The Washington Wizards are fresh off of a sweep of the Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors, a series in which the Wizards dominated just about every facet of the game. Everything was clicking for Washington: John Wall played like a superstar, Bradley Beal revealed his explosiveness, and Paul Pierce once again proved that he is a seasoned veteran primed for playoff basketball. With the underwhelming performances of Atlanta the past few games, the likely season-ending injury to Cleveland’s Kevin Love, and the struggles of the Chicago frontcourt, the East suddenly looks wide open. Do the Wizards have the tools to capitalize on a potentially golden opportunity? The odds are certainly against them, but the case can be made that the Washington Wizards have a legitimate chance to win the Eastern Conference.
Can The Wizards Win The East?
The series victory over Toronto marks the second consecutive season in which the Wizards defeated the fourth seed in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, of course, they beat the depleted Chicago Bulls in a quick five game series. One of the toughest things to do in any sport is win on the road, especially in the postseason when it matters most. Out of all of the incredible stats from the Wizards playoff runs the past two seasons, the one that is most impressive is their postseason road record of 7-1. Washington’s success on the road is somewhat surprising considering the fact that they are just 39-43 the past two regular seasons as the visiting team. Despite their lack of success on the road in the regular season, the Wizards’ resiliency, composure, and sheer will to win has contributed to the their ability to win crucial games away from the Verizon Center.
From a roster standpoint, the Wizards seem to have a fantastic mix of youth and veteran leadership that is perfect for playoff basketball. They are great not only at using their speed in transition, but also slowing the pace down when necessary. As clutch of a performer as NBA champion Paul Pierce is, there is no denying the fact that John Wall is the piece of the puzzle that makes the whole team operate. Over the past few years, he has improved his game tremendously with the development of a consistent mid-range jumpshot and much better decision making on the offensive end. As a young player out of Kentucky, Wall wasn’t a complete point guard quite yet; he was mostly just an electric player who was exceptional in transition. Since then, Wall has matured into a player who can lead an offense and serve as an example for other teammates to follow.
Bradley Beal, the other member of Washington’s dynamic backcourt, had himself a great first round series in which he was more aggressive attacking the rim. Beal averaged just over 20 points per game in the Toronto series. However, many critics of his game have noticed that he hasn’t shown as much growth and improvement as fans and Wizards coaches would have liked to see. He undoubtedly is loaded with talent, but it may take some more time than we thought for Beal to emerge as an All-Star caliber player. If he becomes a reliable scorer the rest of the way, things may be looking up this year for the Wizkids.
On the interior, center Marcin Gortat dominated the Toronto bigs, averaging 17 points per game on 74% shooting in the series. He executed the pick and roll to perfection with John Wall and was wildly efficient around the rim. He is undoubtedly more valuable at this point in his career than power foward Nene Hilario is. Without Nene, the Wizards can survive; however, it’s tough to see them maintaining this kind of success throughout the playoffs without Gortat playing at a high level.
The two X-factors so far have been small forwards Paul Pierce and Otto Porter. Just as it did last year while Pierce was with Brooklyn, the use of Paul Pierce as a power forward has allowed the Wizards to spread out the offense and create more space to execute plays. For the second consecutive postseason, Pierce has hit clutch shots to secure a series win over the fierce Raptors from the North. It’s as if he suddenly changes gears once the calendar hits mid-April. While Pierce’s playoff experience and leadership has been invaluable, so has Otto Porter’s burst of youth and defense. He has provided a spark on both ends, showing glimpses of what the Wizards hoped they had drafted when they took him with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. If the Wizards are able to extend their season late into the spring, look for Porter to break out and become a main contributor for this team.
The skills of all of the Wizards’ rotation players seem to complement each others’ perfectly. They have fantastic balance to their roster, and so far it has proven to be excellent for playoff basketball. The question now arises: how far can this team go? A matchup versus the Hawks or Nets looms in the second round, and neither of those opponents should impose too much fear into a very confident Wizards squad. The Hawks’ offense has consisted of more head-scratching plays than jaw dropping ones as of late, mostly due to sloppy passing and a high turnover rate. They also haven’t shown the ability to win on the road this postseason, an area where the Wizards have proved they excel in. Even if the Nets squeak by the Hawks (which would be a huge upset), it’s difficult to see the red-hot Wizards falling to them too. Brooklyn has been incredibly inconsistent all year long, which is why it’s highly unlikely they would be able to click on all cylinders for two straight playoff series against superior opponents.
As for a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls seem to be the most realistic opponents. Even if Kevin Love doesn’t play, which seems like the most likely scenario at this point, the Cavaliers should still be considered the favorite against any other Eastern Conference team. All season long, Kyrie Irving and Lebron James have been a duo that can take over any game, and by no means has the playoff stage been too big for Irving. Sure, Love’s presence will be missed on the boards and beyond the arc, but Tristan Thompson and James Jones can probably fill the void well enough in the short term for Cleveland to remain a championship caliber team. Does Washington have a chance against Cleveland? Maybe, but certainly not a great one. They would need to find a way to somehow slow down the combination of James and Irving while also exploiting the loss of Love down low.
The Chicago Bulls would be a much easier opponent for the Wizards if they both happened to reach the Conference Finals. Even though this Chicago team is very different from last year’s team that lost to the Wizards in five games, they are still a pretty beatable team for Washington to face. Of course, last April Pau Gasol was a Laker, Derrick Rose sat on the bench in a suit, and Jimmy Butler was just a role player with potential. Now these three players are the focal points of the Bulls’ success. Would confidence from last year’s victory over the Bulls carry over? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean the series would be as one-sided for the Wizards as it was last year. Chicago would have to be considered the favorite; however, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if Washington eliminates Chicago for a second straight season. If Wall can force Rose into turnovers and three pointers while the bigs contain Gasol down low, the Wizards would certainly have a great chance in the series.
The Washington Wizards are built for playoff basketball, but they still may be one piece away from contending for a championship. The main obstacle between the Wizards and the NBA Finals is the dynamic duo of Kyrie Irving and Lebron James up north in Cleveland. In the meantime, let’s continue to enjoy the success of a young and hungry playoff team on the rise in the NBA.
