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Top 5 Wizards Stories of the Week of April 12, 2015

The Wizards' playoff berth is just one of the top stories of the week. Let's review.

By Albert Lee
Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Did you snooze during the last week of the Wizards' regular season? No worries, here are your top stories for the Week of April 12, 2015.

1. Wizards play the Raptors in the Playoffs

For the first time since the 1987-88 season, the Wizards will not be playing a first-round playoff opponent named the Chicago Bulls or the Cleveland Cavaliers. You can check out the schedule here, and all of the coverage here.

2. Paul Pierce talks trash at the Raptors to start a rivalry with them

If you're wondering why the Raptors are about to be the Wizards' next rival, Paul Pierce began to talk smack at the Raptors, despite the fact that they were swept this season in an interview to ESPN's Jackie MacMullan:

We haven't done particularly well against Toronto, but I don't feel they have the 'It' that makes you worried. There isn't a team I look at in the Eastern Conference that makes me say, 'They are intimidating, we don't have a chance.'

Masai Ujiri got wind of it and said that he'd rather save some dinero.

3. The Sunday win over Atlanta was the best Wizards Fan Appreciation Game ever

I hung out with Triple Net / SwedenDC last Sunday where we had a chance to watch the Wizards give the Hawks a beating .

When the win included a M.C. Hammer cameo,

a free Chick-Fil-A Sandwich and #WIZ50 combo,

and Hawks sideline reporter Olivia Harlan -- who is the daughter of TNT/Westwood Radio play by play announcer Kevin Harlan -- being next to one of us,

that makes for the best Wizards Fan Appreciation Game ever! Did I mention that Harlan took notice too?

harlan

This game may have been even more than perfect after that subtweet.

4. Wizards play all the starters for over 40 minutes in a 99-95 2OT loss to the Pacers

The Wizards were looking forward to ending the Pacers' playoff hopes on Tuesday. But John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat played over 40 minutes in a double-overtime loss that had no bearing on their playoff seeding. On top of that, both teams were just woeful offensively. It was so bad that Grantland's Bill Simmons gave head coach Randy Wittman a shoutout.

5. John Wall follows us on Twitter!

'Nuff said. Thank you #WallStar!

Extra: The Mystics' 2015 WNBA Draft class is headlined by Atlantic 10 players Ally Malott and Natasha Cloud

The 2015 WNBA Draft was Thursday. The Washington Mystics selected Dayton forward Ally Malott eighth overall with their first round selection. I wrote something quick about it here.

Their second-round selection (15th overall) was St. Joseph's guard Natasha Cloud. She is a player who can play both guard positions and the small forward position given her 6'0 height.

Their third selection was Bosnian forward Marica Gajic, who was 32nd overall. I don't know much about international prospects, but Mystics GM/HC Mike Thibault does invest heavily in international scouting. Considering that he drafted starting Belgian forward Emma Meesseman in 2013 in the second round, you never know if Gajic could be a gem for them down the road. I don't expect to see her playing this season.

Finally, the Mystics have invited Princeton guard Blake Dietrick to a training camp contract:

Dietrick was the Tigers' leading scorer and led them to their first undefeated regular season in school history.

To cap things off, Thibault gave a video interview to Monumental Network's Jumoke Davis:

For more detailed stuff from the WNBA Draft as a whole, log on to SB Nation's Swish Appeal where you can get more analysis and hot takes.