There are any number of plays, players and matchups that can determine the outcome of a game. There are also simpler solutions, like the one Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal offered the media after Sunday's loss to the New York Knicks.
"I felt like we didn't give a damn, honestly," he told Ben Standig of The Sports Capitol. "We just thought we could show up and play because they don’t have anything to play for. We just thought it was going to be a cakewalk and they smacked us in the mouth."
You have to appreciate the honest perspective.
The Wizards came into the game on a two-game losing streak and appeared to be in good position to beat up on the lowly Knicks.
New York was eliminated from the playoffs nearly one month ago, but the writing has been on the wall for far longer. The Wizards are just two games away from clinching their own playoff berth.
The final score was close, but the game was not--the Wizards led just once after the second quarter. Beal had 14 points, just shot just five of 17 from the floor.
Even a halftime ceremony for the 1977-78 Washington Bullets wasn't enough to pull them out of the funk, as they dropped their eighth game in the last 12.
Fortunately, Beal did have some positive steps forward (via Standig):
More Beal on how to change mentality: "It’s us in this locker room. Coach preaches it every single day. Until to we do it individually and together collectively, we're going to get our ass kicked in the playoffs. This isn't even remotely acceptable how we’re playing right now."
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 26, 2018The Wizards are now 15-11 without point guard John Wall in the lineup.
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