The Spell Is Cast: Washington Is Relevant Again
With a core of draftees finally coming into its own, the Wizards are dazzling the league.
The All-Star Game is deceptively set. We usually think about it as the midpoint of the season. But it’s only the midpoint of the season for viewers and the players of only the few teams that play deep into the playoffs. For the half the league whose season ends April 12, we’re actually more like two-thirds of the way through the season.
For once, though, there’s little question that the Wizards are thinking more like a team only halfway through with their work. On the back of their indomitable point guard John Wall, the team’s young draft picks — Bradley Beal and the “Juniors,” Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. — have matured into roles that range with their age from dynamic role-player (Oubre Jr.) to budding gunslinger (Porter Jr.) to borderline All-Star (Beal).
Their growth seemed to click around the turn of the calendar year, with the team reeling off a record win streak. In the big picture, the East looks, if not winnable, worth contesting. But whether their year lasts until June or not, these Wizards have proven something: they’re worth watching.
We talked to six die-hard basketball fans to get their takes on the team at this important juncture.
730DC: Who’s your first-half MVP?
Sarah Hackney: It can’t really be anyone but John Wall, can it?
Jacob Terrell: Undeniably John Wall. In a point-guard dominant league, I think he’s finally standing out among the elite PG’s in the game. He would be an All-Star starter had the Wiz not gone 2–8 to start the season.
Colin Richardson: The boring (and true) answer is John Wall. It’s boring because this has been the case since his rookie year, even though he’s gotten better and is the most critical member of the team. The exciting (and almost true) answer is Bradley Beal, who has stayed healthy and is now a prolific, electric scorer.
Jack Peterson: Jason Smith. Look, I know, Wall is #amazing. But we expected that from him, no? Beal is on a max and Porter is a top 3 pick. Smith is the only bench frontcourt player giving anything of value, and without him and his defense our second unit would crater.
Dan Pino: There is only one answer to this question, and it’s obviously DC’s Optimus Dime, John Wall. Not only is he averaging career highs in pretty much all catergories, he’s finally taken the leap in terms of his leadership. In previous years the Wizards have needed someone like Paul Pierce, Nene, Andre Miller, and other established vets (albeit all way past their primes) to instill confidence into the younger guys — but this year it finally feels like the Wall-Star is taking it upon hiimself.
Grant Maloney: The first half MVP is obvious: John Wall. John Wall is playing the best basketball of his career averaging 22.9 points per game, 10 assists, and is second in the league in steals. Wall is a human lighting bolt who was created in a lab to get guys open shots. Wall plays with an ferocious edge, and his leadership has had a clear positive effect on his team.
Who’s the most improved?
SH: OTTO. As Shaq said last week, “Look at him now” — noting how far Otto’s come since his all-time great Shaqtin’ a Fool appearance. 46% from 3!
JT: Otto Porter Jr. is definitely the most improved player thus far, although I’ve taken a liking to Jason Smith. Anyhow, Otto is knocking down a few more three’s this year, doesn’t look quite as lost on defense, he’s a solid contributor on the boards. Even more impressive than the percentage he’s shooting from the 3 is a new mid-range fade away jump shot that appears to be right out of Durant’s tool chest.
DP: Without question it is Otto Porter Jr. The Georgetown Hoya grad is shooting the lights out from everywhere on the court, but most notably from 3-point range, where he still leads the league in shooting percentage at an astonishing 46 percent. Who would have thought that playing your young players valuable minutes would help them develop (cc: Randy Wittman)? Otto has made a legitimate case for being a max player when he’s a restricted free agent after this season, and for once, I’m okay with Ernie showing him the money.
CR: The most improved player has to be “Grand Theft” Otto. He is somehow leading the league in 3-point percentage, playing good defense, and is the 3-and-D wing the Wiz have needed as a complement to John Wall since the departure of Trevor “Tito” Ariza.
JP: Otto…duh.
GM: Otto Porter. After years of struggling to find his groove, Otto is now one of Washington’s most important players. He’s blossomed into a lockdown defender, tough rebounder, and knockdown three point shooter.
What’s your favorite play of the first half?
SH: Any time a Wall-to-Beal pass leads to a big panda 🐼 dunk and he hangs on the rim, even when they T him up for it.
JT: Hard to narrow down one favorite play, but I’m immediately filled with joy every time Jason Smith blocks a shot. He just makes the craziest faces when he’s on the court. Like you know as soon as he get to the bench he’s gonna nudge you and say “Hey man, can I get a high five for that block….. bet you didn’t know I’m bout that life.”
DP: Oh there's been a bunch, but for me it came during the absolute best basketball game of the season (between any two teams) on February 6 against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. With 3 minutes left in a tie ball game that saw the teams trading 3 pointers for what seemed like forever, Bradley Beal walked the ball up the court, found his way out of a double team and got the ball to the center, Gortat, to execute a perfect give-and-go. Beal quickly whipped the ball to the corner to find Otto Porter for the open 3 (where he of course buried it). This is my favorite play because of it shows the maturity and development of the two guys we needed to develop most, Beal and Porter. Beal would have almost definitely either turned the ball over in previous years, or Otto would have missed the shot. Watch the beautiful ball movement here.
CR: There is definitely some recency bias here, but this Wall through-the-legs pass to Otto in the midst of their trouncing of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a true thing of beauty, and is a perfect embodiment of the joie de vivre that has characterized the Wizards’ recent success.
JP: LeBron’s banked 3. I know! We lost. But we pushed that team and it took a blindfolded three just to tie the game. Ok fine, really it’s this ←
GM: With 20 seconds left in the 4th Wizards are down 1 on the road against the New York Knicks. John Wall grabs a Carmelo Anthony miss, dribbles behind his back and turns on the jets to blow past Brandon Jennings for the dunk to take the lead.
“Blow” by isn’t doing it justice, John Wall hit the turbo like a sports car in a Fast and Furious movie.
Who’s the must-follow on social media?
SH: Gortat for always.
JT. Gotta follow Marcin Gortat. You know you’re gonna get some gem’s out of anyone who looks like they have a cup of coffee and a smoke at halftime. As a side note, he sometimes gives away free tickets to games if you agree to meet him at a location that he tweets.
CR: Kelly Oubre’s French bulldogs: @saintpierreandretti and @soulangelicaandretti. They don’t post much, but everything they do is gold.
DP: No doubt this goes to the youngest player on the team, Kelly Oubre Jr., who turned 21 years old at the beginning of the season. Not only is his snapchat/instagram game straight fire, but so is his dog’s — St. Pierre Andretti #Shhh
JP: Joel Embiid. I think this counts because they’re in our conference.
GM: Jason Smith. An underrated pickup for the Wizards, Jason Smith is a brings a goofy presence to the team. Jason Smith’s latest post is him attempting to sing “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” theme song and the Backstreet Boys song “I Want It That Way.”
What’s the key to the second half for the Wizards?
DP: Staying healthy. Our starters are absolutely one of the best in the league, with the numbers to back it up. However, our starting 5 also has the most minutes played together by a wide margin. Those numbers will need to come down so that we aren’t burned out by playoff time. Most of our guys are young and should be able to handle the grind, but it’d be really nice if John, Brad, Otto, Kieff, and Gortat had a full tank of gas going into the playoffs instead of a quarter tank. Hopefully Ernie Grunfeld (Wizards GM) can find some bench help to bolster our second unit and take some pressure off of our starters.
SH: A trade-deadline bench upgrade?? Sato gaining more confidence at the point? Also, maybe some more articles underrating Kieff just to keep him motivated, ’cause he’s been killing it since he got left off that “best power forwards” list in favor of David Lee.
JT: Key to the second half the the Wiz is staying healthy, and finding a way to cut down Wall and Beal’s minutes leading up to the playoffs. The Wiz just don’t have guards on their bench who are capable of scoring on a consistent basis. Thinking back to 2015 playoff’s the wiz fell apart as soon as wall broke his hand. I would hate to see that happen again.
CR: Their coach, Scott Brooks, should have two goals that are in tension with each other for the second half of the season: Firstly and most importantly, he needs to reduce the starters’ minutes so they can be fresh and healthy for the playoffs. Secondly, the Wizards should try very hard to finish the season as the two- or three-seed in the Eastern Conference so they won’t have to play the Cavs — who are the Wizards’ biggest obstacle to get to the finals — until the Eastern Conference Finals.
JP: Finish the season seeded in a way that avoids Cleveland until the conference finals. Some might say managing minutes, but I think you need to fight for seeding that gives other teams an opportunity to topple Lebron before you have to face him.
GM: The key to the Wizards second half is to play better on the road. In March the Wizards go on a tough road schedule where they will play five games in a week. If the Wizards want to have a 50 win season (which will be the first time a Wizards team has done that since the late 70s) they will have to win most of those games.
What’s the best storyline for fans to follow?
SH: Do Wall and Oubre’s French bulldogs hang out? Have they met? Will they? Can we get some video of that?
Plus, of course, the ongoing jostling in the East for spots #2–5. Gonna be tight to the finish for home court playoff seeding…
JT: The story-line for fans to recognize is that somehow this team recovered from a terrible off-season with your two best players feuding publicly, your only all-star having double knee surgery, a complete failure in free agency (aside from Mr. Bout that Life Jason Smith), and when all hope was lost, they made hope for themselves. If the story had a title, it would be “DC, you got grit!”
DP: The best storyline is definitely how much of a non-storyline the perceived animosity between John Wall and Bradley Beal has been. The backcourt tandem are having their most successful year together, and are finally living up to what everyone thought/hoped they could be. Both are averaging nearly 23 points per game, and both have played in the vast majority of games this year (a serious issue for Beal in the past). So long as these two are playing, the Wizards have a chance to compete against any team.
CR: Bradley Beal’s coming out party. He’s shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but he has broken out this year to become the Wizards’ best scorer. He drains threes, he takes it to the rack, and he hits hot streaks where every ball that leaves his hands seems to have an unalterable destiny that leads through the opposing team’s hoop.
JP: This!!!
GM: Coach Scott Brook’s player development. John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, and Markieff Morris are all having the best years of their careers. If the Wizards end up winning more than 50 games and end up as a second seed, Scott Brooks should be considered for coach of the year.
Predict the last play of the season.
SH: Beal misses what would have been a game-winning corner 3 off of what would have been Wall’s 19th assist in game 6 of the conference finals against Cleveland.
DP: The Wizards currently sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference, and if they continue playing as they have been and maybe get some bench help, they could perceivably jump up to the 2nd spot. I think they’ll likely hold pat at the 3rd or 4th spot, giving them home court in the playoffs until the Eastern Conference Finals. And that’s where I think we’re heading. The Eastern Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics have been very good this year, and obviously so are the Cavs. However, we’ve had Boston’s number this year and the Cavs will be without Kevin Love for at least 6 weeks. By the time we get to the ECF, one of those two teams will be the last team standing, and I like our chances against either.
JT: Last play of the season is sadly watching John Wall trying to find an open shot in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals before being swept by King James and Co.
CR: It won’t quite be the last play of the season, but in the fourth quarter of the last home game (game 80 of 82, against Miami on April 8) John Wall will come out with two minutes left because the Wizards will have already clinched the two-seed, waving his arms for the fans to get louder as the crowd at the Verizon Center goes totally crazy. That will be quite the Wizard party.
JP: Morris misses an open 3 that wouldn’t have tied the game anyway as the Wiz fall in 6 to the Celtics.
GM: 5 seconds left in the final seconds of the 4 quarter of game 7 of the NBA finals. Wizards are down by 2 against the Golden State Warriors. The Wizards have shocked the world up to this point, nobody believing they could get to this point. Beal inbounds the ball to Wall, who fakes out Curry and darts to the basket. Wall goes up for the layup — and at the last second passes to Beal on the wing. He takes a dribble and shoots as time runs out. The shot banks in; the Wizards are NBA Champions. “I called game” Beal says with a smile as the team mobs him.
