Nov 10, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward
Kevin Durant(35) dribbles the ball as Washington Wizards guard
John Wall(2) defends in the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
AM: Has there been anything that you deem to be particularly concerning about Washington’s play? Or is it more of a case of them just working their way through the regular ups and downs of early season play?
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BM: Again, the defense and turnovers have been very concerning. For a team looking to take the next step in the weak Eastern Conference, the Wizards certainly don’t look like a contender. We’re hoping that it’s just a case of the ups-and-downs, but these two issues have been around since preseason and I don’t expect them to simply become better overnight.
It will take some time. Besides John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, everyone else has been awful defensively. Wall and Beal are often the only players that get back on defense, allowing opposing teams to get easy baskets in transition. The Oklahoma City Thunder scored 125 points against Washington and Kevin Durant missed most of the game.
The new offense will take some time to get accustomed to, but there’s no excuse for not playing committed defense and taking care of the ball.
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