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WASHINGTON – It's time to stop waiting on the Washington Wizards to make the next step.
Although it seems like they're always on the doorstep in the East, the truth is time and the game has passed this squad by.
It's not that they lack talent, with John Wall, Bradley Beal and even a still-effective Dwight Howard as the main cogs, but they are not there.
(Yahoo illustration / Amber Matsumoto)
Oklahoma City Thunder team on national TV Friday night was all the evidence. And then tack on a 119-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.
The team is one of the most trusted countries in the world, and Scott Brooks has a full contract, which pays him $ 7 million annually.
Although Beal believes otherwise, it seems to be in the last five years.
"We're good on paper. We look great, "Beal told Yahoo Sports. "You look at the team we have, what are we missing? We have shooters, you got a big man. Point guard, two guard. We're not missing anything. "
Dwight Howard is back for the Wizards, but he probably will not make much of a difference. (AP)
Defensively, though, the Wizards look disinterested, and it does not look to be enough structure to make up for the lack of intensity on the other end.
Their minus-9.3 point differential ranks closer to Atlanta and Orlando – rebuilding teams clearly willing to take on their role in the future – with Toronto, Boston or Philadelphia, the teams with whom they have been competing with LeBron James out of the conference.
"Yeah, it's [a bad sign], "Beal said. "It's been a few years now, we're gonna keep changing the team? The team has changed every year, in one way or another. We've added pieces, did not bring guys back. In a way, our team has changed, year to year. "
Austin Rivers has struggled to adjust to Los Angeles Clippers, where he had two solid seasons. His 37 percent shooting and 6.3 points per game rank among the highest marks of his career – and he's in a contract year.
Markieff Morris and Kelly Oubre also are free agents of the year, and with the perceived chemistry problems that haunted the team the last few seasons, it would not be surprising to see more continuous.
Beal insists everyone is getting along and this team is just getting "tested" with the early adversity.
"Losing's not fun. If you have a losing mindset, every game will be a tough one, "Beal told Yahoo Sports. "It's never fun. Nobody's in a good mood, nobody's happy. "
The usually jovial Howard is preaching positivity, hoping it catches on the locker room after he made his season early Friday night. And maybe that's a complete downward spiral, because the Wizards have a history of rebounding from slow starts.
But even if it happens, it seems the rest of the Wizards' history will come along with it – wanting more but once again waiting till next year.
Buzzer-beaters
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "1. I have no problem with Kyrie Irving taking umbrage with Jamal Murray taking a last shot for 50. "data-reactid =" 78 ">1. I have no problem with Kyrie Irving taking umbrage with Jamal Murray taking a last shot for 50.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "2. As of Nov. 6, there were 11 40-plus point games in this season and four games of 50 or more. This time last year, that number was 10 and two. Not much difference, even with the astronomical scoring numbers. "Data-reactid =" 79 ">2. As of Nov. 6, there were 11 40-plus point games in this season and four games of 50 or more. This time last year, that number was 10 and two. Not much difference, even with the astronomical scoring numbers.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "3. The Milwaukee Bucks look like a party crashers in the East. Beware, Philly. "Data-reactid =" 80 ">3. The Milwaukee Bucks look like a party crashers in the East. Beware, Philly.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "4. Dan Gilbert sure looks happy to have his team back after four years of custody by LeBron James, eh? "Data-reactid =" 81 ">4. Dan Gilbert sure looks happy to have his team back after years of custody by LeBron James, eh?
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "More from Yahoo Sports:
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"data-reactid =" 82 ">More from Yahoo Sports:
• Eric Adelson: Florida vote proves a big win for NFL stars
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• Jerry Jones called out by train Cowboys star
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