Tiktekno: clip summarizing today's events in sport, 29.1/Sport1
The new coach effect is even working on Washington.
The Wizards are 1:2 since the firing of Wes Anseld Jr. and the promotion of assistant Brian Keefe to the lines, and at least in the initial phase under the baton of the new coach, are showing defense, commitment and character that were not there before.
Tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) it manifested itself with a comeback from a double-digit deficit and a 113:118 victory in San Antonio, which gave the team a second consecutive victory - something that had not happened to them in 333 days, and not even once this season.
"Keef's attention to detail is absolutely crazy. He has the mentality of someone who didn't come from the NBA, and constantly has to prove himself. He explains everything to you, down to the smallest details. It's fun to play for a coach like that," Kyle Kuzma praised him at the end.
After three games in the position, Keefe is already talking about a turnaround, explaining that "from now on, Washington will be a defensive team first and foremost" and is proud of the sacrifice of his players.
But if anyone on the face of it has suffered a slight setback since Keefe's appointment, it is Danny Avdia.
It is beyond feeling, and is also reflected in the numbers: in the three games with Keef as coach, Avdia dropped to 25.3 minutes per game (compared to 27.4 all season), and his use was also reduced, which was reflected in the drop in average points (from 12.4 before to -10.6 under Keef) and the shots from the field (7.6 with Keef, 9.2 before).
A victim of circumstance?
Avdia/Reuters
When diving into more advanced numbers, no real change is evident.
In fact, in Washington's last three games, Avdia's USAGE percentage (the frequency with which a player is involved in the offense) has even increased slightly, from 18% to 18.2%.
Washington has been playing at a slightly slower pace in recent games, which may be hurting the effectiveness of Avdia, who excels in the open court.
But one thing is certain: Keef gives greater credit to rookie Bilal Coulibaly, and for the time being hardly shares Coulibaly and Avdia together - something not everyone in Washington can understand.
"It is not clear why Danny is playing less and less and touching the ball less and less in recent games. Personally, he has been quite productive. Since the game against Minnesota, his statistical line is a little strange," noted one of the journalists covering the Wizards on the "BulletsForever" blog.
At the same time, he noted, "I think it will change after the 8.2 (trade deadline). It will change soon, even if it depends on how many bench players leave."
Blogger Will Clayton wrote that "I also don't understand why Danny and Bilal can't play together. On the face of it, they seem to complement each other. In one of the attacks tonight, Bilal blocked Danny, and when Danny saw that two players were being sent to him, he found Bilal for a completely free three-pointer. I agree that Danny's situation may change after the trade deadline."
More on the same topic:
Danny Avdia
Washington Wizards