Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards: Coach Brooks, Wizards a “selfish team” right now

By Jen Julie Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Scott Brooks of the Washington Wizards gives instruction during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Capital One Arena on February 01, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Scott Brooks of the Washington Wizards gives instruction during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Capital One Arena on February 01, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball against the Atlanta Hawks on April 6, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball against the Atlanta Hawks on April 6, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Coach Brooks on why the Wizards lost

‘Not passing the ball to one another. No one wanted to share the ball tonight. And when you do that you end up taking bad shots and missing. Simple game – you pass to your teammate. You pass because the game tells you to.

If you don’t pass to your teammates you don’t end up getting good shots. One-one-players there’s not many in this league. And we don’t have one on our team.

Defensively, the same mistakes. We got beat backdoor. We got beat offensive rebounds. We don’t help the helper. When you don’t do that you hope that they miss.

When you hope that they miss you’re playing with fire. When we play at our best we make them miss.

When there’s that extra pass, it’s fun to coach, it’s fun to play, it’s fun to watch. Right now we’re not doing any of the above.

We haven’t passed the ball a lot in the last couple of weeks.

Our perimeter defense is porous and embarrassing. We’re getting beat by backdoors. But I got to do a better job going into the playoffs and figure out who’s not going to make many mistakes.

Regardless of what they think they should play, they’re not going to play. You gotta start guarding somebody. Start moving the basketball.

If you’re not going to do that I’ll find five guys. I don’t care how small we are or how big we are.

Selfish basketball is no fun to coach, it’s no fun to play with, and it’s no fun to watch. We’re a selfish basketball team right now. If we’re not going to share the basketball.

You can’t say John’s not here and all of a sudden you’re going to be one-one-players. John’s here or not here, it doesn’t matter we still got to play the right way.

The game tells you to pass to your open teammate. The game tells you to guard the ball. The game tells you to help your teammate.

We’re not doing that right now. It’s embarrassing.’

Game Notes

Maybe this is what the Wizards need to hear to light a fire underneath them.

Markieff Morris was ejected with 4:11 minutes left in the first quarter.

Bradley Beal is on par to play all 82 games of the regular season.

After the game, Chris Miller of NBCSports Washington said, that he doesn’t “think the [Wizards] can flip the switch and turn it on for the playoffs.”

The Wizards have two games left for the regular season. They have to decide which team they want to be for the playoffs. The one that can compete against the Cavs or get beat by the Hawks.

Washington will be in the playoffs, the only question is which Wizards’ team is going to show up.

The Wizards host the Celtics on Tuesday.

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