Andray Blatche: Winless Wizards Have Tuned Out Coach Flip Saunders


Flip Saunders’ Washington Wizards are the NBA’s worst team — he certainly knows it — and Andray Blatche indicates that his teammates have tuned out the head coach. Per CBS Sports: “To see them is to understand that the 2008-09 Nets’ NBA-record 0-18 in start just might be in jeopardy. In a performance labeled ‘sickening’ and ’embarrassing’ by Andray Blatche, whose own performance also could’ve been thusly described, the Wizards fell to 0-8 Sunday with a 93-72 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Afterward, Blatche (10 points in 31 minutes on 5-for-16 shooting) attempted to get coach Flip Saunders’ back, but ended up making his coach look bad in the process. It’s been that kind of start to the season for the Wizards, who can’t even fall on their swords properly. ‘Flip is definitely doing his job,’ Blatche said. ‘I just don’t feel like guys are listening and following behind what he says and what he wants us to do.’ Never a good sign, eight games into the season. ‘Guys want to try to do it their own way, and it’s not working,’ Blatche said. ‘The record shows that. I feel like everybody should go home and focus and think and take consideration for what Flip is saying, because it can’t hurt. It damn sure ain’t helping us our way.’ The Wizards scored 17 points in each of the first two quarters and were mesmerized by Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio. When Rubio entered the game with 1:30 left in the first quarter, he orchestrated a 17-2 run and controlled everything that was happening on the floor during his 31 minutes off the bench with 13 points, 14 assists and six rebounds. ‘It’s on us as players, because we’re the ones being put out there at the end of the day, embarrassing ourselves,’ Blatche said.”