OAKLAND — I thought only gray-haired former baseball players complained about unwritten rules. But the pettiness extended Sunday night to the Washington Wizards in the final moments of their 137-115 loss to the Warriors.
With 8 seconds left in the game and 6 on the shot clock, JaVale McGee chose to hoist a 3 as the final shot of a blowout win. Wizards guard Brandon Jennings was irritated with the play and shoved McGee to the floor — a dangerous and uncalled for reaction. Jennings, obviously was whistled for a Flagrant foul. Washington coach Scott Brooks reportedly was short with his post game hand shakes between Steve Kerr and his former player in OKC, Kevin Durant. Here’s the play.
Brandon Jennings didn't appreciate JaVale McGee taking a three at the end of the game and shoved him out of bounds for it. pic.twitter.com/d3k6SqNyT5
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 3, 2017
Complaints about running up the score should be reserved for when Middle Tennessee State plays Alabama in college football. NBA teams aren’t allowed to moan and whine when they get blown out. Score more points. Build a better roster. Blame yourself for not performing better. Lashing out about such an inconsequential play to end the game is the sign of a team focused on the wrong things.
After the game, Kerr partially agreed with the Wizards — whether that had to do with his strong relationship with Brooks is unknown. Kerr told the media he wasn’t happy that McGee chose to shoot a 3, but was fine with the Warriors attempting a shot in the final moments.
“It was kind of strange,” Kerr began. “I think JaVale should not have taken that 3. When you have a lead like that you shouldn’t be shooting a 3-pointer. I told him that. I think he understands that. I don’t have a problem taking a shot when there is a shot-clock differential. I never understood why a team would be offended if there is a shot-clock differential? Why dribble out the clock and take a upset about. I was uncomfortable with the way it ended. I apologized to Scott (Brooks). I know he wasn’t happy. There was absolutely no offense on our part. We weren’t trying to pour it on or offend anybody. I think JaVale just knew there was a shot-clock differential, but taking a 3 is not the right thing to do there.”
In the locker room, John Wall and Bradley Beal criticized McGee for the shot attempt. Washington’s two vocal leaders refused to let the 3-point attempt go.
“Whenever a team is up like that, supposedly, you just hold the ball and take a shot clock violation,” Wall said.
“That’s like a basketball rule — you don’t shoot the ball period,” Beal said. “You take a turnover if anything. Especially you are up 20, or however much you’re up. To me, you’re not respecting the game. You are just joking around shooting.”
Jennings, the pusher himself, tried to lighten the mood regarding the play. Too late.
“Nobody was really complaining about it,” Jennings said, “it’s just one of those things now like, we’re headed to the playoffs. We need to get more physical. We need to be more meaner out there. So that’s what I’m here for. Any drama, I’m with it.”
What the Wizards don’t understand is that McGee wasn’t showboating. He’s actually been religiously practicing his 3-pointers, often for 30 minutes at a time after a Warriors practice. And he’s actually getting pretty damn good at them too. What better moment to unveil that in a game than in garbage time? I caught footage of McGee practicing his 3s in February at Warriors practice.
Btw, JaVale has actually been practicing his 3 after every practice. This was him trying something new on the court, not showboating pic.twitter.com/Sg0HQQvkZ8
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) April 3, 2017
McGee’s reaction was easily the best of them all. Glad to see someone is taking a sense of humor on what was really a trivial play.
“I’m glad Brandon fouled me,” McGee joked to ESPN.com. “I was going to air ball that 3. Shout out to Brandon Jennings.”
Maybe the Wizards are just grouchy from a long West Coast road trip. Wall ripped the refs after a loss to Utah the other night. Washington has finally started to cool off after an unbelievable stretch of basketball. They’ve lost three in a row for the first time since November and a six hour flight is looming back to the nation’s capital.
Honestly, what’s the difference between shooting a 3 and 2 to close the game? The Warriors have made the 3-pointer such a normal shot in the NBA. The Wizards are flat out wrong when they say take a shot clock violation to close out the game, too. That almost never happens.
If anything, I’m a little surprised the Warriors weren’t more upset that Jennings realistically could’ve hurt McGee on that play. An injury this late in the season could’ve kept him out of the playoffs and forced Kevon Looney onto the court.
JaVale, I’m defending your right to keep practicing his 3-pointers in garbage time. And NBA players who aren’t okay with experimental plays like this need to realize this isn’t 1974. Not every shot is about running up the score.
