Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards Free Agency: Pay no attention to Ernie Grunfeld behind the curtain

By Jen Julie Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Ernie Grunfeld, GM of the Washington Wizards, introduces the Washington Wizards new head coach Scott Brooks during a press conference on April 27, 2016 at Verizon Center 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Ernie Grunfeld, GM of the Washington Wizards, introduces the Washington Wizards new head coach Scott Brooks during a press conference on April 27, 2016 at Verizon Center 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 5: Marcin Gortat #13 and Markieff Morris #5 of the Washington Wizards reacts after giving up the lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on April 5, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 119-115. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 5: Marcin Gortat #13 and Markieff Morris #5 of the Washington Wizards reacts after giving up the lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on April 5, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 119-115. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Fourth-Quarter Losses

The fourth-quarter losses were something that occurred not only during the playoffs, but throughout the season.

During the regular season, the Wizards would go small in the fourth quarter, leaving Gortat on the bench. But those games were really lost in the first quarter.

Because Gortat was slow in the first, the rest of the team extended extra energy to play catchup throughout the game.

Why start slow and then go fast in the final quarter? The other teams weren’t tiring the Wizards out, the Wizards were tiring themselves out.

Washington ran out of gas and started making mental errors because of their tiredness.

Every NBA team knew to wait for the fourth, because the Wizards wouldn’t have the energy to close it out.

The Wizards never took the risk to not start Gortat in the first. Every single game this season, Gortat started. The pace is set in the first quarter.

Washington played from behind the entire season. Just once I thought, coach Scott Brooks would ‘play the players that were ready to play’. It never happened.

If Brooks isn’t willing to take risks with the rotation, then Gortat has to be traded.

From Grunfeld’s statement, I don’t believe Gortat will be returning next season.

Gortat definitely wasn’t the only reason for the Wizards lackluster season. But a change is needed, and has been needed for some time.

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