Wizards woes
Such was the state of turmoil within the Washington Wizards that only 14,499 fans bothered to show up at the Capital One Arena last night. It wasn’t simply that they had lost their last two contests, and, up against the surging Los Angeles Clippers, looked ready to claim their 12th in 17 since the start of the season. It was why: Their last practice session had players barking at each other and head coach Scott Brooks, a reflection of the disarray that had hitherto marked their gross underachievement.
Indeed, the Wizards had been so plagued by listless play that the competition could not help but count on a triumph even before the opening tip. And, for a while there, they seemed to want to prove all and sundry right; they faced a whopping 24-point deficit with 6:01 left in the second quarter. To their credit, though, they kept plugging away and finally proved able to cut it to single digits shortly before the end of the third.
Significantly, the Wizards were even better in the payoff period, scoring 39 while limiting the Clippers to 23 en route to an emphatic victory. Needless to say, they stepped up their level of engagement in a show of force that underscored their potential. To be sure, it likewise put to the fore their inability — or, as the case may be, unwillingness to compete with consistency. They possess the talent to take the measure of the league’s best, and yet time and again succumb to seeming ennui.
Before the 2018-19 campaign began, the Wizards were tagged among the beasts of the East. With erstwhile conference king LeBron James gone and the race to the top bursting open as a result, they figured to crowd other contenders for the opportunity to make the Finals. Instead, they began their campaign with disappointment. Heading into yesterday’s homestand, they had earned the dubious distinction of compiling losing streaks of five and two games (thrice), with the last breaking a short skein of prosperity.
Only the Wizards know how the rest of the season will fare. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that they still have 65 matches to negotiate. And if they know what’s good for them, they would do well to build on their strong comeback yesterday. Otherwise, it will wind up to be nothing but a forgettable reprieve.
Only the Washington Wizards know how the rest of the season will fare. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that they still have 65 matches to negotiate. And if they know what’s good for them, they would do well to build on their strong comeback yesterday. Otherwise, it will wind up to be nothing but a forgettable reprieve.