“I know it’s great to have those type of numbers but it don’t mean nothing if you don’t have a win,” said Wall, who also had eight assists and six rebounds. “We’re disappointed. Nobody wants to be losing, nobody wants to lose games. You don’t want to make it a habit. You come into every game and every season knowing you’re going to lose games, you just keep fighting, try to turn it around.”
The Wizards started to show some fight when Saunders benched McGee in favor of Blatche for the final nine minutes, using a lineup that also included Evans and rookie Jan Vesely. Rockets Coach Kevin McHale said he was “mildly concerned” during the Wizards’ run and Crawford certainly wasn’t pleased with the outcome. “We just made a little run. That’s pretty much it. Still an L,” Crawford said after scoring 17 points, including a buzzer beater just inside half court at the end of the first quarter. “I think we keep putting ourselves in a hole, then we make this little comeback, then everybody kind of feels happy with the little comeback every game. That’s getting old.”
(Jacquelyn Martin/AP) - Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola (4), of Argentina, guard Kyle Lowry (7), and center Samuel Dalembert (21), block Washington Wizards guard Nick Young (1), as he takes a shot during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game at the Verizon Center in Washington, on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Saunders said the reason he benched McGee (eight points, 10 rebounds) was because “we weren’t playing good when he was on the floor, basically,” and not the dunk. “I think because he’s a freak athlete and I think what happens, some of the stuff he does he doesn’t even know he does it. That’s just his nature. He’s gotten better. It takes time. We pounded him for 21
/
2 years not to dribble the ball full court, you know we haven’t seen any this year, knock on wood.”
Young defended McGee, explaining the center needs plays like that to get going and added: “I just want JaVale to keep his head. Don’t let it bring him down.”
Monday’s loss snapped a five-game home winning streak on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Afterward, Wall lamented on how all the losing is affecting the team. “You know when you lose, you really can’t do anything. You really can’t go out in the city, turn on ESPN or any kind of sports; they always talking about you losing games.”
But there is the occasional self-pass dunk highlight.
Related:
Wizards are struggling to stay positive
Box score:
Wall finishes with 38 points, eight assists, six rebounds
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