Washington Wizards Three Takeaways: Wizards Climb Back to .500 In Milwaukee
By Ben Mehic
Washington Wizards picked up their fourth road win of the season on Sunday afternoon, beating a Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks team.
Winning on the road has been almost impossible for the Washington Wizards this season, who entered Sunday afternoon’s game in Milwaukee with just three victories away from home.
Despite a rocky start, the Wizards were able to climb out of a double-digit deficit, closing out a Bucks team that was missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, 107-101.
Washington came up with multiple stops at the end, displaying a team effort in stopping the Bucks’ dynamic scorers.
When it came down to crunch time, neither Jabari Parker nor Malcolm Brogdon, who combined for 40 points, were capable of getting key baskets.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s win for D.C…
Wall sets bad example early in contest
As with anything else, the Washington Wizards tend to follow John Wall‘s lead in the turnover department.
If he’s struggling to find a rhythm, throws bad passes and turns the ball over, then his teammates are more likely to follow suit.
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Wall threw the ball away consecutive times, allowing the Bucks to gain momentum in transition.
His lazy passes led to transition baskets, making it harder for the Wizards to settle their defense.
Wall turned the ball over five times.
Washington, in total, committed 19 turnovers against the Bucks.
Oubre is a Buck killer
It’s no secret that some players enjoy playing against specific teams more than others.
The likes of Jeff Green and Charlie Villanueva, for instance, always seem to torch the Washington Wizards when they play at the nation’s capital.
Kelly Oubre is the same with the Bucks.
On Sunday, Oubre came off the Wizards’ bench and scored 17 points. He made three 3-point shots, immediately contributing from deep upon stepping onto the floor.
Instead of doing too much – he certainly overdribbled and got himself into difficult situations a few times – Oubre accepted his role and allowed the game to come to him. He was spoon-fed on the perimeter and happened to knock some open looks down.
For Oubre to have success for a consistent period of time, he needs to continue doing the little things – meaning, find clean looks from three, crash the glass and be a pest defensively.
McClellan steps up again
Sheldon McClellan, at least over the past few games, has been getting the nod over Marcus Thornton, who seems to be inside Scott Brooks‘ doghouse.
McClellan scored 8 points in 12 minutes off the bench on Sunday. He showed his versatility as he hit a 3-point shot and finished an and-one basket inside.
Brooks’ rotations have been erratic this season and it remains to be seen if McClellan will stick around, but for now, he’s done an excellent job of providing a spark.
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Washington will head back home to take on the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.