Randy Wittman: 'If you give me 27 minutes on Saturday, I'll get you a rebound'
The Washington Wizards were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, in a much-anticipated game that saw Kevin Durant bludgeon his hometown team before missing the second half with a hamstring injury.
But it didn't matter. The Thunder out-rebounded the Wizards 30-19 in the first half and 53-41 overall, motivating Randy Wittman to call out his entire team -- and one player in particular. Here's what he said, per CBS Washington:
"We’re just too soft of a team right now. I might as well stick four guards and a center out there and play, because we’re getting beat on the boards with my supposed big men out there,” Wittman said. “We let teams take it to us the last three games. We can’t blame turnovers tonight for defending, and we don’t defend. Guys drive by us at will. We don’t have any toughness, we don’t hit anybody and rebound the ball. We’ve got guys that play 27 minutes and get one defensive rebound. I can get a rebound. I guarantee it. If you give me 27 minutes on Saturday, I’ll get you a rebound. That’s what it boils down to. Fifty-fifty balls, the dirty stuff — we don’t get dirty, and that’s on me. We’ve got three days to find the guys that’ll play that way.”
Well, this was brutal. Marcin Gortat is the main target in question, and Wittman's comments weren't particularly veiled. Gortat grabbed one defensive rebound in 27 minutes. (And two more on the offensive glass.)
The Wizards better turn things around soon, or the pressure could start rising.
