Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards Could Secure First Division Title In Decades

By Ben Mehic

Mar 22, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Verizon Center. The Washington Wizards won 104 - 100. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Verizon Center. The Washington Wizards won 104 - 100. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards haven’t captured the Southeast Division crown in nearly four decades, but Scott Brooks’ team will end the drought soon.

The Washington Wizards haven’t hung a new banner from the Verizon Center rafters since 1979, but that could – and likely will – change this season.

For the past several years, the Atlanta Hawks have dominated the Southeast Division, even stealing the Eastern Conference crown from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 with 60 wins on the season.

But after Al Horford‘s departure in the summer, the Hawks became more vulnerable, losing arguably their best player to the Boston Celtics.

Washington (43-28), sitting third in the standings, maintains a six-game advantage over fifth placed Atlanta (37-34). Their lead widened on Wednesday night as the Wizards picked up another narrow victory over the Hawks at home.

The rest of the Southeast teams – the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic – are on the outside looking in, posing virtually no threat to the Wizards.

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Washington has 11 games remaining on its schedule.

The NBA Playoffs are just 22 days away, so the Wizards have numerous back-to-back games left to play, some of which are against championship contending teams.

At this point in the season, teams have begun to rest their starters in preparation for the postseason.

As mentioned previously, the Washington Wizards’ starters are leading the NBA in minutes played and is the only lineup in the league to have played over 1,000 minutes.

John Wall is listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, which in NBA terms could be translated as “sitting because he deserves the much-needed rest.”

That same tactic could effect the Wizards’ schedule, especially against the top-tier teams.

Washington will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday night. They’ll meet the Lakers on Tuesday and then the Clippers right after on Wednesday. Washington meets two Western Conference powerhouses in Utah and Golden state to end this month and to start April.

The outcomes of those games could be determined by how the teams decide to employ the resting tactic.

If the Warriors, for instance, opt to rest Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the Wizards could end up sneaking out with another win over the league’s most recognized team.

Next: Why the Wizards Could Get to the NBA Finals

On paper and in the record books, the context of the wins won’t matter. Whether it’s against a stacked Warriors team or a depleted one, the Wizards are still looking to secure wins, inching closer to their first division title in 38 years.

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