2018-2019 Washington Wizards Season Thread - FREEDOM!

Methodical Management · Oct 11, 2018

[h1]Washington Wizards 2018-2019[/h1]

[h2]Regular Season Record 11-18[/h2]
October

Date	Opponent	Time
10/18/18	Miami	8:00 PM
10/22/18	@ Portland	10:00 PM
10/26/18	@ Sacramento	10:30 PM
10/30/18	@ Memphis	8:00 PM

[TD1] L 113-112 [/TD1] [TR1][TD]10/20/18[/TD][TD]Toronto[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1] L 117-113 [/TD1][/TR1] [TD1] W 125-124 [/TD1] [TR1][TD]10/24/18[/TD][TD]@ Golden State[/TD][TD]10:30 PM[/TD][TD1] L 122-144 [/TD1][/TR1] [TD1] L 112-116 [/TD1] [TR1][TD]10/28/18[/TD][TD]@ L.A. Clippers[/TD][TD]9:30 PM[/TD][TD1] L 104-136 [/TD1][/TR1] [TD1] L 95-107 [/TD1]

November

Date	Opponent	Time
11/2/18	Oklahoma City	8:00 PM
11/6/18	@ Dallas	8:30 PM
11/10/18	@ Miami	7:00 PM

[TD1] L 134-111 [/TD1]
[TR1][TD]11/4/18[/TD][TD]New York[/TD][TD]6:00 PM[/TD][TD1] W 95-108 [/TD1][/TR1]
[TD1] L 100-119 [/TD1]
[TR1][TD]11/9/18[/TD][TD]@ Orlando[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1] L 108-117 [/TD1][/TR1]
[TD1][/TD1] [TD1] W 116-110 [/TD1] [TR1][TD]11/12/18[/TD][TD]Orlando[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 109-117[/TD1][/TR1]
[TR][TD]11/14/18[/TD][TD]Cleveland[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 95-119[/TD1][/TR]
[TR1][TD]11/16/18[/TD][TD]Brooklyn[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]L 115-104[/TD1][/TR1]
[TR][TD]11/18/18[/TD][TD]Portland[/TD][TD]6:00 PM[/TD][TD1]L 119-109[/TD1][/TR]
[TR1][TD]11/20/18[/TD][TD]L.A. Clippers[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 118-125[/TD1][/TR1]
[TR][TD]11/23/18[/TD][TD]@ Toronto[/TD][TD]7:30 PM[/TD][TD1]L 107-125[/TD1][/TR]
[TR1][TD]11/24/18[/TD][TD]New Orleans[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 114-124[/TD1][/TR1] [TR1][/TR1]
[TR][TD]11/26/18[/TD][TD]Houston[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 131-135[/TD1][/TR]
[TR1][TD]11/28/18[/TD][TD]@ New Orleans[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]L 104-125[/TD1][/TR1]
[TR][TD]11/30/18[/TD][TD]@ Philadelphia[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]L 98-123[/TD1][/TR]

December

Date	Opponent	Time
12/1/18	Brooklyn	7:00 PM
12/5/18	@ Atlanta	7:30 PM
12/10/18	@ Indiana	7:00 PM
12/14/18	@ Brooklyn	7:30 PM
12/18/18	@ Atlanta	7:30 PM
12/22/18	Phoenix	7:00 PM
12/26/18	@ Detroit	7:00 PM
12/29/18	Charlotte	7:00 PM

[TD1]W 102-88[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/3/18[/TD][TD]@ New York[/TD][TD]7:30 PM[/TD][TD1]W 110-107[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]W 131-117[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/8/18[/TD][TD]@ Cleveland[/TD][TD]7:30 PM[/TD][TD1]L 101-116[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]L 101-109[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/12/18[/TD][TD]Boston[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]L 125-130[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]L 118-125[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/16/18[/TD][TD]L.A. Lakers[/TD][TD]6:00 PM[/TD][TD1]W 110-128[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/19/18[/TD][TD]@ Houston[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/23/18[/TD][TD]@ Indiana[/TD][TD]5:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]12/28/18[/TD][TD]Chicago[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TD][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1]

January

Date	Opponent	Time
1/2/19	Atlanta	7:00 PM
1/6/19	@ Oklahoma City	7:00 PM
1/9/19	Philadelphia	7:00 PM
1/13/19	Toronto	1:00 PM
1/21/19	@ Detroit	2:00 PM
1/25/19	@ Orlando	7:00 PM
1/29/19	@ Cleveland	7:00 PM

[TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/4/19[/TD][TD]@ Miami[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/8/19[/TD][TD]@ Philadelphia[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/11/19[/TD][TD]Milwaukee[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/17/19[/TD][TD]@ New York[/TD][TD]3:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/24/19[/TD][TD]Golden State[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/27/19[/TD][TD]@ San Antonio[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]1/30/19[/TD][TD]Indiana[/TD][TD]8:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1]

February

Date	Opponent	Time
2/2/19	Milwaukee	7:00 PM
2/6/19	@ Milwaukee	8:00 PM
2/9/19	@ Chicago	8:00 PM
2/13/19	@ Toronto	7:30 PM
2/23/19	Indiana	7:00 PM

[TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]2/4/19[/TD][TD]Atlanta[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]2/8/19[/TD][TD]Cleveland[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]2/11/19[/TD][TD]@ Detroit[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]2/22/19[/TD][TD]@ Charlotte[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]2/27/19[/TD][TD]@ Brooklyn[/TD][TD]7:30 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1]

March

Date	Opponent	Time
3/1/19	@ Boston	8:00 PM
3/6/19	Dallas	7:00 PM
3/9/19	@ Minnesota	8:00 PM
3/13/19	Orlando	7:00 PM
3/16/19	Memphis	7:00 PM
3/20/19	@ Chicago	8:00 PM
3/23/19	Miami	7:00 PM
3/27/19	@ Phoenix	10:00 PM
3/31/19	Denver	8:00 PM

[TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/3/19[/TD][TD]Minnesota[/TD][TD]6:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/8/19[/TD][TD]@ Charlotte[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/11/19[/TD][TD]Sacramento[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/15/19[/TD][TD]Charlotte[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/18/19[/TD][TD]Utah[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/21/19[/TD][TD]Denver[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/26/19[/TD][TD]@ L.A. Lakers[/TD][TD]10:30 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]3/29/19[/TD][TD]@ Utah[/TD][TD]9:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1]

April

Date	Opponent	Time	Result
4/3/19	Chicago	7:00 PM
4/7/19	@ New York	7:30 PM

[TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]4/5/19[/TD][TD]San Antonio[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1] [TD1]TBD[/TD1] [TR1][TD]4/9/19[/TD][TD]Boston[/TD][TD]7:00 PM[/TD][TD1]TBD[/TD1][/TR1]

[h1]Don't Call It A Comeback[/h1]

"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive." - C.S. Lewis

On the heels of a disappointing, injury-plagued 43 win season resulting in an eighth place finish in their conference and swift first round playoff exit, the Washington Wizards now seek a return to form. (Which, in the context of recent history, would be a 48 win season resulting in a fourth place finish and a second round playoff exit.)

Ernie Grunfeld, who recently moved down a rung on the list of Washington's most shameful and undeserved lifetime appointments, sought to address the team's most glaring flaws: poor health, inconsistent play, and a lack of maturity. So he brought in Dwight Howard.

Once considered the game's premiere big man, Howard now joins his fifth team in the last four years - if you include the Brooklyn Nets, who promptly bought out Howard after acquiring him from a Charlotte Hornets team so eager to exile him that they took back an additional $14 million in future salary obligations. Howard has yet to play for the Wizards due to a sore piriformis muscle. (Literal butt-hurt, in lay terms.)

In the short run, the team's presumptive starting center spot will revert to perennial disappointment Ian Mahinmi. Mahinmi will replace Marcin Gortat, who left the team this past summer in fulfillment of the Wizards' desire to trade him for literally any other player. In return, the Wizards received Austin Rivers, in fulfillment of the Clippers' desire to trade him for literally any other player.

Rivers joins a revamped bench alongside rookie forward Troy Brown, Jr., veteran underachiever Jeff Green, Kelly Oubre, Jr., Tomas Satoransky, professional seat-filler Jason Smith, Jodie Meeks, journeyman LaVoy Allen, and a loose assortment of minimum salary dregs, the exact combination of which will remain unknown until the final roster is set on October 15th.

Rarely lacking in confidence, John Wall and company consider themselves legitimate contenders in a wide open Eastern Conference leveled by the abdication of "King James." Time will tell the truth - and time has been no ally of the Washington Wizards.

Methodical Management · Oct 11, 2018

For the culture:

Sonny Corinthos · Oct 11, 2018

Beal put in some work on that handle in the offseason finally, he looked good off the bounce against NY

joe cool23 · Oct 11, 2018

You think Ernie’s even dialed Thibs number just out of curiosity?

Because listen, if we have to part with Otto for a possible 1 year rental of Butler...to quote acclaimed documentarian, Kobe Bean Bryant, “Ship his *** out.”

Methodical Management · Oct 11, 2018

joe cool23 said:
You think Ernie’s even dialed Thibs number just out of curiosity?

Because listen, if we have to part with Otto for a possible 1 year rental of Butler...to quote acclaimed documentarian, Kobe Bean Bryant, “Ship his *** out.”

Considering the history of both players, I have severe doubts regarding the viability of a John Wall / Jimmy Butler partnership. That said, if the Wizards get off to a slow start, as is entirely possible given the five game October road trip, I don’t think anything would be considered off the table. Ernie will kick the can down the road again to buy himself another secret contract extension.

I’m just glad he can no longer pocket dial Ryan McDonough.

Methodical Management · Oct 15, 2018

It looks like Ernie's throwing away yet another draft pick to bury a previous mistake: https://www.bulletsforever.com/2018/10/15/17980522/wizards-bucks-trade-jodie-meeks

Sonny Corinthos · Oct 15, 2018

evil Ernie

broncos19dm · Oct 16, 2018

I always get my hopes up every season just to get let down. Hope we can make something happen.

frshstunna · Oct 17, 2018

Got the Wiz at a 5th/6th seed..they'll make it to the 2nd round this season

Sonny Corinthos · Oct 17, 2018

frshstunna said:
Got the Wiz at a 5th/6th seed..they'll make it to the 2nd round this season

We going to the NBA finals this season If Howard and Thomas Bryant come back

アミーゴ · Oct 17, 2018

Will be there Saturday vs Raptors with @suberzat1

xxpizzo · Oct 17, 2018

i just wanna let yall know this my fav team to play with in 2k this season lol

INTLplayers · Oct 18, 2018

let's get this first win tonight guys. no reason for us to drop the opener with the Heat coming off a back to back.

joe cool23 · Oct 18, 2018

Oh boy.

-All throughout the second half, I kept saying to myself, "Whew..they need Dwight Howard (huh?)"
-John with the going for mine 3. :smh:

Otto Porter Jr. is talking about the criticism of his lack of aggression. He’s growing defensive.

He keeps his arms crossed and though he still blames the chill of the practice facility, his body language suggests he may be agitated. His voice deepens and Porter finally fires back his strategy for this season.

“When I get the ball, if it’s deep — Klay Thompson. Shoot that sh --," Porter says.

3-7

EDIT: 0 threes attempted

broncos19dm · Oct 18, 2018

Gahhhhh frustrating

Methodical Management · Oct 19, 2018

A few obvious takeaways from game 1:

Forget the lobs, rim protection, and any other reason we’re supposed to be excited about Dwight Howard. We need him healthy for one reason, and one reason alone: to keep Jason Smith off the floor.
We need to stop force feeding Markieff Morris in the post. What is the purpose of this? Take away his 2/3 shooting from deep and Morris went 1/5 from two. He had three turnovers. He’s not drawing double teams or creating open looks for anyone else, like Otto Porter, who, as joe cool23 pointed out, didn’t attempt a single three, despite his vaunted efficiency from long range. This leads me to:
Brooks can’t design a functional halfcourt offense for the modern NBA. For all the lip service paid to analytics, ball movement, and increased three point attempts, this team relied heavily on iso ball. Last season, they shot 26.5 three pointers a game. Tonight, they shot 26. Nothing has changed. Stagnant, selfish offense arguably cost the Wizards a win against a middling opponent that played, and lost, to Orlando last night.
The defense is still terrible. The team’s perimeter defenders should be treated for gambling addiction.

After dropping this one, we’d be lucky to finish October 3-4 with Toronto coming in Saturday leading into a five game west coast road trip.

Not an auspicious beginning.

broncos19dm · Oct 19, 2018

Hit it on nail Meth. It's unreal how stagnant and stale we've been overall these past few seasons.

extraordinary swag · Oct 19, 2018

Markieff....Morris :sick:

Game shouldn't have even been close given the Heat's injuries but the Wizards kept them in the game because we can't defend without fouling, Mahinmi should be ashamed of his effort tonight, nonstop stupid fouls. Nice to see Otto Porter even with everyone in foul trouble still not being aggressive, if Jeff Green is giving efforts like this all year Otto can kick rocks

frshstunna · Oct 19, 2018

Wiz already in peak form :lol

...all they had to do was box out damn Olynk

AgentZero · Oct 23, 2018

Great game last night! Didn't plan on staying up to watch it, but it was an exciting finish (Wall almost blew it though) so I did.

After being destroyed on the glass while Dwight's out and with Mahinmi and Smith in constant foul trouble, why has Scott Brooks not turned to Thomas Bryant? For a coach known for developing young talent, he and Brown haven't touched the floor yet. Starting to think Brooks' one redeeming quality was merely a product of being fortunate to coach a young KD, Jeff Green, Westbrook, and Harden, not due to his developmental abilities.

Methodical Management · Oct 23, 2018

It took an injury to Mahinmi and some heroic performances by Oubre and Morris to finally get on the board with an overtime win, which is troubling in its own right, but it was an exciting finish and I'll gladly take the W.

Here are a few interesting stats on just how bad Washington's fared up front thus far this season:

Rebounding through the first three games:
MIA: 55 WAS: 40
TOR: 52 WAS: 37
POR: 70 WAS: 54

Ian Mahinmi has committed 10 fouls in 32 minutes this season.
Jason Smith's average +/- through three games is -7.3.

Washington has a payroll of $131,670,101.
Of that, $21,450,000 will be paid to two unplayable centers.

I'd love to see the net points in the paint over those first three games, too.

The entire point of playing these sluggish bigs is to provide rebounding and rim protection. We're getting killed on the boards, it's way too easy for opposing teams to score inside. What little success Washington has had thus season has come from small lineups. Mahinmi and Smith are situational subs at best.

AgentZero said:
Great game last night! Didn't plan on staying up to watch it, but it was an exciting finish (Wall almost blew it though) so I did.

After being destroyed on the glass while Dwight's out and with Mahinmi and Smith in constant foul trouble, why has Scott Brooks not turned to Thomas Bryant? For a coach known for developing young talent, he and Brown haven't touched the floor yet. Starting to think Brooks' one redeeming quality was merely a product of being fortunate to coach a young KD, Jeff Green, Westbrook, and Harden, not due to his developmental abilities.

Agreed on all points. Thomas Bryant couldn't possibly do any worse out there than Jason Smith. The next time we need size out there, it's worth a try. The rest of the time, the Wizards should take a look at playing Morris at center with Oubre and Porter in the forward spots.

I think we can safely say that Scott Brooks was a time slot hit in OKC. Washington is for NBA coaches what South Florida is to New York retirees: their last stop.

joe cool23 · Oct 27, 2018

Welp, look at the time!

extraordinary swag · Oct 27, 2018

I think Austin Rivers is who they’re hinting at and both Wall and Beal think Otto shouldn’t be starting over Oubre at this point. Otto is giving them nothing in any facet this season

Who woulda imagined they’d have chaos in the locker room before Dwight even played a minute. This franchise is a joke

Methodical Management · Oct 27, 2018

extraordinary swag said:
I think Austin Rivers is who they’re hinting at and both Wall and Beal think Otto shouldn’t be starting over Oubre at this point. Otto is giving them nothing in any facet this season

Who woulda imagined they’d have chaos in the locker room before Dwight even played a minute. This franchise is a joke