Wall's frustrations with referees boil over: 'I have no respect for them.'

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article_body => "PHILADELPHIA -- John Wall answered a postgame question with a query of his own, one about officiating that gets to the heart of his basketball frustrations this season. The Washington Wizards All-Star then made it abundantly clear he\u2019s over seeking explanations from referees.<\/p>\nWall initially put Wizards\u2019 123-98 loss to the 76ers in proper context. Washington continued an unwanted habit of quickly falling back as Philadelphia led by 22 points at halftime. The Wizards were outrebounded by 16, shot 8 of 28 from beyond the 3-point arc and defensively struggled to slow the 76ers inside or in transition. <\/p>\n\u201cWe just didn\u2019t make shots and...Same stuff we\u2019ve been talking about all year, just giving up too many transition points,\" said Wall, who had 11 points on 4 of 15 shooting. <\/p>\nHe also answered questions about how the team gets by without injured center Dwight Howard for perhaps the next 2-3 months (\"Everyone has to chip in.\") and avoids similar game outcomes (\"Just go out there and compete; just go out there and compete. I mean, we\u2019ve just got to be locked in. \")<\/p>\nWall also responded to questions about officiating. He didn't hold back.<\/p>\n\"I have nothing to say to them. I have no respect for them. Simple as that,\u201d Wall emphatically stated shortly after the loss.<\/p>\nThe heated response was annoyance boiled over. This wasn't just about the lack of calls going his way in Washington\u2019s latest sizeable setback, but throughout the season. The Wizards fell to 8-14 with the loss.<\/p>\nIs it possible for a single sequence to be the turning point during a 25-point blowout in which Washington continued its habit of falling behind early? Unlikely, but if searching, the technical foul assessed to Wall midway through the second quarter receives the nod. <\/p>\nPlaying without Otto Porter (personal matters) and Howard, and against a Philadelphia team with an 11-1 home record, Washington trailed 44-23 in the second quarter. It then closed within nine on a 12-0 run capped by a Wall layup. The point guard smacked his hands together after the score, a gesture less in celebration and more about the lack of a whistle. <\/p>\nOne came immediately. Wall received his sixth technical foul. Only Detroit\u2019s Andre Drummond has more in the league this season.<\/p>\nWhether a direct cause and effect or not, just over two minutes later Philadelphia began a decisive 20-7 run. The 76ers led 68-46 at halftime and increased the margin to 35 in the second half.<\/p>\nAsked what led to the tech, Wall countered by asking, \"How many free throws did I shoot today?\u201d <\/p>\nTwo said a reporter after consulting with the final box score.<\/p>\n\u201cThere\u2019s your answer,\u201d Wall said. \u201cI got a tech for clapping my hands. I got fouled a couple of times. Used to it by now.\u201d<\/p>\nThe five-time All-Star expressed postgame dissatisfaction with officiating at other points this season. Perhaps engaging with referees before or after games might offer Wall greater insight. True or not, don\u2019t expect that kind of summit shortly.<\/p>\n\"I have nothing to say to them. I have no respect for them. Simple as that. I get the same excuse every time,\u201d said the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard. \u201cJust cause I\u2019m stronger than everybody I don\u2019t get those calls. I have no respect for them. They do their job. I do my job. I have nothing to say about them or nothing nice to say toward them.\u201d<\/p>\nWall lives for transition, plays in space. It\u2019s how he creates offense and earns free throw attempts. The latter didn\u2019t happen Friday.<\/p>\n\u201cHe\u2019s always in attack mode,\u201d Bradley Beal said of Wall. \u201cIt\u2019s frustrating because he does get downhill, he does have the advantage on his defender a lot of times. \u2026 I don\u2019t necessarily agree with the tech, but he gave it to him.\u201d<\/p>\nWall\u2019s two free throw attempts \u2013 he made both \u2013 came in the second half. It reached a point where Wall initiated contact with an aggressive hip check into a trailing T.J. McConnell just to see what might happen. The 76ers guard did receive a foul as the two collided along the right sideline in the first half<\/p>\n\u201cJust trying to get a foul to see a foul called (for me),\u201d Wall admitted. \u201cI just wanted to see if they were going to call it.\u201d<\/p>\nPerception may be a reality for Wall. Statistics show another. He averaged 6.3 free throw attempts per game entering Friday. That\u2019s not a league-leading total. It would stand as Wall\u2019s second-highest single-season average for his career. <\/p>\nWall is Washington\u2019s tone-setter. Each player has his own mind, but a collective approach often kicks in. These Wizards are not immune to focus-altering outbursts on the court. They are the only team in the league with three players (Markieff Morris and Kelly Oubre Jr.) among the top 10 in technical fouls this season. <\/p>\n\u201cSometimes we can,\u201d Beal said of Washington letting whistles alter their concentration. \u201cWhether we carry it over, I\u2019m not sure. \u2026 It\u2019s neither here nor there. I could really care less about the refs.\u201d<\/p>\nIt seemed like a meeting with a notorious troll like Philadelphia\u2019s Joel Embiid could lead to concerns, both with techs and losing focus. The All-Star center and sincere MVP candidate didn\u2019t engage in verbal warfare but delivered 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes. <\/p>\nPhiladelphia had eight scorers reach double figures in the latest game in which Washington fell behind by double digits in the first quarter.<\/p>\n\"We\u2019re having trouble getting off to a good start,\u201d coach Scott Brooks said. \u201cI don\u2019t think it was the energy in that first quarter. I thought they just outplayed us. <\/p>\n\u201cWe couldn\u2019t get anything going.\"<\/p>\nWhen it comes to receiving respect from the referees, Wall understands that feeling. <\/p>\nMORE WIZARDS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Consider These:<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/five-observations-wizards-123-98-loss-philadelphia\"> Five observations from Wizards-76ers <\/a><\/li>\n<li>In-House Solution:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-have-no-plans-trade-or-free-agent-replace-dwight-howard-source-says\">Wiz don't plan to make trade or sign FA to replace Howard<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Otto Outta Here?<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/kings-reportedly-monitoring-wizards-interest-trade-otto-porter-jr\">Kings monitoring Wizards' SF<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Wizards

PHILADELPHIA -- John Wall answered a postgame question with a query of his own, one about officiating that gets to the heart of his basketball frustrations this season. The Washington Wizards All-Star then made it abundantly clear he’s over seeking explanations from referees.

Wall initially put Wizards’ 123-98 loss to the 76ers in proper context. Washington continued an unwanted habit of quickly falling back as Philadelphia led by 22 points at halftime. The Wizards were outrebounded by 16, shot 8 of 28 from beyond the 3-point arc and defensively struggled to slow the 76ers inside or in transition.

“We just didn’t make shots and...Same stuff we’ve been talking about all year, just giving up too many transition points," said Wall, who had 11 points on 4 of 15 shooting.

He also answered questions about how the team gets by without injured center Dwight Howard for perhaps the next 2-3 months ("Everyone has to chip in.") and avoids similar game outcomes ("Just go out there and compete; just go out there and compete. I mean, we’ve just got to be locked in. ")

Wall also responded to questions about officiating. He didn't hold back.

"I have nothing to say to them. I have no respect for them. Simple as that,” Wall emphatically stated shortly after the loss.

The heated response was annoyance boiled over. This wasn't just about the lack of calls going his way in Washington’s latest sizeable setback, but throughout the season. The Wizards fell to 8-14 with the loss.

Is it possible for a single sequence to be the turning point during a 25-point blowout in which Washington continued its habit of falling behind early? Unlikely, but if searching, the technical foul assessed to Wall midway through the second quarter receives the nod.

Playing without Otto Porter (personal matters) and Howard, and against a Philadelphia team with an 11-1 home record, Washington trailed 44-23 in the second quarter. It then closed within nine on a 12-0 run capped by a Wall layup. The point guard smacked his hands together after the score, a gesture less in celebration and more about the lack of a whistle.

One came immediately. Wall received his sixth technical foul. Only Detroit’s Andre Drummond has more in the league this season.

Whether a direct cause and effect or not, just over two minutes later Philadelphia began a decisive 20-7 run. The 76ers led 68-46 at halftime and increased the margin to 35 in the second half.

Asked what led to the tech, Wall countered by asking, "How many free throws did I shoot today?”

Two said a reporter after consulting with the final box score.

“There’s your answer,” Wall said. “I got a tech for clapping my hands. I got fouled a couple of times. Used to it by now.”

The five-time All-Star expressed postgame dissatisfaction with officiating at other points this season. Perhaps engaging with referees before or after games might offer Wall greater insight. True or not, don’t expect that kind of summit shortly.

"I have nothing to say to them. I have no respect for them. Simple as that. I get the same excuse every time,” said the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard. “Just cause I’m stronger than everybody I don’t get those calls. I have no respect for them. They do their job. I do my job. I have nothing to say about them or nothing nice to say toward them.”

Wall lives for transition, plays in space. It’s how he creates offense and earns free throw attempts. The latter didn’t happen Friday.

“He’s always in attack mode,” Bradley Beal said of Wall. “It’s frustrating because he does get downhill, he does have the advantage on his defender a lot of times. … I don’t necessarily agree with the tech, but he gave it to him.”

Wall’s two free throw attempts – he made both – came in the second half. It reached a point where Wall initiated contact with an aggressive hip check into a trailing T.J. McConnell just to see what might happen. The 76ers guard did receive a foul as the two collided along the right sideline in the first half

“Just trying to get a foul to see a foul called (for me),” Wall admitted. “I just wanted to see if they were going to call it.”

Perception may be a reality for Wall. Statistics show another. He averaged 6.3 free throw attempts per game entering Friday. That’s not a league-leading total. It would stand as Wall’s second-highest single-season average for his career.

Wall is Washington’s tone-setter. Each player has his own mind, but a collective approach often kicks in. These Wizards are not immune to focus-altering outbursts on the court. They are the only team in the league with three players (Markieff Morris and Kelly Oubre Jr.) among the top 10 in technical fouls this season.

“Sometimes we can,” Beal said of Washington letting whistles alter their concentration. “Whether we carry it over, I’m not sure. … It’s neither here nor there. I could really care less about the refs.”

It seemed like a meeting with a notorious troll like Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid could lead to concerns, both with techs and losing focus. The All-Star center and sincere MVP candidate didn’t engage in verbal warfare but delivered 16 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes.

Philadelphia had eight scorers reach double figures in the latest game in which Washington fell behind by double digits in the first quarter.

"We’re having trouble getting off to a good start,” coach Scott Brooks said. “I don’t think it was the energy in that first quarter. I thought they just outplayed us.

“We couldn’t get anything going."

When it comes to receiving respect from the referees, Wall understands that feeling.

MORE WIZARDS NEWS:

Consider These: Five observations from Wizards-76ers
In-House Solution: Wiz don't plan to make trade or sign FA to replace Howard
Otto Outta Here? Kings monitoring Wizards' SF