Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards Three Takeaways: Wizards Dominate Oklahoma City Thunder at Home

By Ben Mehic

Feb 13, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) reaches for a loose ball in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) reaches for a loose ball in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards, led by John Wall and Bradley Beal’s hot shooting, dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Monday night.

The Washington Wizards have climbed to the third spot in the Eastern Conference after a rough start to the season, but some have still questioned the team’s recent surge because of the competition they’ve beaten.

Washington has taken care of business at home, winning 17 straight games before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in an overtime thriller, but they haven’t necessarily stacked wins against elite teams.

On Monday night, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder presented a unique challenge for the Washington Wizards.

Westbrook, who’s arguably the leading Most Valuable Player candidate, has given the Wizards fits in the past.

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Wall, with a sprained ankle, was tasked with stopping the seemingly unguardable Westbrook and leading his team to another win.

It had the makings of a loss, but the Wizards pulled away with another blowout win on national television, 120-98.

Wall shuts down Westbrook – exposes him on other end

John Wall, in many respects, is similar to Russell Westbrook.

Both are known for their speed and physicality, but they utilize them in different ways.

Westbrook is a shooting guard who happens to play the point guard position. Wall is a pass-first guard who’s known for making his teammates better.

Wall put pressure on Westbrook and forced him into difficult shots early on, throwing him off his rhythm. Westbrook made just 5 of his 19 shot attempts – almost all of which were ill-advised.

Offensively, Wall picked the Thunder’s defense apart. He scored 15 points and dished out 14 assists. He found his teammates on the perimeter after getting inside the paint, leading to open threes, which extended the Wizards’ lead.

Beal finds his stroke early

The Wizards made their first 8 shots, three of which were deep balls from Beal.

Beal sparked the Wizards’ offense with his shooting, scoring 22 points in 23 minutes. He made 6 of 7 threes.

Even though he’s technically not an All-Star, Beal is playing at that level, which is all the Washington Wizards should value. He’s perfected the outside shot, but he’s also kept the defense honest by creating off the dribble.

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His shooting ultimately carried the Wizards to the dominant win.

It’s pretty clear that no chemistry issues exist between Wall and Beal. The Thunder game was a great example of how the duo has meshed this season.

Keef and Otto continue low-key balling

Neither Markieff Morris nor Otto Porter have flashy games, but both have also played at an All-Star level since December.

Morris came off a 20 and 10 game against the Indiana Pacers.

He carried the momentum over to Monday, totaling 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting. He made all three of his 3-point attempts.

Morris has extended his range and has become a knock-down shooter, giving Wall another threat to look for on the outside.

Otto Porter scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. At this point, it’s become surprising when Porter isn’t scoring and rebounding efficiently. Defenses have begun to lock in on Porter, but Wall continues to find him with his penetration.

Next: Four Potential Wizards Trade Scenarios

Washington will have a few days to rest before meeting the Pacers at Indiana on Thursday.

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