I know what you mean, but I hate losing. But we did play hard. If we play like that every game, we should be able to beat everybody we play. But we just can’t show up to play Golden State. We have to be able to carry this out throughout the rest of the year. It’s do or die now.”
At this juncture, good efforts are not of any value for the Wizards if they don’t produce victories. With 35 games remaining on the docket, Washington is 21-26, 3.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings and two back in the loss column. Time is running out to secure their third straight postseason berth. At this juncture, good efforts are not of any value for the Wizards if they don’t produce victories. With 35 games remaining, Washington is 21-26, 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings and two back in the loss column. Time is running out to secure their third straight postseason berth.
“We’re not a fan of moral victories,” Wizards guard Garrett Temple said. “We’re in the business of winning, winning games. At the end of the day, do you take positives and learn lessons? Yeah. But there’s no such thing as a moral victory in my book.”“We’re not a fan of moral victories,” Wizards guard Garrett Temple said. “We’re in the business of winning, winning games. At the end of the day, do you take positives and learn lessons? Yeah. But there’s no such thing as a moral victory in my book.”
[Wizards’ woes, Warriors’ rise are putting a dagger in hopes for Durant][Wizards’ woes, Warriors’ rise are putting a dagger in hopes for Durant]
Friday’s challenge will come in a different form. The Wizards, who will have Wittman return to the sideline after a two-game leave, won’t have to figure out how to solve the Warriors. They’ll have to figure out how to avoid a demoralizing letdown. Friday’s challenge will come in a different form. The Wizards, who will have Wittman return to the sideline after a two-game absence, won’t have to figure out how to solve the Warriors. They’ll have to figure out how to avoid a demoralizing letdown.
The signs are obvious. Washington will go from playing the best team in the world Wednesday — two days after playing another top contender, the Oklahoma City Thunder, — to facing the Philadelphia 76ers, the team with the league’s worst record, 48 hours later.The signs are obvious. Washington will go from playing the best team in the world Wednesday — two days after playing another top contender, the Oklahoma City Thunder, — to facing the Philadelphia 76ers, the team with the league’s worst record, 48 hours later.
The game will not be on national television. The buzz at Verizon Center will be nowhere near the electric environment generated Wednesday. Then there’s the Wizards’ puzzling home trouble: They are just 10-16 at home this season, with losses against subpar teams exacerbating the disappointment. The game will not be on national television. The buzz at Verizon Center will be nowhere near the electric environment generated Wednesday. Then there’s the Wizards’ puzzling home trouble: They are just 10-16 at home, with losses against subpar teams exacerbating the disappointment.
The 76ers lost 30 of 31 games to start the season but have improved recently following the addition of point guard Ish Smith, who spent the preseason with the Wizards, and nearly stunned the Warriors last Saturday in a three-point defeat. But they are still just 7-42 and coming off a 38-point home loss to the Atlanta Hawks.The 76ers lost 30 of 31 games to start the season but have improved recently following the addition of point guard Ish Smith, who spent the preseason with the Wizards, and nearly stunned the Warriors last Saturday in a three-point defeat. But they are still just 7-42 and coming off a 38-point home loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
“It’s always human nature,” Temple said. “When you play so hard and compete against a high level and then you play a team that hasn’t played as well during the regular season, that’s how sports are. The letdown game. We have to come out with the same competitive edge we had against Golden State. The same energy and try to get a win at home.”“It’s always human nature,” Temple said. “When you play so hard and compete against a high level and then you play a team that hasn’t played as well during the regular season, that’s how sports are. The letdown game. We have to come out with the same competitive edge we had against Golden State. The same energy and try to get a win at home.”
John Wall broached the topic immediately after Wednesday’s loss, Temple said. Wall emphasized the team must muster the competitive spirit every night, starting on the defensive end with himself.John Wall broached the topic immediately after Wednesday’s loss, Temple said. Wall emphasized the team must muster the competitive spirit every night, starting on the defensive end with himself.
[Wall, with 41 points and 10 assists, lived up to his end in battle vs. Curry][Wall, with 41 points and 10 assists, lived up to his end in battle vs. Curry]
“We played with a lot of energy. We competed,” Wall said. “I think we understood that we knew we were on ESPN, and if we didn’t play well we would lose by 50 or 60. So it’s something we talked about. We have to take the way we played tonight and do that the rest of the season whoever we play. [If we do] we’ll give ourselves a lot of chances to win games.”“We played with a lot of energy. We competed,” Wall said. “I think we understood that we knew we were on ESPN, and if we didn’t play well we would lose by 50 or 60. So it’s something we talked about. We have to take the way we played tonight and do that the rest of the season whoever we play. [If we do] we’ll give ourselves a lot of chances to win games.”
The first opportunity comes Friday against the 76ers. It will be the first of four meetings between the teams. The pressure will be on the Wizards to win all four and plenty more.The first opportunity comes Friday against the 76ers. It will be the first of four meetings between the teams. The pressure will be on the Wizards to win all four and plenty more.
“We felt pressure when we were three games under .500 or at .500,” Temple said. “It’s almost the all-star break. It’s been time to turn it around. There’s definitely a sense of urgency that we need to get this turned around before it’s too late.”“We felt pressure when we were three games under .500 or at .500,” Temple said. “It’s almost the all-star break. It’s been time to turn it around. There’s definitely a sense of urgency that we need to get this turned around before it’s too late.”
Wizards notes: Wittman will rejoin the team Friday after missing two games following the death of his older brother on Saturday. Rick Wittman’s funeral was Thursday in Indiana. . . .Wizards notes: Wittman will rejoin the team Friday after missing two games following the death of his older brother on Saturday. Rick Wittman’s funeral was Thursday in Indiana. . . .
The Brooklyn Nets have requested permission from the Wizards to speak to Tommy Sheppard, Washington’s assistant general manager, about their general manager vacancy, according to the New York Post. The Brooklyn Nets have requested permission from the Wizards to speak to Tommy Sheppard, Washington’s senior vice president of basketball operations, about their general manager vacancy, according to the New York Post.