tlongII
03-23-2011, 10:30 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2011/03/growing_pains_continue_for_you.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/nba_impact/photo/9410964-large.jpg
Gerald Wallace's steal and dunk was among the plays that rankled Wizards coach Flip Saunders.
At one point during Washington’s 111-76 loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Wizards coach Flip Saunders took center JaVale McGee out of the game, and met him near the scorer’s table, greaseboard in hand.
Saunders then proceeded to draw something on the board to show his third-year center in an unusually-timed tutorial.
Such is life for the young, short-handed Wizards, who suffered a perfectly predictable rout. The Blazers, after all, are fighting for playoff positioning, while the Wizards (17-52) are simply finishing a season in which they lost for the 32nd time in 33 road games.
“We're in situation where, we do want to win games, but we also know that we've got to play our young guys to facilitate their process and their growth so we can be where we want to be in two or three years,” Saunders said.
It’s tough to win, however, starting three rookies, which the Wizards did Tuesday. And it’s tough to win while missing four injured players – Josh Howard, Andray Blatche, Rashard Lewis and Nick Young – who average a combined 53 points per game, as Washington was at the Rose Garden.
There were little snippets of athleticism Tuesday that showed promise for the Wizards. Rookie point guard John Wall – the No. 1 pick in last summer’s draft – several times raced downcourt while displaying the blazing speed that makes him so difficult to contain in a fastbreak.
And McGee, best known for his participation in last month’s NBA dunk contest, made an amazing block on Blazers guard Wesley Matthews that will surely be highlight reel material. In one motion, McGee blocked and gathered the ball from Matthews using one arm.
But on Portland’s ensuing possession, McGee tried to defend Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the post by fronting him, and Aldridge simply spun away and received a pass from Andre Miller for an alley-opp dunk.
It was part of the frontline abuse the Wizards endured as Aldridge, Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum outscored the Wizards’ starting frontline 72-24.
It wasn't just that the Blazers were better, but they played harder and smarter -- something the Wizards did in their last game, when they rallied from a 56-43 halftime deficit and beat New Jersey 98-92 Sunday.
"It’s like we forgot about what we did in the second half against New Jersey," Saunders said. "Granted, this is a lot better team than New Jersey, but still, that’s a formula for success. I’m disappointed we didn’t respond."
One play in particular rankled Saunders.
"Gerald Wallace got the ball at halfcourt, we got three guys back and we just let him dribble and get a dunk," Saunder said. "You gotta step in, take charges and do all those little things."
The Wizards could not afford to be sloppy with the ball, but they were, committing 27 turnovers that Portland turned into 33 points. Add to that the Blazers shooting 50 percent from the field to Washington 37.1, and the outcome was sealed.
“It was like we weren't even out there,” Wall said. “They had a dunkfest, block party, making threes, get whatever they want.”
The struggles and losses are part of the Wizards’ rebuilding effort, something the Blazers endured in 2005-06, when they finished a league-worst 21-61. Saunders, who took Minnesota and Detroit to conference finals, said he knows the growing pains he and his players have had to endure.
“They have good days, and they have bad days, and what you hope happens is the good is going to become more than the bad,” Saunders said.
Tuesday was definitely a bad day.
http://media.oregonlive.com/nba_impact/photo/9410964-large.jpg
Gerald Wallace's steal and dunk was among the plays that rankled Wizards coach Flip Saunders.
At one point during Washington’s 111-76 loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Wizards coach Flip Saunders took center JaVale McGee out of the game, and met him near the scorer’s table, greaseboard in hand.
Saunders then proceeded to draw something on the board to show his third-year center in an unusually-timed tutorial.
Such is life for the young, short-handed Wizards, who suffered a perfectly predictable rout. The Blazers, after all, are fighting for playoff positioning, while the Wizards (17-52) are simply finishing a season in which they lost for the 32nd time in 33 road games.
“We're in situation where, we do want to win games, but we also know that we've got to play our young guys to facilitate their process and their growth so we can be where we want to be in two or three years,” Saunders said.
It’s tough to win, however, starting three rookies, which the Wizards did Tuesday. And it’s tough to win while missing four injured players – Josh Howard, Andray Blatche, Rashard Lewis and Nick Young – who average a combined 53 points per game, as Washington was at the Rose Garden.
There were little snippets of athleticism Tuesday that showed promise for the Wizards. Rookie point guard John Wall – the No. 1 pick in last summer’s draft – several times raced downcourt while displaying the blazing speed that makes him so difficult to contain in a fastbreak.
And McGee, best known for his participation in last month’s NBA dunk contest, made an amazing block on Blazers guard Wesley Matthews that will surely be highlight reel material. In one motion, McGee blocked and gathered the ball from Matthews using one arm.
But on Portland’s ensuing possession, McGee tried to defend Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the post by fronting him, and Aldridge simply spun away and received a pass from Andre Miller for an alley-opp dunk.
It was part of the frontline abuse the Wizards endured as Aldridge, Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum outscored the Wizards’ starting frontline 72-24.
It wasn't just that the Blazers were better, but they played harder and smarter -- something the Wizards did in their last game, when they rallied from a 56-43 halftime deficit and beat New Jersey 98-92 Sunday.
"It’s like we forgot about what we did in the second half against New Jersey," Saunders said. "Granted, this is a lot better team than New Jersey, but still, that’s a formula for success. I’m disappointed we didn’t respond."
One play in particular rankled Saunders.
"Gerald Wallace got the ball at halfcourt, we got three guys back and we just let him dribble and get a dunk," Saunder said. "You gotta step in, take charges and do all those little things."
The Wizards could not afford to be sloppy with the ball, but they were, committing 27 turnovers that Portland turned into 33 points. Add to that the Blazers shooting 50 percent from the field to Washington 37.1, and the outcome was sealed.
“It was like we weren't even out there,” Wall said. “They had a dunkfest, block party, making threes, get whatever they want.”
The struggles and losses are part of the Wizards’ rebuilding effort, something the Blazers endured in 2005-06, when they finished a league-worst 21-61. Saunders, who took Minnesota and Detroit to conference finals, said he knows the growing pains he and his players have had to endure.
“They have good days, and they have bad days, and what you hope happens is the good is going to become more than the bad,” Saunders said.
Tuesday was definitely a bad day.