Home » Sports » Basketball
Tempers flare as Wizards' flop again
Source: Agencies |
March 25, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Washington Wizards' woeful run continued with a 86-95 overtime loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday, the home team's 12th consecutive defeat made worse by a blazing row between the coach and one of his players.
Wizards coach Flip Saunders benched Andray Blatche in the first quarter after the forward, who has been one of the few bright spots in a dreadful season, refused to return to the action after the two argued over his defensive contribution.
"I took him out of the game because I wanted to talk to him about not getting back on defense," Saunders told reporters. "He didn't want to hear it.
"I told him 'if you don't want to talk, don't want to be coached, you're not going to play.' We had coaches go up to him three different times. He just said he didn't want to play.
"In 15 years (of coaching), I've never seen anything like it. Never."
Blatche is averaging career highs of 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds this season and has been particularly impressive since breaking into the starting line-up about five weeks ago.
"He can be pissed at me but you never leave your teammates hanging out to dry like that," Saunders added. "No matter what. Especially when you've lost 11 games in a row and have a chance to win one. It's uncalled for."
Next game
Saunders said he did not believe Blatche, who scored four points but no rebounds in seven minutes against the Bobcats, would play in the next game against Indiana.
The Wizards (21-48) made a good start to the campaign but have struggled since December when floor leader and three-times All-Star Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the season for bringing guns into the locker room.
Saunders and general manager Ernie Grunfeld opted to revamp the team in an effort to build for the future, a decision that has backfired remarkably with mounting losses and dwindling Verizon Center crowds.
In Tuesday's defeat, Al Thornton hit a three-pointer with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 82-82 and force overtime but the Wizards were swamped in the extra session.
The 23-year-old Blatche, playing in his fifth NBA season, was also a no-show in the Wizards' locker room after the game.
"I am really disappointed in him," Saunders said. "Since he's been starting, 60 percent of the offense is run through him. He thinks I yell at him because he takes bad shots. He's taken twice as many shots as anybody. Coaches aren't wrong. When a coach wants to teach you something, you can't think you're above that."
Elsewhere, Danilo Gallinari scored 24 of his team-high 28 points in the second half to help the New York Knicks hold off the Denver Nuggets for a 109-104 triumph.
Wizards coach Flip Saunders benched Andray Blatche in the first quarter after the forward, who has been one of the few bright spots in a dreadful season, refused to return to the action after the two argued over his defensive contribution.
"I took him out of the game because I wanted to talk to him about not getting back on defense," Saunders told reporters. "He didn't want to hear it.
"I told him 'if you don't want to talk, don't want to be coached, you're not going to play.' We had coaches go up to him three different times. He just said he didn't want to play.
"In 15 years (of coaching), I've never seen anything like it. Never."
Blatche is averaging career highs of 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds this season and has been particularly impressive since breaking into the starting line-up about five weeks ago.
"He can be pissed at me but you never leave your teammates hanging out to dry like that," Saunders added. "No matter what. Especially when you've lost 11 games in a row and have a chance to win one. It's uncalled for."
Next game
Saunders said he did not believe Blatche, who scored four points but no rebounds in seven minutes against the Bobcats, would play in the next game against Indiana.
The Wizards (21-48) made a good start to the campaign but have struggled since December when floor leader and three-times All-Star Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the season for bringing guns into the locker room.
Saunders and general manager Ernie Grunfeld opted to revamp the team in an effort to build for the future, a decision that has backfired remarkably with mounting losses and dwindling Verizon Center crowds.
In Tuesday's defeat, Al Thornton hit a three-pointer with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 82-82 and force overtime but the Wizards were swamped in the extra session.
The 23-year-old Blatche, playing in his fifth NBA season, was also a no-show in the Wizards' locker room after the game.
"I am really disappointed in him," Saunders said. "Since he's been starting, 60 percent of the offense is run through him. He thinks I yell at him because he takes bad shots. He's taken twice as many shots as anybody. Coaches aren't wrong. When a coach wants to teach you something, you can't think you're above that."
Elsewhere, Danilo Gallinari scored 24 of his team-high 28 points in the second half to help the New York Knicks hold off the Denver Nuggets for a 109-104 triumph.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
