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Heading into their playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, reporters asked Wizards head coach
Scott Brooks about how his team planned on combating the Sixers’ size. “It’s not how big you are. It’s how your heart ticks,” Brooks said. With the Wizards down, 2-0, in the best-of-seven series, Brooks’ response has left the team with more questions than answers. Washington may realize that they do not have the requisite heart or size to compete with a Sixers team that finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Let’s put last night’s game aside for a moment. It’s the kind of thing to be expected in a No. 1 v. No. 8 seed matchup.
The prevalent sentiment on Twitter and in my infernal text messages was that the Wizards are being held back by That Moron Scott Brooks who’s too stupid to play (depending on who’s complaining) Chandler Hutchison, Garrison Mathews, Anthony Gill or Isaac Bonga. One guy tweeted at us that Brooks should employ the never-fail strategy of “something else.”
Hmm.
To be clear, I’m in favor of replacing Brooks (I hear Someone Else is GREAT). But when I watched the season and these playoffs games, what I continue to see is a deficient roster. As I wrote last weekend:
2020-21, WAS 32
The negative from Chicago this season was small sample size theater he played just 64 minutes with the Bulls this year. The sample with the Wizards is also just 282 minutes. Unfortunately, the large sample of his entire career is dismal a PPA of just 40.
What does Hutchison do well? Rebounds (career 10.1 per 100 team possessions), and.well that’s about it. His three-point percentage looked decent this season, but on tiny volume (8-22, 36.4%). With one fewer make, his percentage would have been basically at his career percentage (which is
also on puny volume just 110 career attempts).
He’s decidedly not a playmaker. His turnovers are elevated considering how little he touches the ball. He’s about average in generating steals and his blocks are below average somewhat surprising for someone with his length and athleticism.
Wizards searching for toughness ahead of Game 2 against 76ers Follow Us
Question of the Day
Now that we know the military is investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UFOs), what do you think they might be?
Question of the Day
Scott Brooks said he wants the Wizards to be tough.
But as Washington prepares for Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, toughness doesn’t just mean imposing a physical presence. The Wizards were hands on in Sunday’s 125-118 loss but overly so. They fouled Philadelphia 24 times, resulting in 33 free-throw attempts.
When Brooks brings up toughness, he means responding at the right time. Getting to the right spot. Challenging tendencies. In other words and he didn’t say this outright be a nuisance.