Post Sports Live debates whether the Wizards are in control of the playoff series after a Game 1 win on the road against the Toronto Raptors. (Post Sports Live/The Washington Post)

Post Sports Live debates whether the Wizards are in control of the playoff series after a Game 1 win on the road against the Toronto Raptors. (Post Sports Live/The Washington Post)

Internet memes are meant to be funny, not fair, turning a momentary lapse into a permanent representation of preconceived notions about an individual. It’s how Washington Wizards Coach Randy Wittman’s reactions to on-court mishaps became a popular hashtag: #WittmanFace. How an old photograph of Wittman getting pelted in the face by an errant pass will follow any of his coaching errors. And how one of the most memorable scenes from the Wizards’ win against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday to open their NBA playoff series was Wittman flipping around his clipboard multiple times before drawing up a play while Bradley Beal watched with a look of puzzlement.

[Download and share #WittmanFace]

The six-second Vine clip has served as an endless loop into the frustrations of this season: Wittman fumbling with the clipboard seemingly represented how he has bucked modern analytical trends, and Beal’s face represented confused NBA fans and observers wondering why it’s taking so long for him to change. But with the Wizards up 2-0 in their best-of-seven series against the Raptors, Wittman has found a way to laugh back.

Wittman is the first coach in NBA history to win seven of his first eight postseason road games and has the Wizards two victories from making consecutive appearances in the conference semifinals, something the franchise hasn’t done since 1978-79. They will host the next two games at Verizon Center, starting with Game 3 on Friday night.

Repeatedly pummeled during the regular season despite leading the Wizards to their most wins in 36 years, Wittman has found success against the Raptors by reinventing himself and his team rather than by defiantly sticking to the same rigid rotations and schemes. He has employed Paul Pierce as a stretch-four, unleashed Otto Porter Jr. as a momentum-swinging energy player, utilized Marcin Gortat after the third quarter and finally devised plays for Beal to attack the rim and shoot more three-pointers.

1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Washington defeats Toronto for two-game series lead View Photos The Wizards dominate the Raptors, 117-106, and return home with a 2-0 series lead. Caption The Wizards dominate the Raptors, 117-106, and return home with a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. Washington Wizards guard John Wall reacts after dunking against the Toronto Raptors during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

Detractors can scoff about Wittman’s resistance to implement what seemed necessary for months. They can also say Wittman has simply benefited from fortuitous first-round playoff pairings — last year, they drew an offensively deficient Chicago team lacking point guard Derrick Rose; this year, they have a defensively deficient Toronto team with a banged-up point guard in Kyle Lowry. But the fact remains Wittman has made the right adjustments thus far.

“Obviously good players help,” Wittman said when asked about his road playoff success. “My job here today and tomorrow is to get them prepared for what might come. I don’t ever want a team to go out on the floor and be surprised by what might happen. If I can do that, then they’re going to go out and win or lose. That has nothing to do with me.”

Wittman doesn’t always come across as the most engaging and inviting person. He can be curt and guarded with members of the media. He won’t offer much insight on his tactics or his opponents. Before Game 1, Wittman implored reporters to hurry up and ask their questions because he had work to do. No one laughed and Wittman didn’t smile; he wasn’t joking.

Wittman is demanding of his players, which has resulted in the Wizards finishing fifth in the league in defensive efficiency, and has earned the respect of longtime veterans like Pierce for his game-plan preparation. But through that rough facade, Wittman has also found a way to motivate his players by tapping into their emotions. Last postseason, Wittman sent inspirational text messages to Wall while he was struggling and raised Gortat’s spirits with a hearty “go get ’em.”

In a five-minute speech before the series began, Wittman fired up his players by tugging at their hearts. According to Beal, Wittman told them to “cherish each moment,” and reminded them that postseason appearances aren’t promised. Wittman then pointed to the 37-year-old Pierce and said, “Paul, this might be your last time ever making it to the playoffs.”

Beal said the speech nearly pushed him to tears. Pierce said, “It was inspiring.” Wall has been one of Wittman’s staunchest supporters because of the way he pushed him on the defensive end and held players accountable. He added that Wittman is always working behind the scenes to get more from his team.

“He’s confident in himself,” Wall said of Wittman. “Some people might look on the outside and say he shuts down, he’s not talking, he’s not giving them motivation to try to get through those tough times when we go through a losing stretch. But he’s doing everything and giving us motivational speeches and all that. It’s just up to us as players to compete.”

Wittman has some well-documented flaws, and his career winning percentage of .394 — even after the past two 40-plus win seasons — supports doubters of his bench acumen. Wall has blossomed into a two-time all-star under his tutelage, but the progress of the other Wizards draft picks has been slow or nonexistent. Wittman abhors analytics, and his take-what-the-defense-gives-you offense has been an affront to efficiency. Midrange jumpers are treated like insults by most teams, while Wittman welcomes them as if they were a bouquet of roses.

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis seemed to slight the strategy in February, while the team was in a prolonged slump, when he wrote on his blog, “In today’s NBA, three point shooting and foul shots are so very vital. Running the floor to get lay ups as the efficient 2-point shot is also key. We haven’t been executing those sets well.”

The Wizards’ second-half swoon raised speculation around the league about Wittman’s future, because he has one guaranteed year left on his contract after this season. But he has tried to remain oblivious to the criticism that the team can only go so far under his watch.

“Number one, I don’t listen to all the things you guys say anyway. That’s how you” block out the noise, Wittman said. “You come in to work every day. I don’t pay attention to what’s going on, on the outside. Stay focused. It’s a long season.”

Wittman’s task is far from complete, especially with a team that trumpeted championship aspirations earlier this season before that free fall. But just as it took him a while to figure out which side of the clipboard would be best to design a late-game play, Wittman might be coming up with something that just might work, in the nick of time.