BACON'S BITS: Louisville Overcomes Early Struggles, Defeats Saint Louis 77-57

By Mark Bacon

The University of Louisville basketball team faced its toughest competition on Saturday night at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, NY. The Cards came of out the gate struggling, initially. They struggled scoring. They committed stupid fouls. The rhythm that allowed them to cruise to four wins by an average margin of 37 points, wasn’t apparent.

• Graduate transfer, Trey Lewis, led the way of U of L, and scored 22 points to lead the team to a 77-57 victory over Saint Louis in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational

• Eventually, Louisville (5-0) found their groove, subjected St. Louis (4-1) to a “boomlet,” and distanced themselves convincingly. Despite the early struggles Louisville fans have reasons to be optimistic this season.

• The Cards led 30-27 at halftime and the lead was the same when they put a run together. Lewis and Lee had four points each in a 10-0 run that made it 51-38. The Billikens never got closer than 10 points after that.

• Yet, if Louisville expects to upset third ranked Michigan State on Wednesday, in East Lancing, MI, Chinanu Onuaku's propensity for stupid fouls must end. Nanu fouled some 90 feet out when Louisville was defending. He fouled on a loose-ball situation when a Billiken guard had the ball in control. He fouls on moving picks far from the basket.

• Against Louisville's better opponents, that must stop. The Cards have are deep in the front court, and Mangok Mathiang (17 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks) showed that in Brooklyn. But Onuaku is Louisville's most talented big man. His offensive transformation this offseason has made him a major threat.

• Damion Lee also needs to be on the floor for substantial minutes if Louisville wants to beat Michigan State. Lee picked up two early fouls, missing much of the first half; eventually he fouled out with 10 points in a rather quiet performance.

• The Cards struggled defending Saint Louis 3-pointers. The Billikens (4-1) made 8-of-16, and a ton of them were open looks.

BACON'S BITS: Louisville has a top-25 basketball team with great potential, but the Cards aren't ranked yet this season because of ongoing investigations into the recent sex scandal against the program, said coach Rick Pitino. The Coach said the Cards (5-0) are "just ignored" because of all the attention surrounding Katina Powell and her claims that a former U of L basketball staffer paid her and other escorts, including her own teenage daughters, thousands of dollars and gave them game tickets in exchange for them dancing for and having sex with recruits and players.

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BULLET POINTS: Celtics Send Wizards To Third Straight Defeat, 111-78

By Mark Bacon

The Washington Wizards were pummeled for the third time in four nights. The simple explanation for the 111-78 loss to the Boston Celtics? “The same [crap] again,” point guard John Wall said. “We’re not making shots, and we’re not playing defense.”

• Wall, who stated earlier in the week that his subpar performance this year must change, did not play like a two-time all-star. The spark plug for the Wiz, he finished with 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and three turnovers in 29 minutes.

• The Wizards never led and lost their third straight game. It was their sixth double-digit loss this season. Washington is now 1-7 when it allows opponents to score 100-plus points.

• Wittman attributed the Wizards’ problems to their offensive woes. Washington shot 6 for 20 in the first quarter last night and never recovered. They shot 32.1 percent and committed 22 turnovers — the fifth time they have had 20-plus in a game this season — versus 16 assists last evening.

• Wizards starting front court: 4-21, 10 points

• Celtics starting front court: 15-28, 41 points

• Turnovers: 22 (Wizards) - 15 (Celtics)

• Total rebounds: 46 (Wizards) - 58 (Celtics)

• Things are getting bad, and I’m not sure what will improve the snowballing situation.

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BULLETS POINTS: Wiz Stumble; Cards Soar

By Mark Bacon

PACERS POUND WIZARDS, 123-106

Last night the Wizards looked completely outclassed and overwhelmed on both ends of the floor against the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards held seven of nine players on the Pacers to just 51 points. The problem was, two other players scored a combined 72 points, shooting 15 of 17 from the three point line.

• Something isn't working here apparently. To put it mildly. DC’s second unit plays faster, moves the ball better and plays much better defense. Jared Dudley (in place of Kris Humphries) and Nene (In place of Gortat) defends better on perimeter pick and rolls, solves other defensive issues demonstrated by the first unit; plus the abundance of ball handlers in the second unit keeps the offense fluid.

• Indiana’s Paul George sunk Washington, 123-106. He scored 40 points on 14-of-19 shooting, going 7-for-8 from beyond the 3-point arc. It was infectious for the Pacers, who have won five of their previous six games. 

• In addition to George's 40 points, power forward C.J. Miles added 32 more on 10-of-16 shooting, hitting eight of his nine attempts from 3-point land. As a team, the Pacers shot 55 percent from the field; they hit a red hot 73.1 percent from deep. 

• The Wizards scored 106 points; but 45.8 percent from the field (and 39.4 percent from 3-point range) was insufficient.

• Gary Neal led the way for Washington from the bench, hitting five 3-pointers tallying 23 total points on the evening. Nene (11 points, seven rebounds), Ramon Sessions (10 points) and Marcin Gortat (10 points) also reached double-figures. 

• Bradley Beal and John Wall added 20 and 18 points, respectively.

CARDS CRUSH TERRIERS, 85-41

The U of L Cards continued to cruise. Four games into the season, they’re still not even close to a finished product.

• It appears as if Coach Pitino is slowly putting in the 2-3 matchup zone. But they play really strong man defense, moving opponents guards to shot blockers, and the press is getting better. That will change against quality opponents, but it's a good sign that Louisville can execute the more basic elements of its defense with relative ease. 

• St. Francis was never in the game. St. F had 10 1st-half turnovers; never looked comfortable trying to break the press. Which is effective against lesser opponents because of our conditioning and length. 

• Raymond Spalding came off the bench to give the Cardinals a significant boost, chipping in 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks in 13 minutes. He went 6-7 from the field—his only miss a dunk. Unfortunately, he went 0-for-3 from the free throw line.

• Damion Lee is a pleasure to watch. Lee turned in a his typical stellar effort -- 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field.

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MARK MY WORDS: DC's Disastrous Day

By Mark Bacon

SKINS HUMILIATED ON THE ROAD

In their worst game of the season — worse than the whipping at the hands of the New England Patriots — the Washington Redskins were humiliated by a 44-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Skins can’t be taken seriously until they stop embarrassing themselves away from FedEx Field.

It's understandable to lose convincingly to Carolina, the current king of the NFC. The Panthers are that good. It’s another to be an accomplice in the Panthers’success.

Washington didn’t do anything right. And they weren’t the beneficiary of any luck. The game began competitively, with the teams tied at 14 after the first quarter. With 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, DC defensive back Chris Culliver intercepted a Newton pass and ran into the end zone, giving Washington its first lead. But on a VERY questionable call, the officials penalized Culliver for unnecessary roughness - a helmet-to-helmet hit - negating the touchdown and moving Carolina to Washington’s 13-yard line. The drive ended with Newton tossing a touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. A 14-point swing; Washington never recovered.

The Skins committed five turnovers, four of them fumbles.

The Panthers turned those five turnovers into 27 points. Carolina produced 368 total yards and 6.3 yards per play. Cam Newton threw for a career-high five touchdowns. But Washington assisted the Panthers’ dominance by giving them short fields, committing nine penalties, failing to run the ball (14 rushing yards in 12 carries), and not stopping the run (142 rushing yards allowed). It was DC’s worst day protecting Kirk Cousins, who was sacked five times.

They’re 0-5 on the road in 2015, and 1-12 during Coach Jay Gruden’s tenure.

Four of this season’s road losses have come by double figures. Gruden’s teams have lost 8 of 13 road games by at least 10 points.

GEORGETOWN’S DISAPPOINTING FINISH VS. DUKE

Grayson Allen lifted No. 5 Duke to the 2K Classic title, almost single handedly. It was quite a turnaround from being completely handcuffed against Kentucky.

Isaac Copeland led Georgetown (1-3) with 21 points, but was scoreless in the second half until hitting two late 3-pointers. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera and freshman Kaleb Johnson tallied 14 points apiece.

L.J. Peak's dunk with early in the second half gave the Hoyas a 54-53 lead, but Duke responded with a 10-0 run. Allen started the surge with three free throws, and Amile Jefferson finished it off with a layup.

The Hoyas made a couple of charges at Duke, but the Blue Devils held on. Allen finished off a 7-0 run with a 3-pointer that made it 77-69 with 2:46 left.

The Hoyas closed to 86-84 on a 3-pointer by Copeland with 7 seconds left. In the ensuing action, frosh Derryck Thornton missed two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining, but Ike Copeland's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was short.

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BULLET POINTS: Wizards Hang On To Topple Detroit

The Pistons’ Marcus Morris misses a three-point try with 9.2 seconds remaining in the game.
Otto Porter Jr., right, defends.

By Mark Bacon

The bench was the difference as Washington defeated the Pistons in Detroit, 97-95. Nene led the Wizards, scoring 18 points off the bench. It the first time since December 30, 2013 they beat Detroit Pistons on their home court.

• The Wiz struggled at first, shooting just 2-for-9 to start the game, but found their touch to take a 30-24 lead through the first quarter. The Wizards went on to make 20 of their next 26 attempts. 

• Otto Porter was the leader in the first quarter; he scored 10 of his 17 points for the evening in the first 12 minutes. Four Wizards players scored in double figures and their names are not Bradley Beal and John Wall. Kris Humphries was held scoreless on the night.

• The Wizards' bench took center stage. After going into the half tied, the second unit made the difference last night. In addition to Nene's team-high 18 points, Ramon Sessions added 14 points and nine assists. Jared Dudley and Garrett Temple chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively. 

• The Washington bench totaled 51 points. Even more telling was the fact that all five Wizards bench players posted positive figures in the +/- category. The starters' ratios were in negative figures. 

• Another key was the effort of the big men. Marcin Gortat (14 points, eight rebounds), helped the Wizards out-rebound Andre Drummond and the Pistons, 42-38. Drummond, who's been averaging over 19 points and 18 rebounds per game, only attempted six field goals. He finished with eight points and 13 rebounds. 

• Washington’s bench outscored the Pistons' bench 51-15. 


• The Wizards' 17-4 run at the end of the third quarter brought them back from an 11 point deficit, to take a four-point lead into the fourth. Porter was the only starter to score during the run. 

• Nene lead the team in scoring with 18 points in just 22 minutes; his +/- ratio of +24 led the team. He was also efficient shooting, going 9-for-10 and not missing until approximately eight minutes remained in the game. 

• After missing the Wizards' last three contests with a shoulder injury, Bradley Beal returned to the starting lineup. In 28 minutes, Beal shot 3-for-8 from the field and scored seven points while adding a steal and a rebound. 

• John Wall encountered foul trouble, producing a lowly 8 points, 7 assists and 2 steals on the night.

• It was the first time DC has ever won a game in which Wall and Beal both started, and didn't score in double figures. 

BACON'S BITS: The victory was the Wizards’ third straight. John Wall’s contract with adidas expired 9/30/2015; expect him to sign with Nike or Under Armour.

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MARK MY WORDS: Cards Ground Ospreys, 89-61

Freshman Raymond Spalding was dominant for Louisville

By Mark Bacon

The University of Louisville looked like it was in a dogfight (bird fight?) after a chippy first half against North Florida. The Ospreys came to The Ville with a 3-0 record; plus an attention grabbing thorough defeat of Illinois in their season opener.

Chippy? Two technicals were called in the first stanza; Donovan Mitchell and Mangok Mathiang lost their composure and said things to North Florida players the officials didn’t care for. The latter, a team captain, received a verbal lashing from Coach P.

Then the Cards unveiled the 2015-16 version of The Boom. UNF was completely outplayed in the second half. A 43-41 halftime lead went to a 89-61 final. The Cards’ backcourt shut down Osprey drives and made life between the lines miserable for UNF, who scored only 20 second-half points. A fantastic second-half defensive effort from the Cards.

North Florida connected on 11 of 23 from beyond the arc, their lowest total from deep thus far this season.

Damion Lee found his shooting touch all afternoon

Damion Lee, Trey Lewis and Raymond Spalding led the way all day. This afternoon everyone saw what it looks like when fifth year seniors Lee and Lewis click. Today, they were consistently the best players for Louisville.

The graduate transfers brought their "A Game." The game fans have been waiting to see. Damion Lee - 24 points (10-16 FG), seven rebounds and three assists; Trey Lewis - 15 points (7-16 FG), four rebounds, zero turnovers. They controlled the backcourt in the second half, and got lots of help from Quentin Snider, who orchestrated the offense patiently once again, and set up his teammates repeatedly. The Q also showed a nice touch with a mid-range jumper.

But let’s not forget Raymond Spalding. He was an absolute pleasant surprise. As active as U of L fans have seen all year. One writer described the former Trinity High player as “electric.” I completely agree.

Spalding made his first seven shots coming off the bench in the first half. More than that, he provided an early spark with timely deflections, offensive rebounds, a couple of blocked shots, several steals, and a deft shooting touch with his jump shot. His final line: 18 points (8-10 FG), 12 rebounds, four steals, two blocks in 31 minutes. The combination of Chinanu Onuaku and Spalding is a fantastic tandem. Both big men have very quick hands and feet for their size. Both are underrated passers, too.

It was great to see the return of The Boom for Louisville. A team that definitely deserves to be in the Top 25. Possibly Top Ten…

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BACON'S BITS: Friday Night Hoops Highlights

Georgetown's Issac Copeland and Coach John Thompson III

By Mark Bacon

HOYAS GET IT DONE: The Georgetown Hoya’s game in the 2K Classic against Wisconsin was about as close as you could possibly get to a “must win” game. The Hoyas poor start and injury crisis has definitely impacted them. They have never started a season 0-3. A much needed 71-61 win over the Badgers, which had Georgetown leading wire to wire was the result, despite two notable and unexplained absences in sophomores Tre Campbell and Paul White.

Isaac Copeland rose to the occasion, scoring a team-high 15 points and connecting on 3-of-4 three-pointers.  Ike’s team-high eight rebounds compensated for the fact that he had zero assists to go against four turnovers. He’s beginning to look like the break through player I predicted he would be.

Three times now that Paul White has been a game time decision, but are told that he is practicing.  Is it time to start worrying about this hip injury?  The positive coming out of it is the experience being given to both Kaleb Johnson and Reggie Cameron.  Don't expect to see White until you see him.

Reggie Cameron is playing far more this season than anyone would have thought and making the most of it.  In last night's win over Wisconsin he connected on 4-of-6 shots from deep en route to a career high 14 points.  Cameron had a solid freshmen season, but made just five three-pointers all of last season; he’s indicated that he some of his problems last season were purely mental.  Cameron being a sharp shooter off the bench could be a valuable asset for JT3 and Krewe.

Like the Radford loss, G’town was on the wrong end of the offensive rebounding tally.  The Badgers held a 18-8 edge in offensive boards which resulted in 12 extra field goals.  Georgetown survived this thanks to a connecting from deep (9-of-16) and from the line (20-of-24).  Freshman Jessie Govan, who spells Bradley Hayes, picked up the slack by hitting one of his two shots from deep and going a perfect 6-of-6 from the line, resulting in 13 points.

The Hoyas play Duke in Sunday’s championship game. Nothing would be more welcome than leaving MSG, aka “Cameron East,” with a 2-2 record.

Maryland's Jake Layman in traffic against Rider

TERPS' SLOW START: Last night Maryland was supposed to roll over Rider, who opened the season with losses to Princeton and La Salle. The Terps waited until the last minute to awake from its stupor in a 65-58 win.

Maryland (3-0) trailed by 14 in the second half and didn’t gain their first lead until Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon hit a runner in the lane to give his team a 52-50 advantage with 5 minutes 29 seconds remaining. Sulaimon is thus far paying big dividends.

The Terrapins avoided the upset thanks to five double-figure scorers, including a huge performance from freshman center Diamond Stone (the best name in the game) in the second half. Stone finished with 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting, and transfer Robert Carter Jr. had 13 points and four rebounds. Sulaimon, sophomore Melo Trimble and senior forward Jake Layman all finished with 11. The talent is there, but some coalescing is needed. Stone learning “big boy basketball”; when it clicks with him, watch out.

SLEEPERS: LSU, Wichita State and the Louisville Cardinals are teams to watch. The latter is wholly disrespected in the polls, due to a weak preseason schedule; their competition relegates the Cards to games streamed online or not broadcast at all. I am not buying Kenny Klein’s assertion that ESPN needs U of L online to bolster their ESPN3 brand.

UK TOPS WRIGHT STATE: Tyler Ulis picks Kentucky up in 78-63 win over Wright State. Despite Coach John Calipari's hyperbole; the Cats are the team to beat in the NCAA.

Warriors roll to 14th straight victory

NBA NOTES: Call The Warriors style whatever you want, but it’s working. Playing small and thinking big led them to a win over the Chicago Bulls last night. Their win streak stands at 14 games now, one shy of tying the NBA’s record start. I hold to my prediction that they will be the NBA Champs again.

I’m not so certain Anthony Davis will be the NBA’s MVP as my crystal told me prior to the season, due to the anemic squad the Pelicans have surrounded him with. But last night, AD was a force, with help from Ish Smith and Ryan Anderson. AntDavis still impresses me as much as anyone in the NBA.

Knicks' rookie Kristaps Porzingis is for real…

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Maryland Surges Past Georgetown In Thriller

By Mark Bacon

The Georgetown Hoyas almost bounced back from a disastrous season opening loss to Radford. The battled #3 Maryland wire-to-wire on the Terp’s home court before losing 75-71. The loss didn't atone for a shocking loss Saturday, but it did offer hope.

The Hoyas clearly had learned from the Radford disaster. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, silent most of Saturday, fired confidently for a triple to open the game's scoring. The Hoyas attacked the offensive rim and pounded the glass on both ends of the floor, leading to an early lead.

Maryland made its run, holding the Hoyas scoreless for more than six minutes.  But Georgetown bounced back with timely perimeter shooting. A pair of Marcus Derrickson 3s each, followed by an LJ Peak baskets put Georgetown up 7 late in the first half. Derrickson's impressed after a quiet debut, connecting from long range and grabbing six rebounds and generally mixing it up under the rim. Even so, Georgetown couldn't keep it up for long. A late Maryland burst tied the game heading into the half, and a Maryland massacre appeared inevitable after the break.

Hoya big man Bradley Hayes continued his metamorphic into an scoring and rebounding force. Hayes led the Hoyas in scoring: 16 points to go with 8 rebounds.

Also coming up big in the second half was Isaac Copeland, who played far better after the season opener. Copeland's 13 points came from the perimeter, and at the rim, but it was the rest of his game that was outstanding. Ike set up Hayes, firing passes to the big man in the post en route to a team-high 5 assists. Copeland put the Hoyas up seven with under six to play. One could smell an upset.

And then the defense collapsed. Fouling was a game-long ordeal, and Maryland reached the double bonus in both halves and foul trouble hurt both DSR and Hayes. The Hoyas kept pace down much of the second half, trading baskets with Maryland. Eventually the Terrapins' firepower and the Hoyas' foul trouble were too much.

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MARK MY WORDS: Saints Experience Armageddon in DC; Skins Redeem Themselves

Kirk Cousins gives game ball to his father, who’s been battling cancer

By Mark Bacon

Midway through the NFL season, the Redskins’ record was the same as it was last year at the same juncture. The offense had grown timid and predictable, while the defense had been splintered, and worse, by opponents.

I approached the game with a massive amount of skepticism, and worse. I’m sure much of DC was feeling the same.

• Skins QB Kirk Cousins, had a career defining day. The oft maligned signal caller threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns in a 20-of-25 performance that equated the NFL’s first perfect passer rating (158.3) and makes Coach Jay Gruden’s decision to name the three-year backup the Redskins’ starter on the eve of the season, look like genius. And with Cousins’ father at game after a cancer diagnosis, no less. Storybook stuff. Good stuff.

• Kicker Dustin Hopkins added fields goals of 35, 23, 40 and 22 yards. The defense got in on the scoring, too, when free safety Dashon Goldson ran back an interception for another score. The Skins gashed the visiting Saints, 47-14, before a delirious crowd of 75,086 at FedEx Field.

• With the victory, the Redskins (4-5) equaled their total victories from last season, and remain relevant in the jumbled NFC East. The victory also proved — at least for one afternoon, against one of the NFL’s worst defenses — what’s possible when “Captain Kirk” plays to his ability, the Redskins’ running game gets going and the defense remains stalwart.

• For the first time in quite awhile, Washington’s offense used a balanced attack, with all-but-forgotten running back Alfred Morris gaining 93 yards and rookie running back Matt Jones supplying 55 on the ground and 131 yards on pass plays, including the 78-yard touchdown.

BACON'S BITS: The Redskins travel to Charlotte next Sunday to take on the unbeaten Panthers. Enjoy the feeling of victory while it lasts, or are we seeing a resurgent Redskins team?

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BIRD CALLS: Louisville Dominates Samford In Opener, 86-45

By Mark Bacon

It's not wise to get real jazzed after a season debut. But I’m having a hard time containing my excitement about this year's U of L Basketball Team after witnessing a season-opening 86-45 rout of Samford last night.

Eleven different players scored in the blowout, a far cry from the nail-biting exhibition win over Kentucky Wesleyan four days ago. What happened?

• Louisville tallied nine blocked shots, nine steals, and turned Samford over 18 times. U of L held the visitors to 21-percent shooting and a paltry 18 second-half points. 

• Chinanu Onuaku and Mangok Mathiang combined for eight of those blocks; Donovan Mitchell had three of those steals.

• Louisville shot 53.6 percent for the evening, making 7-of-15 from 3-point range. There were 19 assists on 30 field goals. Freshman Donovan Mitchell (14 points), Damion Lee (14), Quentin Snider (12) and Chinanu Onuaku (11) all scored double-digit points.

• Onuaku, who's dealt with foul problems throughout the Puerto Rico trip and preseason (averaging what seems like 12 a game...), as well as Friday's first half, put together as spectacular a performance as one player can have with only 14 minutes of playing time. Nanu’s 11 points came from 5-of-5 shooting, plus five rebounds, five blocks and two assists. He also had a Trezl-like fast-break dunk (dunkl?), prompting a primal scream that took the wind out of him. He had to come out to calm down, according to sources at the game. 

• The toughest part of the evening was trying to get ESPN3.

This was just one night, one game, but I'm willing to bet this year’s team has a tremendous upside, are underrated nationally, and are going to be a lot of fun to follow.

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BULLET POINTS: DC's Identity Crisis

By Mark Bacon

It’s early in a long, grueling NBA campaign. However seven games in, the Washington Wizards (3-4) aren’t anywhere close to the 50-win goal they set for themselves. Add to that concern three straight double-digit beat downs and alarms are ringing.

Tuesday, The Oklahoma City Thunder toyed with them en route to 125 points, The Wiz had many missed defensive assignments highlighted by a lack of desire.  OKC is undoubtedly talented but allowing them to shoot better than 50 percent from the field and 70 percent from three-point range was a disaster.

• “I’m going to be honest with you: There weren’t too many positives defensively,” Wizards forward Jared Dudley said. “The good and the bad thing is it’s not just one person. It’s really collective. It’s someone new on each possession, from the bigs to the wings to the guards.”

• Turnovers tormented them in losses to the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks (50 combined in the defeats), but the other constant concern is their defense, a weird development for a team that established itself as one of the NBA’s elite defensive teams the last three seasons. Their offense was inconsistent, but their defense remained the Wizards’ backbone. They finished in the top 10 in the NBA in defensive rating, two of which ended in the playoffs.

• Two weeks into this season, they’re experiencing an identity crisis. Washington has allowed at least 113 points in five of seven games, after having seven such games (that ended in regulation) all of last season.

• “We’re not taking any pride in it,” Wittman said. “Until we get [ticked] off as individuals, take a little pride, taking a stand from a defensive standpoint, it’s going to be like that.”

• Wittman went as far as to call his team “soft” and blasted his team’s unwillingness to “get dirty.” He threatened to use just five players if left with no other choice. 

• A shift to a more up-tempo offense and the corresponding lineups to fit the style has adversely impacted the defense, but the decline still remains confounding for a team that returned every significant player from last season.

• “It’s early in the season, but you have to fix these problems now,” point guard John Wall said. “I mean, we lost three straight games like this, not playing defense and giving up almost 70 points in a half. You’ll never win a basketball game that way.”

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MARK MY WORDS: Pats Paste Pathetic Skins

Is Brady saying "Hey Kirk, one day you'll get a chance to land on a REAL NFL team..."

By Mark Bacon

• November is the month when the Washington Redskins drop well thrown passes, fumble lots, let opposing receivers run freely in open spaces. It’s when they get penalized for really stupid stuff, like 12 men on the field (and that makes no difference; they could have 24, and still get whacked.). They lose all focus and purpose. It’s when they proffer interceptions to the opponent frequently, and watch bored once rabid fans leave early in search of something more interesting. Like washing your car? A nap? Standing still? Sometimes, like on Sunday, they do all these wonderful things at once.

• Sunday, the Skins lost to the defending World Champion Patriots, 27-10. A loss so bland that one player said it felt like Washington was the scout team to New England’s starters.

• November is when the Redskins turn promise into rubbish, when hope gives way to one-liners. When things fall apart. It's an annual rite.

• Last year, the Redskins entered November 3-5. They lost all four games in that month, and finished 4-12. Two years ago, they were also 3-5 in early November; they never won again.

BACON'S BITS: I blame "owner" Dan Snyder, totally, for turning a once proud franchise into a punch line. A laughing stock. I hate to use the term again, but a dumpster fire. Out of control. A rich boy’s fantasy league team with real people. Oh, how he’s screwed things up. Until he's gone, the Skins are like the film Groundhog Day. Ugh. That’s all I have. I am disgusted. And happy the NBA and NCAA basketball is starting. No more wasted Sundays with the sorry ass bunch from Ashbury, VA.

Did I mention the team was once a perennial power under the late, great Jack Kent Cooke? I miss you Mr. Cooke. You had class and knew how to be a successful NFL team owner.

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BULLET POINTS: Wizards Turn Ball, Game Over To Hawks

By Mark Bacon

• On consecutive nights, the Washington Wizards set a season high in turnovers. Saturday, they topped their previous high with 26 turnovers leading to a loss to the Hawks. They've turned the ball over 50 times in the last two games.

• Friday, they surrendered a 40 point first quarter to the Boston Celtics who only averaged 19 points in the first quarter this season. Saturday, they allowed 39 points in the fourth quarter against the Hawks.

• The Wizards had too many unforced errors off of lazy passes, bad ideas, and miscommunication. Furthermore, John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 15 turnovers to just 18 assists. Simply unacceptable.

• The Wizards allowed 33 points on 26 turnovers Saturday; in Boston, the Wizards allowed 24 points off of turnovers. That's 57 points out of 232.

• Worst of all? Three minutes remaining in the game, Bradley Beal collided with Hawks guard Jeff Teague going for a loose ball. He immediately grabbed his left shoulder area, which Teague had kneed in pursuit of the ball. That sucks.

BACON’S BITS: Despite the turnover trouble, the Wizards found themselves leading by three going into the fourth quarter and out-shot the Hawks from the field on the night… Otto Porter led DC in scoring Saturday night, played a team-high 39 minutes and scored a career-high 23 points… 11 of those points came in the second quarter to help give Washington a four-point lead going into the half… John Wall assisted on four of Porters' five buckets in the second frame… Wall finished with 19 points, 12 assists and 2 steals…

Have I mentioned the Washington backcourt is still great?

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Bullet Points: Washington Gets 'Punked' By Boston, 118-98

By Mark Bacon

• The Wizards spent Friday night getting blown out of Boston’s TD Garden by the Celtics. Coach Randy Wittman warned his team that it could not walk onto the parquet court and expect a victory without efficient execution.

• The Celtics (2-3) are no longer a perennial championship threat, but Wittman was very aware that they are a deep, athletic playoff contender that pose problems. The Wizards had to impose their style and avoid sloppiness. The warning went unheeded, and Washington was dominated, 118-98.

• “We just got punked,” Wizards guard Bradley Beal said.

• Beal scored 24 points, a mark he has reached in each of his team’s five games, and was the lone bright spot for the Wizards (3-2). They were slow in their defensive rotations, which resulted in 12 Celtics three-pointers, and were manhandled on the boards, 53-45.

• John Wall had 13 points on 6 of 17 shooting and eight assists to go with a season-high eight turnovers. Center Marcin Gortat (10 points) was the only other Wizard to score in double digits.

• Averaging more than 19 turnovers in their first three games, the Wizards only turned it over just 10 times against the Spurs. On Friday the Wiz handed out a season-high 24, which the Celtics turned into 24 points.

• Five Celtics scored in double figures, led by Jared Sullinger’s 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Sullinger added eight rebounds in just 22 minutes. The Wizards had no answer for Kelly Olynyk, a “stretch” center, and he finished with 19 points, nine generated from beyond the arc, and seven rebounds.

• “Total opposite from the San Antonio game,” Wittman said. “We just let Boston do whatever they wanted. They pushed us, they hit us, they outphysicaled us. We went through the motions tonight and that’s a disappointing [thing] less than 10 days into the season. We can’t do that.”

RANDOM NOTES:

• I wasn’t thrilled when the Wiz selected Kelly Oubre Jr. in the first round. Yesterday, he was fined for an obscene gesture made with 0.3 seconds remaining in the victory over the Spurs. Is Oubre Nick Young 2.0? I think so…

• Former Louisville Cardinal Terry Rozier tallied his first points as a pro; 5 points in 19 minutes of action, plus stalwart defense.

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Bullet Points: Beal with it. Dagger 3 from Beal, Wizards Top Spurs 102-99.

By Mark Bacon

One of the absolute joys of watching the Wizards on local TV in DC is the broadcast team of Bullets legend Phil Chenier, and play by play man, Steve Buckhantz. Fans know, wait for, and savor Bucky’s enthusiastic call of “DAGGER!!!” when a member of the Wizards bury an important bucket. A momentum changer. Like the man says, a Dagger.

For the first seven minutes of the game, the night was beautiful. The Wizards sprinted to a 19-2 lead. At one point, John Wall had more assists (6) than the Spurs had points (4). Porter was cutting hard to the rim, and Wall’s passing game was on point, leading to the high percentage baskets Coach Randy Wittman envisioned when installing the team’s new small ball scheme.

But the Spurs are the Spurs. DC started taking questionable shots, and San Antonio found the cracks in the defense, ending the quarter on a 21-3 run. The Wizards regained their composure, and for most of the second and third stanzas, they trailed by somewhere between 3 and 10 points. Not out of it, but not in control either.

The Spurs are a well-oiled machine. Any one player can have a sub-par game, and yet they keep clicking. But the Wizards found a way to turn it up a notch at the end of the 4th, with momentum changing plays

John Wall tied the game with 3:40 left to go, and Beal gave the Wizards the lead with a vicious slam at 3:20. The Spurs, of course, always had an answer.

With less than a minute left to play and the Wizards up 1, a hectic play involving two crucial deflections from Beal and Porter (giving Washington time to reset their defense) and two missed jumpers from Kawhi Leonard led to the ball in John Wall’s hands and a trip to the free throw line. Wall made them both, but Tony Parker hit a contested three (his only three of the game) on the other end to tie it again.

Back with possession and 7.3 seconds to go, the Wittman drew up a play for Bradley Beal, who shook LaMarcus Aldridge like a bowl of Jello with a sick jab step, then buried the game winning Dagger. The young sharpshooting guard on the cusp of stardom, seized the moment and buried a three-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining to lift the Wizards over the San Antonio Spurs, 102-99, at Verizon Center.

Steve Buckhantz's signature "DAGGER!!!" call never sounded better.

• Is this the new normal for Bradley Beal? He has scored 24+ points in every game this season. With John Wall, he has become a go-to player when the Wizards need a basket. Tonight he had 25, plus four assists and three steals

• Otto Porter emerged from his recent scoring slump to score 19 points.

• Turnovers made the difference. The Wizards had just 10, but they forced 20. This helped keep the Spurs from pulling away in the third quarter.

• The Wizards’ big man rotation still has question marks. Kris Humphries was short on most of his shots tonight, hitting 3-7 overall and 1-4 of his threes. Gortat picked up three fouls early and struggled from the field, shooting 4-9. Nene was solid, but his poor free throw shooting was a constant fourth quarter danger. Dudley was the lone bright spot, continuing the pattern of playing very little in the first half but being on the floor to close the game, doing all of the little things (and hitting some shots).

• Remarkably, there were only two lead changes throughout the entire game, though the game was tied five times. 

• As they have all season, the Wizards won the fast-break battle on Wednesday, 24-17.

• John Wall's 13 assists Wednesday marked his best performance in the category this season. His career high is 18.

• The key moment, of course, with less than a second left, Bradley Beal's 3-pointer sealed the deal for the Wizards, who now move to 3-1 on the young season. 

• Bradley Beal was the player of the game with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals.

• Marcin Gortat was perhaps an unsung hero for the Wiz. Guard and wing play has been the headliner for the Wizards so far this season, but Gortat was solid again on Wednesday. He scored 10 points with eight rebounds and a block. 

Maryland Ranked No. 3 in Associated Press Preseason Poll

Melo Trimble and Jake Layman

By Mark Bacon

Maryland will begin the 2015-2016 season ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press preseasons top 25 poll, which was released this afternoon. North Carolina and Kentucky are ranked ahead of the Terrapins, who are the favorite to win the Big Ten and contend for a national championship after a transformative offseason.

The preseason ranking is the highest for Maryland since 2001-02, when the Terps began the year ranked No. 2 coming off their first Final Four appearance and eventually went on to win the school’s first national championship. Maryland climbed to No. 8 at one point late last season and finished No. 12 in the final rankings after a 28-win campaign and the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance in five years.

Maryland’s offseason was seismic. Sophomore guard Melo Trimble and senior forward Jake Layman decided to return to school after nearly entering the NBA draft. The Terps added blue-chip center recruit Diamond Stone and Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon to the fold. Along with junior power forward Robert Carter Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech who is now eligible after sitting out last season due to NCAA rules, Maryland now has five players who’ve been mentioned as possible NBA draft picks.

The combination of new talent and depth has raised expectations (and adulation) over the past six months, and Maryland was considered a strong contender to enter the season as the AP’s top team. Monday marked Maryland’s 374th appearance in the poll, although it has never been ranked No. 1.

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Bullet Points: Melo Erupts for 37 Points, Spoils Wizards' Home Opener

By Mark Bacon

• New Washington Wizard forward Jared Dudley stated during a radio interview in May that Carmelo Anthony was the most overrated player in the NBA; he hasn’t carried franchises to playoff success like other stars. Later Dudley apologized for the comment; Melo didn’t care.

• “It got back to me,” Anthony said. “It definitely got back to me. I might not look at it and read all that stuff but it gets back to me.” 

• Five months later, Anthony got revenge. The 10-time all-star was an unstoppable force in his New York Knicks’ 117-110 win over the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Anthony scored 37 points on 11 of 18 shooting. He scored from anywhere and everywhere, foiling various defensive strategies to slow him down.

• Bradley Beal scored 26 and John Wall had 25 but Carmelo Anthony stole the show as the Knicks outlasted the Wizards 117-110 and spoiled Washington’s home opener.

• In back to back nights, the Wizards got to the line 20 times in the first half, this time knocking down 15. Many of these free throw attempts were from their up-tempo speed with Wall and Sessions drawing contact in transition. The Wizards went 26-32 from the stripe for the game; an efficient 81 percent.

• The Knicks bench outplayed the Wiz bench. The Knicks bench outscored the Wizards' 50-32 and opted to keep some of their reserves in down the stretch. Drew Gooden and Nene combined for 19 points but were awful on the defensive end. Nene fouled out in just 18 minutes;  Gooden was often gambling for steals that weren't there.

• The Wizards defense still is very much a work in progress. The Wizards gave up 117 points tonight after giving up 113 the night before.  That's simply bad. What has happened to the Wiz’s top-5 defense from last year? Carmelo Anthony torched them. Neither Porter nor Dudley had an answer for him tonight. It was very surprising that the Wizards did not double team Anthony and force other players to beat them.

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