Washington Wizards Roundtable Reactions: John Wall’s Injury
By Ben Mehic
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
1) Prediction Time- Who will win this series and will we see John Wall in uniform again this
season?
Nithin: It pains me to say this given how much fun this team has been in the playoffs but without John Wall I see the Wizards snagging one more game and going out quietly in the night in 6 games.
If there is some miraculous way they get through Atlanta, and the Cleveland-Chicago series goes the distance, I suppose it is possible Wall reemerges in the Eastern Conference Finals but that doesn’t prudent.
This isn’t a championship team (yet) and it definitely won’t be next year if Wall is still hampered by a nagging hand injury he only made worse by trying to get back on the court too quickly.
Matt: It would be easy to say Hawks in 5, but after two games, they really don’t strike fear into me.
I think the Wizards will come out strong in Game 3, riding the crowd and the rallying effect of Wall’s absence to take a 2-1 lead. The Hawks will bounce back, but the Wizards have been so good on the road in the playoffs that I won’t rule out them stealing another game in Atlanta. Likely on another Paul Pierce dagger.
But barring a miraculous comeback from Wall, I can’t see them winning three of the next five. Hawks in 7.
David: Let’s be real here: there’s any chance that John Wall can play in this series, he will. That’s just the kind of guy he is.
My prediction for how this series ends up is completely dependent on his playing status, which is still yet to be determined. As it stands right now, Hawks in 6, but that could easily change. Maybe he just toughs it out with a brace on his left wrist and plays on Saturday, and everything goes back to normal.
Maybe Ramon Sessions pushes the Wizards to a couple wins, and Yung Hildred goes and Willis Reeds the Wizards to an inspiring Game 7 victory. Maybe he tries to play and it just turns out to be a terrible idea. Maybe Wall just can’t go, and the Wizards crumble. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of John Wall in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, though. John’s a maniac, he’s a soldier. It’s only a flesh wound!
Oz: Before the series started I picked the Wizards in six games.
I still think it’s going six, but it’s difficult to pick the Wizards to win without their best player and the head of the snake. That being said, I pick the Wizards to win Game 3 on Saturday.
For them to have a chance at advancing, winning these next two game at Verizon Center is a MUST. I do think we will see John Wall again this postseason. Randy Wittman has called John Wall the toughest guy he’s coached and he may be right (look at what he did AFTER suffering the fracture).
If this Washington team is down 3-2 or so and if the swelling has subsided enough to where John can wear a protective wrap, he’ll be in action.