An overindulgence in individual play has plagued the Washington Wizards and prompted awful losses to the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
Washington lost to the Nets 119-84 on Thursday last week and to the lowly Hawks 113-99 on Tuesday night.
The pair of baffling results have since drawn the ire of both members of the Wizards’ star-studded backcourt, John Wall and Bradley Beal, as frustration in DC continues to mount with the 19-16 squad racking up 10 losses to teams sitting below .500.
Rather than taking these teams lightly, as many have suggested may be the case, Wall believes his teammates are using them as opportunities to boost their individual stats.
“We say when we play these teams that are not above .500 or not one of the great teams, we go out there playing for stats,” John Wall said, per The Washington Posts’ Candace Buckner. “It’s simple as that. We can see it. I think we all can see it when we play.”
Wall’s backcourt buddy Beal has also had plenty to say on the matter, stressing that his team needs to move the ball and put an end to the stagnated possessions it has been dishing up all season.
“Sometimes we need to do that. Sometimes even myself included,” Beal said. “Sometimes we do one-pass shots, no-pass shots. Two or three passes on one side of the floor versus moving on both sides of the floor. Teams are going to load up on me and John. That’s something that we should know by now. We got to do a better job of creating, putting the ball on the floor and moving it.”
The Wizards will get their next chance to right the ship when they host the Houston Rockets on Friday.