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NBA Draft 2013 scouting report: Alex Len

2013-05-09T15:56:14Z

Team: Maryland

Class: Sophomore

Position: Center

Expected draft position: Top 10

Year	GP	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%
2012-13	38	11.9	7.0	1.0	0.2	2.1	53.4%	12.5%	68.6%

College career: The arrival of Olexiy "Alex" Len at the University of Maryland campus was a bit unusual, in that it came without the months or even years that fans, thanks to the coverage dedicated to college basketball recruiting, typically have to become acquainted with a school's top recruits. When Len signed with the Terps at the end of August 2011, a couple months before his freshman season was set to start, he was already well-known among international scouts, who had been projecting Len as a future NBA lottery pick since seeing him flash rare athleticism for a 7-footer during the 2010 Under-18 European Championships. But he was still an enigma to fans, who knew nothing about him other than he was big (7'1"), Ukrainian and, given the pro hype, the key to replacing their departed star center, Jordan Williams.

Len's college career got off to an inauspicious start when the NCAA suspended him from the first 10 games of his freshman season over concerns that he violated amateurism rules by playing for a professional club team in Ukraine. Once Len got on the floor, his play didn't exactly live up to the hype. While he flashed moments of dominance, they came between lengthy periods of listless, near-invisible play. Some of his struggles were attributed to the difficulty of learning a new language while also adapting to a different culture and brand of basketball, not to mention a college course load, all while dealing with the expectation of being a future lottery pick. Still, Len's potential as a versatile offensive center and elite rim protector was obvious, and he entered his sophomore season still projected as a high pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Whether Len lived up to the hype as a sophomore probably depends on which games you saw him play.

Whether Len lived up to the hype as a sophomore probably depends on which games you saw him play. He opened the season with a dominant showing against Nerlens Noel, the top recruit in the nation, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a loss to Kentucky. The performance immediately generated reports of NBA scouts stating that Len had an outside shot of being the top pick in 2013 draft. Unfortunately for Len, his first game of the season might have also have been his best, as the inconsistency from his freshman year carried over to 2012, though his streaks of inspired play were more frequent and lasting. He had a game-winning tip in against N.C. State, two strong efforts against Duke and Mason Plumlee towards of the end of the season, and another huge game against Alabama in the third-round of the NIT, but fans saw Len at his best against Noel, and he never quite measured up to that standard again.

Questions abounded whether Len's inconsistency was due to a general lack of toughness and killer drive, or the guards he was playing with at Maryland, who seemed incapable of feeding him the ball down low despite his ability to establish decent position. It didn't help Len's cause when news broke last week that he had been diagnosed immediately after the season with a partial stress fracture in his ankle, and that he had undergone surgery that would keep him out 4-6 months, meaning he'll miss pre-draft workouts, summer league and preseason games, and maybe even the first part of the regular season. In addition to the health concerns that come with leg injuries to any young big man, the universal expectation was that Len would have shined in individual workouts with teams running up to the draft, perhaps putting to rest some of the remaining concerns scouts have with his game. On the other hand, it was reported during the second-half of the Terps' season that Len was playing with a sprained ankle; if he was in fact playing with the stress fracture, that might go a long way to explaining why he was so inconsistent down the stretch.

Offense: Len in some ways violates the stereotype surrounding European big men, namely that they're jump shooters and can't play down low. If Len has a bright future in the NBA, it will be because of his post game, which is still developing, but shows clear potential. He has soft hands and great touch around the basket. Right now he's much better at facing up to the basket, using his quickness to get by defenders and his length to finish at the rim. Even after adding a lot of weight between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Len doesn't currently have the strength to effectively bang and bruise down low, but he has wide shoulders and the frame needed to bulk up further. When Len did post up in college, he showcased quick feet, but his footwork was wildly inconsistent. There were times when his low post moves couldn't look smoother, and others when he'd look uncoordinated and off-balance, like a kid still getting used to a recent growth spurt. Len does pass well out of the post, when he remains calm and doesn't get flustered by double- or triple-teams, which happens more often than you'd like. Len rarely looks to take over a game, preferring to play within the offense (an asset Randy Wittman would love) and take his shots as they come. But this unselfishness also worked to his detriment, as there were often times when the Terps needed Len to be more aggressive offensively, leading scouts to question whether he's too passive for the NBA.

As for Len's jump shot, it's NBA-ready from midrange. He's got very good mechanics on his jumper, and projects as an above-average shooter for an NBA center, one who could flourish in the pick-the-roll alongside the right point guard (John Wall?). Len also improved as a free throw shooter while at Maryland (59% as a freshman, 69% as a sophomore) and should be above average for an NBA big man given his solid form.

Defense: For his size, Len is a decent shot blocker and rebounder. At this stage, he's not what you would call dominant at either. He averaged 2.1 blocks per game as a freshman, leading the ACC in blocks-per-40 minutes, but he averaged the same amount again as a sophomore despite playing five more minutes per game. Len also averaged 7.8 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game in 2012, which is good, but not great. Still, at 7'1" and with his length, Len will be able to protect the rim from the moment he steps on an NBA court. On the perimeter, Len's quick feet serve him well defending the pick-and-roll, as he's able to step out and hedge screens while maintaining the ability to get back and guard his man.

A disciplined defender who generally stayed out of foul trouble, averaging 2.7 fouls per game as a sophomore, Len relies on bodying up in the post, moving his feet and forcing opponents to shoot over him. He doesn't have the strength to consistently keep from getting posted up, and opponents are consistently able to establish deep post position against him. It didn't matter as much in college, where most of the players Len guarded didn't have the length to shoot over him, but that won't be the case in the pros, and he'll need to learn that the key to defending down low is to do your work early.

At his ceiling, Len projects as a center that can shut down an opponent's best post scorer, protect the rim, and score at will.

Pro potential/Wizards fit: Questionably listed at 255 pounds, Len has the frame to put on the weight he'll need to survive down low in the NBA. At 7'1", he boasts as much potential as any player in the 2013 NBA Draft, and is generally considered its second-best center prospect behind Noel. At his ceiling, Len projects as a center that can shut down an opponent's best post scorer, protect the rim, and score at will, either in the post, where his quickness and length will make him a matchup nightmare, or in the pick-and-roll, whether it's popping out for a jump shot or rolling to the rim for alley oops. Len also runs the floor very well for a player his size, which combined with his potential as a pick-and-roll partner makes him a perfect fit schematically alongside Wall.

Len often appears calm and collected on the court, perhaps to a fault, as his toughness and passion for the game are often among the main questions raised about him. His passivity was well-publicized during his freshman season, when he struggled to adapt to a new way of life in the United States. By his sophomore season, Len had mastered English and appeared far more comfortable with his teammates and reporters in the locker room. His on-court demeanor didn't change much, but he frequently flashed some fire, pumping his fists and shouting into the crowd on occasions when he or one of his teammates made a big play. As for his toughness, Len doesn't really seek out contact on either end of the floor, but he doesn't back down from it either. He also rarely looks to the officials for help on the offensive end, where's he undoubtedly a finesse player, more interested in using his quickness and length to score rather than banging down low.

For what it's worth, in his latest mock draft ESPN's Chad Ford has the Wizards taking Len at No. 8 overall, citing his enormous upside and Washington's need for a long-term solution in the post. Whether the Wizards actually consider selecting Len will depend on if they're willing to take a chance on a potential cornerstone, or if they'd rather go with a safer selection that can instantly contribute to a team with its sights set on making the playoffs.

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We reached out to SB Nation's Maryland Terrapins blog, Testudo Times, for help in breaking down Len's pro potential, and contributors Pete Volk and Dave Tucker were kind enough to offer their analysis:

Volk:

Alex Len will need at least a year before he can play in the NBA. If the Wizards, or whoever ends up with him, are smart, that will be in the D-League, but we've seen early picks thrust too early into the league before.

Any time you watched a Maryland basketball game this season, whichever new announcing team was in town would spend half the game commenting on how bad Len looked. "This is the guy everyone wants to take in the lottery? Him?" They weren't wrong, in a sense - Len had really an awful sophomore year with Maryland, and has MUCH work to do before he's even a passable basketball player.

The potential is undoubtedly there, and with it it's easy to understand why teams want him. He's tall, has great length, is a plus shooter, and his defensive awareness is growing steadily. His biggest problem remains on the offensive side of the ball - he has NO idea what to do with himself in the post - but that can be taught (and weight can be put on). The comparisons to Nowitzki and Gasol will likely be endless, but that's pretty lazy. Instead, in a perfect world, I see him closer to Amare Stoudemire, with less inside explosiveness. Len is incredibly athletic, and can dunk with the best of them, and has that great outside shot to back him up. All he needs to work on is his game in the post - once he's got that, the rest is golden.

Tucker:

At 7' 1", Len definitely has size and potential, which is why he's viewed as a top 10 pick by most. When you look at the transformation he made at Maryland between last year and this year, it was a night and day improvement. He's definitely shown the ability to get better when he's give the chance to work on his game. Case in point - his mid-range jumper, a shot that seemingly didn't exist his freshman year, became a regular part of his scoring arsenal this season. If he's given time and the proper coaching, Len has the potential to be a great center in the NBA, including on the defensive side of the ball.

This season at Maryland, Len led the ACC in blocks with 78. He was also a force on the glass, grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game. His mid-range jumper was a nice addition for him, allowing him to shot over a defender if he was unable to get to the rim. However, one of his biggest struggles this season was putting the ball on the floor too often when he was around the basket. As the season progressed, he began to simply put up a shot or slam it home rather than trying to dribble it once or twice first. However, he still struggled at times, especially when he was double teamed in the paint. He was often times unable to find the open player in those situations and would put up an ill-advised shot or turn the ball over. But again, that was something he continued to improve on throughout the season.

In terms of how he'll fit in with the Wizards, I think fans need to look at Len as a bit of a project, especially given the stress fracture in his ankle that he recently had surgery to correct. Len was arguably someone who could have benefited from spending time in the D-League this summer, but will now be unable to do anything basketball related for the next six months as he recovers. As a result, if the Wizards selected Len, I don't think you'd see him make much of an impact during the 2013-2014 season. How he fits on the team after that depends on what Washington does with some of the current players on their roster. Ideally, you'd like to slowly work Len into your rotation. He has the potential to be a very skilled center who can back down defenders, make mid-range jumpers, grab rebounds and protect the basket on defense. But Len's ankle should raise a red flag in that many big men who suffer foot injuries often times struggle upon their return.

2012-13 Washington Wizards player evaluation: Jan Vesely

2013-05-06T22:32:12Z

Our player evaluations for the 2012-13 season continue today with a look at the curious case of Jan Vesely.

Basic stats: 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game, 30.8 percent from the foul line, 48 true shooting percentage, 11.3 rebound percentage.

Contract status: The Wizards picked up the 2013-14 options for Vesely and a slew of other players still on their rookie contracts back in October. Vesely is set to make about $3.34 million next season, his third in the NBA. If the team picks up his fourth-year option, Vesely will earn about $4.24 million in 2014-15.

Preseason expectations: It's hard to set the bar much lower than Vesely did in his rookie year, when as the sixth-overall pick he averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds for a team that went 20-46 in a lockout-shortened season. Still, Vesely displayed flashes over the last 10 games of the 2011-12 season, averaging 8.1 points and 8.1 rebounds, and his potential fit as a fast-break and pick-and-roll partner for franchise cornerstone John Wall was never in question. Vesely also appeared to display an improved jump shot before going down with a leg injury during the 2012 Las Vegas Summer League. Expectations for Vesely were pretty low heading into the 2012-13 season given his lackluster rookie campaign and general disdain from fans wishing another selection had been made at No. 6, but suffice to say Vesely was expected to at least show improvement in his sophomore campaign.

Offense: It's hard to draw any conclusions from Vesely's stats given how little and sporadically he played this season (with 601 total minutes on the year, no player who spent the entire season with the Wizards played less), but for what it's worth, the team was almost four points better offensively with Vesely on the court. In fact, the Wizards' offensive rating when Vesely was on the court ranked third on the team, behind only Wall and Nene. Now, there are a few potential explanations for this, and none of them are that Vesely is a passable offensive player. Either it's a statistical anomaly due to a small sample size, or a function of the offense playing better as a whole because their worst offensive player never took a shot unless it was a dunk or putback attempt (we'll call this the Anti-Kevin Seraphin Effect).

For the second straight season, other than passing the ball from the top of key and setting screens that mostly led to nothing except for the rare alley-oop, Vesely really didn't contribute anything on the offensive side of the ball. He wasn't a threat anywhere on the floor; teams didn't even bother guarding him away from the basket, and he has no post game to speak of. Vesely wasn't even much of a factor in transition, as only 15.9 percent of his points came on the fast break. It didn't help him that Wall, who seems to be the only player capable of getting Vesely scoring chances, missed the first 33 games of the season. I suppose you could say Vesely was adequate on the offensive glass -- his 8.4 offensive rebound percentage was third on the team behind Trevor Booker and Emeka Okafor -- but you'd like that to be a bigger part of his game given his athleticism and limitations everywhere else on offense.

Oh, and he made less than 31 percent of his free throws, which, and I cannot emphasize this enough, is not a typo.

Defense: Vesely's athleticism makes him a versatile and, at times, disruptive defender, capable of guarding multiple positions and switching out on perimeter players in the pick-and-roll, but he's a weak post defender who gives up position too easily and tries to make up for it later by fouling, which resulted in him recording 6.4 fouls per 36 minutes, by far the highest rate of any player who spent the entire season with the Wizards. One of several running jokes during the first couple months of the Wizards' season was that Vesely had recorded more fouls than points or rebounds. He ended up with 126 points, 122 rebounds and 107 fouls on the season, which somehow isn't any less depressing. Vesely's lack of strength also makes him a poor defensive rebounder, as evidenced by a 15.1 defensive rebound percentage last season, lowest among Washington's big men.

The net result was that the Wizards were more than four points worse defensively with Vesely on the court, and the team's 104.2 defensive rating with Vesely in the lineup was second-worst on the team to Booker. Whether that's again an anomaly, the point stands that Vesely did little to help his team on the defensive end.

Did he meet, exceed or fall short of expectations? This is a bit relative, considering that most of the fanbase had already written him off before his sophomore season even began, but it's safe to say that regardless of how low you set them in the preseason, Vesely fell well short of expectations.

Overall: I might be the lone remaining person on the planet still holding out some hope that Vesely could one day turn into a useful NBA player, but this past season certainly didn't do anything to reinforce my faith in him. Other than jumping, the only useful skill Vesely has shown on the offensive end of the floor is his instincts, specifically passing the ball. It's rare that he actually finds himself in a position to flash them, so these instincts don't lead to many assists, but in instances where Vesely actually handles the ball, he has shown a knack for finding small passing lanes and creativity in getting the ball through them. It's these isolated plays that Vesely makes when he doesn't have time to "think" out on the court that gives me hope.

But first Vesely will have to get his head right, as a crushing lack of confidence is the only explanation for a professional basketball player with passable shooting form sporting a 31-percent free through percentage. Even Randy Wittman acknowledged that Vesely "needs to work on his head first" before focusing on other aspects of his game this offseason. To that end, it appears Vesely will most likely skip the 2013 Vegas summer league and play in EuroBasket 2013 for the Czech Republic. Hopefully playing back home, where Vesely remains popular, will help get him back to the player the Wizards (and other talent evaluators) were so high on entering the 2011 NBA Draft.

If Vesely continues to get stronger in the offseason and improves his jumper to the point where he can at least knock down wide-open midrange shots, he could move himself ahead of Booker and Chris Singleton in the Wizards' hierarchy of young big men. But if not, and if Vesely doesn't show more consistently the defensive disruption and rebounding that he flashed at times his rookie season, it wouldn't surprise anyone if the team either looks to trade him at midseason next year or simply chooses to not pick up his fourth-year-option.

Wizards Wrap: Wrapping up another manic season

2013-04-19T21:41:38Z

On a day when most of us are probably distracted by things way more important than basketball, if you feel the need for a diversion, feel free to comb through this weeks's Wrap, in which we'll try to put a nice, tidy bow on another manic, disappointing Wizards season:

Lots of goodies in these "end of season" stories. [Washington Post (Optimism, offseason outlook) | Washington Examiner (Report card, offseason ?s, Wittman's passion) | AP | CBS DC | Wiz of Awes | Wizards Extreme]
Several Wizards intimated in their exit interviews with the media that they'd rather the team not use its first-round draft pick and acquire a veteran instead. This would make Mike sad.
By the way, the Wiz have the eighth-best odds of winning the lottery after losing a coin flip to the Pistons today.
Still, don't expect to hear about Wall pleading with any veterans to come join the Wiz. [CSN Washington]
Here's some links to audio of said exit interviews. [District Sports Page]
And more on Wall's exit interview. [Truth About It]
If you haven't read James Herbert's profile of Wall, do it. Now. [SB Nation]
What were the Wizards' top 10 moments this season? [Wizards Insider]
Jason Reid pretty much nails it with this column about John Wall and how whether he deserves a max contract and whether he will get one are two different things. [Washington Post]
Wait a minute, do doctors expect Bradley Beal to grow another few inches? Because that would be amazing. [CSN Washington]
As expected, Wall and Beal dominate this video-list of the Wizards' top 10 plays of the season. Can you guys think of any plays that got snubbed? [NBA.com]
With Wall and Beal in tow, the Wizards appear to be as well-positioned as any team in this year's lottery to have a rebound season next year. [E$PN Insider]
Randy Wittman has been rightly praised for holding the team together through a horrific start to the season, but his tear ducts might deserve a share of the credit. [CSN Washington]
Sounds like Ted is on board with Wall's plans to keep both he and Martell Webster around. [CSN Washington]
BNIE asked the eternal question: Is there anything that could get Ernie Grunfeld fired?
We all knew Nene was hurting this season, but not so much that he actually contemplated retirement. Yikes. [CSN Washington]
The word 'Watergate' means one thing to 99.99999% of the United States. It means something else to the Wizards, even though they play about two miles from the real thing. [Truth About It]
Trevor Ariza came on strong for the Wiz towards the middle of the season, but battles injuries down the stretch and is focused on coming back healthy next season. [CSN Washington]
Beal says he wants a stretch four for next season. Which draft prospects fit that mold? [CBS DC]
Here's a draft profile of Cody Zeller, who will likely be available whenever the Wizards pick in the first round. [Wiz of Awes]
Not only was Marcus Smart's decision to return for his sophomore season probably a bad move financially, but it could also affect which prospects are available when the Wizards pick. [Washington Examiner]
If you like math, you'll enjoy this suggestion for how to revamp the NBA's draft lottery system. [Truth About It]
Rasheed Wallace has retired, which means that somehow Juwan Howard, who has to be pushing 80, is the last remaining ex-Bullet in the NBA. [CSN Washington]
Eddie Jordan-to-Rutgers is a done deal. [AP]
OK, so the DC Sports Bog has been on fire this week with the Wizards-related posts, so I decided to just group them all here at the end...
As pointed out by Dan Steinberg, our optimism that the Wizards will have a better season next year has become something of an annual tradition.
Bet you guys thought the Wizards lost all their swag with their Steez, but you'd be wrong.
Webster recently got a pedicure. Somehow that turned into two (brilliant) Bog posts. [Part I | Part II]
It didn't take much divination to conclude Jan Vesely wasn't exactly confident when he stepped to the free throw line this season, but who could have guessed he was downright petrified?
Congrats are in order for Emeka Okafor, who's expecting the birth of his first child next month.
I'm pretty sure the segway was invented so that Kevin Seraphin could one day ride one.
Garrett Temple grew up new New Orleans. He isn't a fan of the name "Pelicans."
We can officially add "filing taxes" to the long list of things people would rather do than watch the Wizards.

Washington Redskins 2013 NFL Draft Profiles: Kenny Tate, safety, Maryland

2013-04-15T02:14:58Z

Measurements: 6'4", 221 lbs.

Projected round: 7-FA

Why he would be a good Redskin: The Redskins are in desperate need of a safety, and Kenny Tate fits the bill physically. At 6-feet-4-inches tall and 220 pounds, he strikes a similar profile to the late Sean Taylor. Recruited out of DeMatha High School as a highly-touted wide receiver, Tate has the ball skills to play centerfield against the pass as well as the size and physicality to make an impact in the running game and blitzing the quarterback. Though it seems like forever ago, there was actually a time when Tate was one of the more intriguing safety prospects in college football. He was a first-team all-ACC selection following a breakout junior season in which he recorded 100 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions while generally terrorizing opposing offenses, but Tate elected to return for his senior season after being told that he was projected as a second- or third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He entered his senior year on the watch lists for the Bednarik, Nagurski, Lott and Butkus awards with an eye on becoming a first-round selection. Starting at the "Star" hybrid safety-linebacker position, Tate racked up 35 tackles and two interceptions in the first four games of the 2011 season.

Why he won't be drafted by the Redskins: Since then, Tate has fallen off the map. He missed the rest of 2011 with an undisclosed injury that eventually required surgery and earned him a medical redshirt. The exact nature of the injury is still unknown, but it was eventually revealed to have been to Tate's right knee. Tate then hurt his left knee a week before the 2012 opener, and missed the first four games of the season. When he returned, Tate was solid, but not the impact player he once was. Whether due to the injuries or some added bulk he put on to play linebacker, Tate's stock has plummeted since he was projected to go in the draft's top three rounds. How far? He wasn't even invited to this year's NFL Scouting Combine, and could very well go undrafted.

Bottom Line: Physically, Tate has the ideal measurables to project as a safety in the NFL, but might not have the requisite athleticism. His switch to the "Star" position was a bit puzzling to Terps fans who watched Tate thrive at safety, but lingering concerns about his top-end speed and whether his hips were too stiff to play full-time in the secondary seemed to be validated at Tate's pro day. Tate ran the 40-yard dash in 4.76 and 4.66 seconds, below-average for a safety, but not catastrophic (Kenny Vaccaro and Tony Jefferson ran a 4.63 and 4.75 at the combine, respectively). His 33-inch vertical jump, 4.34-second short shuttle and 15 bench reps were also underwhelming, but most troubling might have been his 7.20-second time in the three-cone drill; no safety at the combine came in at more than 7.07 seconds. He's plenty physical for a safety, but he doesn't have the bulk or strength to be a factor at linebacker. Is it possible Tate is simply a physical specimen without a position? He mentioned his versatility at his pro day, along with the possibility that he could move back to offense, but he didn't play at all on that side of the ball in college. Still, if he goes undrafted, Tate will get some invites to camp, and it wouldn't surprise if coaches find a way for him to contribute, even if it's as a gunner on special teams. He has too many physical skills to simply go unnoticed.

Poll

Should the Redskins use a late-round draft pick on Kenny Tate?

Yes

203 votes

No

131 votes

334 votes | Poll has closed

Wizards vs. 76ers recap roundup: Washington shows little fight while falling in its home finale

2013-04-13T19:07:42Z

Here's you recap roundup for the Washington Wizards 97-86 home finale loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, which officially put an end to any hopes for finishing with the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference. But the race for 30 wins is alive and well!! For more coverage, head over to our Storystream and be sure to check out postgame interviews with Randy Wittman, John Wall, Trevor Booker and Garrett Temple, courtesy of Monumental Network.

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Washington Post

Whether they were done in by fatigue, attrition or a simple lack of focus, the Washington Wizards were unable to capture a goal set since the all-star break. The playoffs were essentially out of the question when they started the season with 12 straight losses (and 28 in their first 32 games), but Coach Randy Wittman kept urging his players to keep pushing for ninth in the Eastern Conference.

The goal of finishing as the best of the worst may have seemed small, but it kept the Wizards motivated through a time of the season when it's easy for teams in their position to become preoccupied with the NBA draft lottery. Friday's 97-86 loss to Philadelphia at Verizon Center ended that pursuit.

Washington Examiner

Fading hopes of a last ditch push for ninth place in the Eastern Conference were erased in their final home game of the season, a 96-87 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers for their fourth straight defeat.

"Any time you don't reach your goal it's disappointing," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. "We gave it a shot. That's what we tried to do to keep our focus on moving forward here at the end."

Associated Press

With their coach's future in question, the 76ers awoke from pack-it-in mode Friday night, recovering from a 13-point, second-quarter deficit and pulling away in the second half for a 97-86 win, putting to rest the Washington Wizards' goal of becoming the best non-playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

CSN Washington recap

The inability to make shots translated into a lackluster effort on defense Friday.

"We were getting a little down," said John Wall, who had a game-high 24 points on 9-for-21 shooting and seven assists. "Usually when we (make shots) we play defense and keep ourselves into the games and we didn't do that in the second half."

WashingtonWizards.com

The Wizards were dominant in the early going, holding a seven point lead at the end of the first quarter and opening up a 13 point lead in the second quarter. The game would turn drastically once the Wizards opened up that double digit lead as the 76ers would close the half on a 20-8 run and head into the locker room down by just one. The third quarter was more Sixers as the Wizards shot just 7/25 from the field and the Sixers would hold a 9 point lead going into the fourth. The Wizards would never seriously challenge Philly in the final frame and the Wizards would eventually fall by 11.

Wiz of Awes

The embarrassing part of Washington's recent slide has been the public declaration the team made that they were gunning for the 9th seed in the Eastern Conference (in case you are very unaware of the NBA's playoff structure, only the top 8 teams from each conference qualify. Perhaps you may consider this to be pointless effort. Perhaps you may be right). I for one have said that I'm on board with this pursuit, if only because it's more valuable for these young players to learn how to win than to marginally improve draft stock in what some people are calling the worst draft in the lottery era (since 1985), or at least since 2000. So the assumption was that while other teams would probably take their foot off the pedal, the Wizards could earn some wins and achieve the ultimate moral victory. After losing their 4th straight game tonight, that objective is officially out of reach.

Wizards Extreme

It was nice to see Wittman let Trevor Booker come out and play with his friends tonight, and he did his usual "make the best of my minutes" moves, going 5-for-6 for 10 points. With Seraphin essentially useless on the court (he went 5-for-13 for 10 points), Booker was really the only option at the PF spot. However, Wittman really let Serpahin try and get into the swing of things in the second half instead of letting Booker continue his good night on the floor. In an even more confusing fashion, Wittman decided to throw Jan Vesely in while the Wizards were down 13 with about four minutes to play in the 4th quarter. If Booker is not brought back next season for whatever reason, he's certainly making an effort to make it known to other teams what he's capable of.

CSN Washington sidebar

Should there be any doubt who is the better player between Wall and Sixers SF Evan Turner? Turner, who was drafted No. 2 overall behind Wall in 2010, had seven assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes but was 0-for-11 shooting. He failed to score. Wall had 24 points on 9-for-21 shooting and seven assists.

Liberty Ballers

Speaking of bad performances... Evan Turner had a terrible shooting performance: 0-11 (0 points) in 24 minutes played. He contributed with 7 assists and 4 rebounds but that was just a terrible performance against a bad team. The sad part is that when Evan did try to attempt higher percentage shots at the rim he was blocked (2 blocked attempts). This is a result of going up too soft.

Philly Inquirer

Facing a Washington team that, like the 76ers, is playing out the remaining string of games on its schedule, the Sixers fell behind by 13 points in the second quarter and then outscored the Wizards by 69-45 the rest of the way, ending a three-game losing streak with a 97-86 win. The Sixers improved to 32-47.

However, the outcome of this game is meaningless. The truth of the matter is that Collins, who led this team to back-to-back playoff appearances, could be coaching his last three games with the Sixers.

Philly Daily News

When John Wall missed 33 games because of injury to begin the season, the Washington Wizards picked up only five wins. In the 47 games with him, they are now 24-23 after the Sixers took a 97-86 decision in a less than meaningless game at the Verizon Center.

Wall finished with 24 points and seven assists, but the Sixers rode a balanced offense in improving their record to 32-47.

The Sixer Sense

Doug Collins plugged in Nick Young early in the game, probably in hopes that he would want to show the Wizards some of the swag they were missing out on after losing him. It did not work out that way. Swaggy P missed every shot he took, and resided on the bench for the vast majority of the game. Dorrell Wright seems to be the consistent go-to guy that has knocked Nick Young out of the rotation. The two of them most certainly will not be on the squad together next season. If only one stays, it won't be the guy who calls himself Swaggy

76ers vs. Wizards final score: Washington lay a stinker in their home finale, 97-86

2013-04-13T01:22:40Z

WASHINGTON -- Well, that was a thoroughly dispiriting way for the Washington Wizards to close out their home schedule. As Amin put it sitting next to me while we were trying to remain interested during the closing minutes of this dreadful 97-86 loss to a completely disinterested Philadelphia 76ers squad, "Fan Appreciation Night my ass."

It seemed ironic at the time when prior to the game John Wall walked to halfcourt and, in front of what appeared to be one of the smallest home crowds of the season, thanked the fans for supporting the team through the thick and thin.

But the seats actually filled up fairly quickly once the game got underway, and before long it was the Wizards' players who weren't living up to their end of the deal.

Washington has hung its hat on the fact that they've played above-.500 ball since the return of John Wall. A week ago they were 24-19 with their franchise player in the lineup. Since then they've lost four in a row, and will close out the season with two games on the road against the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls. Given how mightily the Wiz have struggled on the road this year, the possibility of going 24-25 with Wall seems very real.

We should have expected things to be a little rough with Cartier Martin and Garrett Temple in the starting lineup and Nene playing like a shell of his usual self recently.

But the Sixers checked out a long time ago, and it was evident early on as the Wizards took a 17-12 lead six minutes into the game. As would be expected, John Wall carried the Wizards offensively, knocking down a few open jumpers and getting to the rim a couple times against some lazy Sixers defense. Nene was much more active than he's been of late, grabbing five early rebounds and dishing out a few assists, including a nice no-look pass to Wall for an and-one layup.

Some good ball movement got Garrett Temple an open look from three and easy buckets and the rim for Emeka Okafor and Nene, but overall it was an ugly opening quarter. Neither team seemed all that interested in guarding, which is how the Wizards were able to score 31 first-quarter points and record 10 assists on 13 field goals without being all that precise on offense. During one forgettable sequence of possessions, the Wizards and Sixers traded unforced turnovers, the Wizards bobbled the ball for another turnover, and then the Sixers took a bad shot that might as well have counted as a turnover. Wall closed the quarter out though with a crossover at the top of the key, followed by a ridiculous spin in a crowded lane for a scoop lay-in.

Wall sat for a good chunk of the second quarter, and yet the Wizards were able to maintain a pretty comfortable lead due to Philly's inability to make open shots. That changed towards the end of the half, when the Sixers knocked down some open threes and the Wiz missed some gimmes at the rim to head into intermission ahead 49-48 despite being up by 13 at one point.

Things only got worse from there. Both teams traded baskets through the first half of the third quarter, but then came a stretch where the Wizards went cold as the Sixers took a 67-59 lead. Washington never recovered.

Things fell apart for the Wizards early in the fourth quarter and the Sixers walted to an easy win. Wall finished with a decent line of 24 points and seven assists, but made relatively little impact down the stretch. It was nice to see Nene finish with 10 boards, but other than that there was very little good that came out of this game. You'll find some notes below, but most fans will want to forget this game ever happened.

- Spencer Hawes was making everything early. This is good for the Wizards, because it means he'll keep shooting, even when he starts missing everything.

- Garrett Temple had a sick block on Evan Turner with about 4:30 left in the first quarter. I really think Temple is worth keeping around as a defensive wing and third point guard off the bench.

- Some pretty hearty boos for Nick Young when he entered last in the first quarter. It didn't seem like there were enough people in the arena for that much noise. I was never a huge Young fan, but I'm not sure what he ever did to be disliked so much.

- Let it be known that Wall went up for a jumper, had second thoughts and, stuck in the air, dumped off a pass to Kevin Seraphin, who also happened to be laying on the floor. Somehow Seraphin caught the ball and got rid of it without being called for a travel.

- Wall had his jumper going early, obvi.

- Chris Singleton iso for a jump shot? And he made it? Congratulations Chris, but let's keep those plays to a minimum.

- Cartier Martin seems to panic when he gets near the basket, as if he was unaware that it looks bigger up close.

- Halfway through the second quarter, the big difference has been each team's shooting. The Sixers can't hit anything, whereas the Wizards have made well over half their shots.

- Even Trevor Booker is stroking it. So much so, that on one possession he was waving frantically for A.J. Price to swing the ball so he could post up Thaddeus Young. Booker got the ball, but nothing happened.

- I didn't know Spencer Hawes was capable of drawing a technical foul.

- For their last halftime show of the year, the Wizards held a massive Jazzercise routine, making the Chipotle blimp the intermission highlight for the first time in ever. Naturally, they didn't play any jazz music, which we should all be thankful for, because there's only one thing you can "do" to jazz, but you can't do it in public, and it sure as hell isn't exercise.

- Trevor Booker is a one-man fast break. This is all.

- Meanwhile, Spencer Hawes is punking the Wizards down low. That might be the most dispiriting sentence I've ever written.

- This rarely gets talked about, but Booker might be the best pure athlete on this team. He was the one guy to run a faster 3/4 court sprint time than Wall at the 2010 pre-draft combine, and he's the team's most explosive leaper by a wide margin. He showed it on that dunk midway through the fourth quarter.

- And just as Booker injects some life into the Wizards, Randy Wittman pulls him and put in Jan Vesely. #FreeTheAirwolf

Wizards Wrap: John Wall redeems himself on the mound, and Ted looks silly after trophy fib

2013-04-12T16:19:55Z

The Washington Wizards might have zero shot at the playoffs, but it's been a pretty busy week for the Wiz in the news. We'll try to cover all the bases in this week's Wrap:

John Wall took a second crack at throwing out the first pitch at Nationals game, and he did much better this time, because he could have only done much better this time. [Nationals Journal | CSN Washington (video, article)| Wizards blog]
So remember that awesome WaPo story about how Ted Leonsis heroically rescued Washington's lone Larry O'Brien trophy from the doldrum of an ex-employee's closet? Turns out it was a bunch of hooey, the Post has written a new story, and Ted looks like a silly goose. [Washington Post | Mike's thoughts | Ball Don't Lie |Wizards Extreme]
Chris Miller sat down for a series of must-watch interviews with Wall and Bradley Beal. [CSN Washington (Part I | Part II | Part III)
With the season pretty much over for the Wiz, Martell Webster is thinking about shutting it down after having to leave Wednesday's game against the Heat with a lingering abdominal injury. [Us | Washington Examiner]
If he does, could it be the last Wizards fan see of Webster, who may have priced himself out of Washington with his play this season. [Truth About It]
Sounds like Randy Wittman plans on giving his young forwards some more burn in the final three games of the season. [Washington Post]
But is there even enough room for all of them all in the rotation? [CSN Washington]\
How would you grade Wittman's performance this season? [Wiz of Awes]
Last summer ESPN ranked Wall as the 55th best player in the NBA. But after a breakout month for Wall, The Worldwide Leader has moved him all the way up to 21st. [ESPN]
You're already aware of Wall's love affair with the right elbow, but in case you needed some more evidence, here ya go. [Grantland]
Here's an extensive breakdown of why Wizards fans should be excited about Wall. [King James Gospel]
Great story about how Wall's emergence coincided with him receiving some tough love from Emeka Okafor. [Washington Post | Mike | Wizards Extreme]
Speaking of Okafor, just how valuable is he to the Wizards' defense? [Thomas]
BNIE is cool with the race for ninth, but says the pressure is on Ernie Grunfeld for the Wiz to place better next season.
Elvin Hayes doesn't see the point in winning late-season when you're out of the playoff race. Wes Unseld does. [Us]
What is the point, by the way? [Truth About It]
The guys over at Wiz of Awes take a look towards the future in this roundtable.
Mike is worried about Nene.
In this FanPost, averagebro takes a crack at explaining why the Wizards are so putrid on the road.
Bradley Beal told reporters last week that it was probably a mistake for him to try and play through so many injuries his rookie season. [Us | Washington Post | Washington Examiner | CSN Washington]
Of all the challenges he faced as a rookie, the toughest for Beal was playing an 82-game schedule. [Wizards Insider]
Cartier Martin is tired of playing on one-year deals. [CSN Washington]
If you could keep Martin, A.J. Price and Garrett Temple, would you? [Wizards Extreme]
NBA drama is very much like middle school drams. Thankfully John Wall and Roy Hibbert are mature dudes. [Us | DC Sports Bog]
Bernard King, who had a good run with the Bullets after his elite years with the Knicks, can now add "Hall of Famer" to his resume. [SB Nation | Wizards Insider]
Jordan Crawford has forgotten he had a career B.C....Before Celtics, that is. (See what I did there?) [Boston Globe | ESPN Boston | CSN Washington | Wiz of Awes]
The Wizards have generally played good three-point defense this season, but they've also given up three of biggest 3-ball assaults in team history this year, and two this week in consecutive games against the Knicks and Heat. [CSN Washington]
The Wizards seem set in the backcourt with John Wall and Bradley Beal set to form one of the best young backcourts in the NBA, so the obvious choice for the team in the first round of the 2013 draft is, Michael Carter-Williams? [CSN Washington]
I think most fans would prefer Anthony Bennett. [Wiz of Awes]
Could Frank Vogel's postgame presser in Washington end up being a critical turning point in the Pacers' season? [Truth About It]
James Singleton is back in the NBA, and everything is right with the world. [Wizards Extreme]
Are the 76ers hoping Doug Collins resigns? [Philly Inquirer | Ball Don't Lie]
This isn't Wizards-related, but it's the greatest thing you'll ever see.
Nope, I'm sorry. This is.

Wizards vs. Knicks recap roundup: Washington blown out as New York wins first division title in 19 years

2013-04-10T15:22:38Z

Here's your recap roundup for the Washington Wizards' 120-99 blowout loss Tuesday to the New York Knicks, who with the win secured their first Atlantic Division crown in 19 years. Head over to our StoryStream for more coverage and be sure to check out these postgame interviews with Randy Wittman, John Wall and A.J. Price, courtesy of Monumental Network.

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Washington Post gamer

Wall had been waiting for an opportunity to showcase how much he has improved since his last visit to the Garden nearly a year ago. And with a near-capacity crowd anxious to see the home team extend its winning streak to 13 games and clinch its first Atlantic Division title in 19 years, Wall did steal occasional cheers with his ability to zip past defenders for layups and dunks.

But aside from Wall, there were few other offensive options for the Washington Wizards, who were overwhelmed by the three-point barrage of Carmelo Anthony and the hot-shooting Knicks, 120-99.

CSN Washington recap

SF Carmelo Anthony, who had a team-high 36 points on 13 of 21 shooting, eight rebounds and six assists, scored 21 on eight of 11 shooting during a seven-minute stretch as the Knicks led 95-71 entering the fourth quarter. It was Anthony's fifth consecutive game of scoring 35 points or more as the Knicks (51-26) won their 13th game in a row and clinched their first Atlantic Division title since 1994. Wall finished with a team-high 33 points on 11 of 19 shooting. He also made 11 of 14 free throws.

Wiz of Awes

Virtually no one besides John Wall put up a fight against the surging Knicks. Wall scored 33 points in 33 minutes, and often dazzled the Madison Square Garden crowd with an array of layups. John Wall has finally begun to learn how to use his speed in the half court. The short handed Knicks squad had no match for Wall. This was probably one of the best games John Wall has had this season, in terms of penetration. He got anything he wanted by attacking the basket. Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, and Iman Shumpert just couldn't keep up with Wall. Sadly, Wall's teammates struggled to contribute to his efforts.

Daily Wizdom

The Wizards had a 21-10 advantage in made free throws. It didn't matter. The Knicks were 20 of 36 from three-point distance. Reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week Carmelo Anthony played three quarters and scored 36 points. Anthony scored 21 of his points in the third quarter when the Knicks outscored the Wizards 37-28.

Associated Press

Anthony stayed right on the blistering pace that won him Eastern Conference player of the week honors after averaging 41.8 points while inching ahead of Kevin Durant for the NBA scoring lead last week. He sat out the fourth quarter after going 13 of 21 from the field.

''We know he's hot and we tried to get the ball out of his hands, but he's very efficient and can score in various ways,'' Wall said. ''Hats off to him.''

WashingtonWizards.com

The Knicks came out on fire in this one and really never cooled off. They shot 56% from the field and 55% from three point range. The Knicks jumped out to a 13 point lead at the end of the first quarter and really never looked back, as they opened the game 10 of 14 from three. The Wizards looked like they might cut into the lead before the half as they pulled within eight with a minute to go, but the Knicks closed the half on a 7-0 run to push the lead back to 15. The Knicks clinched their first Atlantic Division title since 1994 and also got their 13th straight win. This is also the Knicks longest winning streak since 1994.

Wizards Extreme

The combination of Nene and Emeka Okafor once again had a poor showing. Despite Tyson Chandler sitting with an injury, the duo started slow and failed to give a meaningful effort, even when the outcome of the game had been decided.

Each player scored fewer than 10 points and Okafor struggled early with turnovers, poor shots, and getting pushed around in the paint.

Considering the investment the Wizards have in their front court, this trend is truly concerning.

Washington Post sidebar

Washington knew exactly what it needed to do to have any chance of defeating the Knicks and snap a nine-game losing streak in New York. But the Wizards did let Anthony get loose for a game-high 36 points - including 21 in the third quarter alone - and left three-point shooters wide open as the Knicks to match their franchise record with 20 shots from beyond the arc. They also continued a disturbing trend of embarrassing losses in New York, where the Wizards lost both road games this season by 21 points.

CSN Washington sidebar

With the loss, the Wizards can't reach double-digit wins on the road. At 7-32, they have two left -- at Brooklyn and at the Chicago Bulls next week.

"They shot the ball extremely well from the 3 and then they took us off the dribble," Wittman said. "We didn't do a very good job of doing either one of those things."

Posting & Toasting

Tonight was that last thing. Everybody hit everything. Carmelo Anthony passed brilliantly out of the post-- waiting, surveying the floor, attracting help, throwing not just swing passes but direct cross-court assists-- while Pablo Prigioni and Raymond Felton created adeptly off the dribble. Those three propagated great ball movement that found open looks for everyone. The Knicks hit nine threes in the first quarter (the most in any quarter this season) and tied a franchise record with twenty on the night.

NY Times

They rained 3-pointers, deployed backcourt traps and generally treated the Washington Wizards like a minor nuisance blocking their path to glory. When the final buzzer sounded at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had a 120-99 victory - their 13th win in a row - and, at long last, a division championship in hand.

NY Daily News

"We win a division, that's accomplished. But the big picture is winning a title," Mike Woodson said. "I'm only in it for one thing, man. The division is great, because that's what we set out to do as a team, but the big picture is trying to win a championship. We're headed in the right direction, but we still have a ways to go."

NY Post

"It was our No. 1 goal," said J.R. Smith, one of six Knicks in double figures with 17 points. "Coming into camp, we kept talking about it, and the coaching staff put it in our minds we can do it and we will. Fortunately we did. It's a great thing to achieve one of our main goals; now we just have to go get that gold ball. We still have so much to prove not only to everybody else but to ourselves. We want to be a great team.''

Newsday

The Knicks won their 13th straight. Next on their agenda is getting the No. 2 seed in the East, which would give them the home court edge for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. They remain 21/2 games up on Indiana and reduced their magic number to clinch the second seed to three with five to play. The Knicks will open up the playoffs at the Garden April 20 and could play Boston, Atlanta or Chicago.

ESPN New York

"It's just one little step. One building block," Jason Kidd said of the Atlantic crown. "One of our goals when we started the training camp in October was to win the division. We did that this evening. But that doesn't mean anything. We still have a long ways to go."

Wall Street Journal

Carmelo Anthony, the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, honored Bernard King-who was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday-by tying his franchise record with five consecutive 35-point performances. Anthony finished with 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting. He's hit 17 of 29 3-pointers over his last five games.

Buckets Over Broadway

The Knicks shot 56.3 percent from the floor on the night and despite being small, outrebounded Washington 39-38.

The only negative on the night is the fact that they were torched by the opposing point guard once again as John Wall finished with 33 points, but it didn't really matter as the Knicks led comfortably most of the night.