Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Bullets go back to basics in win Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 16:22:11 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS;PRO BASKETBALL;GAME ANALYSIS \HD Bullets go back to basics in win \BY David Hutchinson \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Before last night's game against the New York Knicks, Washington Bullets coach Wes Unseld told his team to go back to the basics: just play hard, baby. The Bullets responded to their coach, recording their first victory of the season, a 106-104 victory over the previously undefeated Knicks (3-1) before a sellout crowd of 18,756 at Capital Centre. "We were due," said Unseld of his 1-4 team. "This team had always played hard, and I guess I took it for granted they they would continue to play hard. I thought that was a given, but it wasn't. It was my fault. "We talked before the game, and I told them no matter what, we were going to play hard. This group needed this. This win doesn't mean we're going to turn around the season, but we needed this. It was before a packed house and against a good team." The Bullets were humiliated in losses to Cleveland (131-92) and Orlando (127-100) on Thursday, and were in danger of tying the 1966-67 team for the worst start in franchise history. That team finished 20-61. "Obviously, we needed some sort of win to just get us over the hump," said point guard Michael Adams. "We had a monkey on our back. We were hoping to put on a good show. We worked hard as heck on defense and it worked. We have to keep up this intensity." Said forward Harvey Grant: "It was a very important win, a confidence-builder. We wanted to show people that we are going to come out and play hard [every night]." Washington began the game by trapping on defense, and that set the tone of the entire game. The Bullets' intensity on the defensive end carried over to the offensive side. Rookie Tom Gugliotta pounded the boards. Guard Rex Chapman played the passing lanes. Center Charles Jones battled the Knicks' Patrick Ewing in the middle. None of the Bullets backed down from the bigger Knicks, players like Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason who love to intimidate opponents. The Bullets were aggressive going to the basket. The veterans stepped up toward the end of the game, not hesitating to take the big shot. The scene at the buzzer was one of a hard-working team that finally got its payoff. The players hugged and high-fived each other in a circle at the foul line in front of their bench. They had played Wes Unseld-type basketball, blue-collar basketball and won. "We had to get back to the basics," Adams said. "Play hard. The first thing is to play hard, and then we can try to be a good team. We're starting over again." Said Jones: "Hey, we beat one of the elite teams, and it was on national television [TNT cable)]." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM