Washington Wizards Three Takeaways: Wizards get close, but are burned by the Heat

The Washington Wizards fell back to that old familiar dance, where they play from behind and then try to play catch up. Although, the Wizards were close to cooling down the Heat, they were burned, losing 91-88.

On Friday, the Washington Wizards completed their home-and-home set against the Miami Heat. After beating Miami on Wednesday, the Wizards were again able to hold their opponent to under 100 points. The bad news is the Heat did so as well, beating Washington 91-88.

Before the game, Wizards coach Scott Brooks said,

"I know that the Heat are going to come out and play with some urgency. Therefore, the Wizards have to play well again to beat them. Hassan Whiteside’s a handful, and they’ll have to try to keep him off the glass. While James Johnson is hard to guard."

Now that the Wizards have improved on the defensive end, Brooks explained what has changed– “we fired our defensive coordinator, me”.  All jokes aside, he said, that the Wizards are getting stops, and their transition defense has been the best all year.

Regarding Mike Scott not playing on Wednesday, and Jason Smith not playing the last couple of games, Brooks isn’t worried about “playing guys minutes, he’s worried about playing good minutes”. Both players ended up seeing the floor on Friday.

The Wizards let the game get away from them in the first half, but they came close to digging themselves out of the hole. This scene has played out before, at the beginning of last season, where Washington would play from behind. They would get a burst of energy to start the second half, but by then it would be too late.

Unfortunately, the Wizards didn’t come out with any sense of urgency. Here are the three takeaways.

Wizards started the game on empty

The Wizards were sluggish to start the game, and played as if they didn’t have any energy at all. Although, Markieff Morris knocked down their first two buckets, their pace was slow on both ends of the court.

Keef, who is still on a minutes restriction, ended the game with only 7 points, in just under 24 minutes of play. He was still able to grab 5 rebounds.

Their mental focus was also off on both ends of the court. The Wizards visibly appeared frustrated with themselves, and that frustration prevented them from getting any momentum or defensive stops to start the first half.

On the defensive end, the Wizards just weren’t clicking. Coach Brooks said, part of the reason is that after missing a shot, they would put their heads down, instead of running back on defense.

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they should’ve ran back and made the Heat sorry.

The Heat had 19 transition points in the first half, when they had zero transition points in the first half, in Wednesday’s game.

John Wall didn’t score his first bucket, until 5:25 left in the fourth quarter. Wall must still be given credit, because although he was scoreless for the first three-quarters, he was fearless with his first basket, knocking down a three.

Wall blamed the Wizards’ slow start upon himself. According to Wall, it was he who held the team back in the first half. After receiving two IVs for his cold before the Hawks game, he is still feeling the ill effects. Since there’s still fluid in his knee, the wintry weather caused his knee to swell up. Thus, he was unable to provide his normal uptempo pace, from which his teammates take their cue.

Perimeter defense is still a problem for the Wizards. Although, the Wizards were able to get 10 three-pointers, they were unable to stop the Heat from knocking down 10 of their own.

James Johnson off the Heat bench went 2-for-4 from three-point range. While Dion Waiters went 3-for-8.

The second quarter was just as sloppy as the first, with the Wizards only scoring 12 points, while giving up 24 to the Heat. Although, Miami had a 21-point lead to end the first half, 50-29, all was not lost.

Bradley Beal is an All-Star

Bradley Beal is playing great every night, so far this season. He was knocking down threes, driving the lanes, and grabbing rebounds. Beal was doing everything to will the Wizards to a win.

It was as if Beal was having an out-of-body experience from the three-point line. He knocked down five shots from deep, including one in the final three minutes of the game.

Beal led all scorers with 26 points. He was also a defensive juggernaut, pulling down 10 rebounds.

Beal’s inside game is on another level, where he’s just relentlessly attacking the paint. Either he was going to get the bucket or the foul, or both. Either way someone was paying when Beal was underneath the basket. He made three of his four free throws.

Wizards Wouldn’t Give Up

The Wizards made a run in the final quarter. Although Wall’s shots weren’t falling tonight, he was still a playmaker on the floor. He swung it to Jodie Meeks, who then let it fly for a three. He was fouled and made his free throw, to complete the 4-point play.

Meeks also got three shots at the line, after being fouled again on a 3-point attempt, and he sunk them all. The Wizards were now only down 72-68,

With 5:25 remaining in the game, Wall knocked down his three. Beal would also knock one down with 3:20 left. The score was now 86-80. On another possession, they got two chances, but both Otto Porter, Jr. and Kelly Oubre, Jr. missed their three-point attempts.

The Wizards wouldn’t give up, and Wall would again knock down a 3-ball with 1:10 remaining, giving them a chance at least to go into overtime. The Wizards were now down 86-83.

But waiting in the wings was Dion Waiters who nails a three. After an assist from Wall, Beal answers with his own three. It’s now 89-86.

Wall misses his three-point shot. Porter is fouled, and makes both his free throws, it’s now 89-88.

Wall fouls Johnson who makes only one of his free throws, its’ now 90-88. Instead of Beal attempting a three, he goes for a jumper which he misses. Beal fouls Justice Winslow, who only makes one of his free throws, and game over.

Beal debated on taking a three, but that’s not what cost Washington the game. He had an excellent game, and on to the next.

If the Wizards played the first half of the game with the same intensity, as they did the final quarter, they would be looking at their fifth straight win.

Goran Dragic was held to 6 points, but he had 5 assists. However, Hassan Whiteside was too much for Marcin Gortat.

Whiteside recorded a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Gortat also had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

James Johnson finished the game with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Coach Brooks said, that “they can’t let the game offensively change how they play”. The Wizards were able to get it together in the second half, only allowing the Heat two fastbreak points.

Jason Smith was a “spark” off the bench and provided the Wizards with energy. He ended the game with 5 points and 1 rebound. Although, Brooks felt like there were a couple of wide-open threes that he could have taken.

Porter finished with 12 points, 3 rebounds and was perfect from the free throw line, 4-for-4.

Wall, who ended the game with 8 points, 8 assists and 3 rebounds, is not sure yet if he’ll play their next game, depending on how he feels.

On Sunday, the Wizards travel to Toronto to take on the Raptors.