Saunders calls out Wizards after losing, 110-98, to Oklahoma City

By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 30, 2009; D01

After Coach Flip Saunders watched Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant split the Washington Wizards' defense as if he were driving through cones for an impressive layup on Tuesday, he considered the possibility of putting on a pair of gym shorts. As the night played out, and Russell Westbrook soared for highlight dunks, and Jeff Green and Thabo Sefolosha knocked down uncontested three-pointers, Saunders thought about rounding up people off the street to go against his porous defense.

Saunders tried everything he could to get the Wizards to slow down Oklahoma City -- switching from a zone defense to man-to-man -- and after his team lost its third consecutive game, 110-98, he came to a conclusion: His players cannot stop anyone.

"This team needs a mind-set change," Saunders said. "This team, for the last five years has been known as one of the worst defensive teams in the league. We could take five guys in this room out here and we could have a chance. I think I can go out there on the floor and take anybody on the team, one-on-one at [54] years old, and drive right around them. They can't guard anybody..."

Flip Saunders says team stinks

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."
Winter is Coming

Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.