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March 2018 has come in like a lion thanks to a big windstorm that caused schools and the federal government to close. Sure, there’s no significant snow or rain. But 60 mph winds are no joke.
Meanwhile, the Wizards are in the middle of their toughest week of the season. So let’s go through the links:
The Wizards win critical games against Eastern Conference competition
It’s rare to see the Wizards play four straight regular season games on ESPN and TNT. But that’s exactly what happened.
The Wizards beat the 76ers last Sunday at hone, 109-94. Osman Baig also broke down how Washington got on their key run to secure the win.
They followed that up with a 107-104 win on the road against the Bucks on Tuesday. On the following day, the Wizards lost to the Warriors, 109-101. On Friday, they lost to the Toronto Raptors, 102-95 after a turnover-filled game.
The losses to the Warriors and the Raptors (JAKE) certainly shows that Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, and the gang still have a ways to go before being “championship caliber.” But the Warriors are in the Western Conference.
The Wizards won’t play the Warriors in the playoffs until the Finals. And the Wizards are unlikely to be the #1 seed in the East in late April. However, the Bucks and 76ers are in the thick of the playoff race where they have similar records to Washington. The Wizards beat both teams to boost their seeding should tiebreakers come into play. I’ll take the wins over Eastern Conference teams in the pack any day, though I certainly wouldn’t complain if they actually ended up winning against the Warriors and Raptors.
Scott Brooks is the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month
The Wizards went 8-4 with the “Everybody Eats” mantra without John Wall and weathered through the beef between Wall and Marcin Gortat. When you can coach a team to success despite injuries and off-the-court issues, awards happen. Congratulations Scott Brooks!
John Wall is getting back into shape
According to Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington, John Wall is ahead of schedule with his recovery:
.@JohnWall is ahead of schedule a month after knee surgery. His weight is down and he’s already riding the bike getting his cardio up. I’m told Wall WILL NOT rush back but all positive signs moving forward. #DCFamily pic.twitter.com/pgUO57u858
— Chris Miller (@cmillsnbcs) March 1, 2018
The good news is that Wall’s ahead of schedule. Wall also isn’t trying to get back too soon, which is also a good thing considering how the Wizards are playing. The chemistry as of late has been nothing short of outstanding. Thomas Boswell of The Washington Post wrote on Thursday wondering aloud how much Wall has learned from seeing the team play without him.
Before I get ahead of myself, Mike Sykes wrote that the Wizards aren’t better without Wall, even if the record indicates the contrary. John Wall hasn’t been at 100 percent for much of this season, so we have to take that into account as well. Mike also wrote that the Warriors loss demonstrated why the Wizards still need Wall. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post also said that that there is no need to have hot takes about whether the Wizards are “better off” without Wall.
And more links
- Markieff Morris isn’t having the year we wished he would have. But to be fair, Morris has also held his own as of late in the “Everybody Eats” iteration of the Wizards.
- Doug Smith of The Toronto Star wrote how the Wizards are showing that “less is more” at times.
- Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead writes that the Wizards are still leading the NBA in team assists in the last month.
If you have another link you’d like to share, feel free to do so in the comments or as a FanPost. Enjoy the rest of your weekends. I hope you stay safe from the wrath of the windstorm.