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SB Nation NBA Reacts ending May 18: Wizards fan confidence reaches a season high of 49 percent

Nearly half of fans are confident in the team’s direction!

By Albert Lee

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Charlotte Hornets v Washington Wizards Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation NBA Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we email questions to Washington Wizards fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts so your voice is heard!

Wizards results: Nearly half of fans are confident in the team’s direction!

According to the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 49 percent of Wizards fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That’s up from 46 percent last week and 39 percent two weeks ago.

Furthermore, this is a SEASON-HIGH!

The results for this survey concluded before the Wizards lost to the Celtics in the play-in. But I think this is an accurate reflection of the fanbase at the time. Many fans were optimistic about Washington not only making the play-in tournament. They also earned a double-elimination spot with the No. 8. seed!

It is also important that we take into account the possibility that the Wizards find themselves in the lottery anyway. They are playing the Pacers tomorrow and will be favored, But ... they can still lose. It wasn’t long ago when the Wizards were left for dead as one of the NBA’s worst teams. Most of us were hoping they would get a high lottery pick rather than compete for a playoff spot. But here we are.

Sixty-eight percent of Wizards fans believe that the late postseason push would be worth it, even if Washington loses tomorrow. I voted “no” to this question, primarily because the Wizards had a clearer path to a Top-5 pick than any playoff spot back in April. While the short term losing would have hurt, I at least was willing to see Washington have a chance at someone like a Cade Cunningham, etc. here.

Of course, I feel conflicted with this. I know the Wizards’ players are trying hard to win every game. And I’m also happy to see that they have performed so well in April and May. However, to me, this playoff push is only worth it if the Wizards actually MAKE the Round of 16 at a minimum.

National Results: Fans think the Wizards will make the playoffs. This means ... they think the Wizards will win tonight!

Most of the national SB Nation NBA Reacts questions have little or nothing to do with the Wizards. But this week, we finally get some love! Why? The Play-In Tournament is finally in progress.

Let’s start with the Eastern Conference. The first of the East’s play-in tournament games were played Tuesday night with the Boston Celtics earning the first bid into the playoffs after beating the Wizards. Quite frankly, I was hoping that SB Nation NBA Reacts would ask us for a do-over on our fan confidence after watching Jayson Tatum score 50 on Washington like a walk in the park. Losses like last night are why I voted no on team confidence.

But I digress.

Though the Wizards were the top choice to advance with 78 percent of the votes, 61 percent of NBA fans believed the Celtics would advance.

The Indiana Pacers received the least amount of votes, with only 24 percent, but lived to fight another day after beating the Charlotte Hornets. I guess that means that the worldwide pool of SB Nation NBA Reacts voters are down with the Wizards winning tonight, RIGHT?

In the Western Conference, fans think the Golden State Warriors have the best chance of advancing beyond the play-in tournament, with 81 percent believing the team will win one of their games. They are followed by the Los Angeles Lakers, who have 80 percent of fans that believe they will ultimately get in the Round of 16.

Since their first games were played yesterday, there’s a chance that some of these choices may not have aged well. Don’t blame me though. It’s just the reality of time moving as fast as it is!

The Lakers and Warriors were the top two choices among fans, and I expect they will make the playoff field. However, it’s certainly possible that the Lakers (or Warriors) lose two in a row after winning the championship last year .... and get not-so-incognito-Wizards fan Jalen Suggs in the draft.

Fortunately for LA and Golden State, they have two of the best players in the game in LeBron James and Stephen Curry, respectively.

However, if fans were forced to pick between the two superstars, nearly three-fourths of fans believe Curry is more dangerous in an elimination game than James.

I don’t disagree. After all, take a look at these shots Dell Jr. made!

Still I think that James is the better overall player, at least when he’s been healthy this season.

More National Results: Who is the Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year?

Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was picked by 52 percent of NBA fans as the player who should win the Rookie of the Year award. Ball beat out Minnesota Timberwolves’ top pick Anthony Edwards 36 percent and Sacramento Kings rookie Tyrese Haliburton who earned 12 percent.

Wednesday night’s winner between the Lakers and Warriors will decide who plays the Phoenix Suns in the first round. The loser will play for a chance to face off against the Utah Jazz and center Rudy Gobert. The Jazz star was the top pick among fans, with 49 percent of the vote, to win Defensive Player of the Year.

To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here. Otherwise, don’t complain that a result didn’t go a certain way that you were expecting!