Washington Wizards haven’t had a real closer since Gilbert Arenas, but this season, John Wall has become an elite player in the clutch.
John Wall dribbled above the 3-point line and stepped into a jump shot with confidence against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. His jumper has improved to the point where it’s not surprising when he makes shots from the perimeter.
But now he’s hitting those shots in the fourth quarter with regularity.
Prior to this season, the Washington Wizards didn’t have a closer since Gilbert Arenas was an All-NBA player. Bradley Beal showed flashes of stardom in crunch time, but he was constantly plagued with injuries, making him an unreliable closer.
Wall, the team’s lone All-Star, didn’t seem to have a skill-set that translated well to fourth quarter scoring.
Most fourth quarter players – like Kevin Durant or Paul George, for instance – can rely on their isolation scoring to put their respective team on their backs.
Wall, a pass-first guard, had an anxious offense in the fourth quarter, often relying on low-percentage fade away jump shots or simply passing to one of his teammates.
More from Wiz of Awes
- It would be a mistake for the Wizards to trade for this elite sharpshooter
- When is the 2024 NBA trade deadline? Everything you need to know
- 5 early predictions for the 2023-24 Washington Wizards
- 4 most interesting Washington Wizards storylines for the 2023-24 season
- Washington Wizards: 3 teams that would be perfect fit for Danilo Gallinari
Averaging a career-high 23 points, Wall has become one of the NBA’s best fourth quarter scorers this season.
Currently, he’s seventh in total points scored in the fourth with 109 points, according to NBA Miner.
He’s scored more points in the fourth quarter than the aforementioned George, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and James Harden.
Wall is also sixth in total shots made in the fourth quarter, leading George, DeMar DeRozan and Damian Lillard.
His shot making in the fourth quarter has elevated the team’s overall play. Washington has won 17 straight games at home and have climbed to the third spot in the Eastern Conference.
The makings of a bona fide star player aren’t concrete, but being able to score when a team needs it most is certainly one of the criterion for judging players.
Against the Pelicans on Saturday, the Wizards had moments where it seemed like their winning streak would finally come to an end. But as he’s done throughout the entire season, Wall carried the team to another win almost single handedly.
Washington’s head coach, Scott Brooks, stopped short of praising Wall for his scoring in the fourth quarter, but went out of his way to mention the guards’ defense, which is something else the rest of the team has picked up on.
The Wizards held the Pelicans to just eight points in the last quarter, en route to a double-digit win.
“I thought John and Bradley did a good job in that fourth quarter on their guards – two very good guards that penetrate and get to the basket, and they’re clever and tricky − Holiday and Evans – but I thought we were good tonight in that fourth quarter,” Brooks said. “Anytime you can hold an NBA team to eight points, you’re doing something good.”
Next: Why the Wizards Should Make a Trade Deadline Deal
Wall’s offense and defense, for that matter, have been at an MVP level this season. It’s been a long time since the Washington Wizards had a real closer – one that can be consistently relied on. Wall, for the first time in his NBA career, has accepted and thrived in that role this season.