Washington Wizards Mailbag Monday: Breaking Down Possible First Round Match Ups

So, the playoffs are different from the regular season for a number of reasons, an obvious one being that the stakes are a lot higher. But the game that’s being played is different too.

Defense and rebounding, in particular, matter a lot more. The referees officiate the game differently, often allowing teams to play more physical. Players will be able to get away with more illegal screens and bumping in the paint.

The one player that immediately comes to mind that will excel in both categories is Ian Mahinmi – someone you didn’t mention in your Tweet.

I don’t blame you. He’s a forgettable player. He’s not flashy, fast, quick nor very explosive. But he gets the job done. He does the dirty work. Mahinmi’s play translates very well to postseason basketball.

The little things that often go unnoticed, like a box out leading to a leak out, is what Mahinmi does well. A timely block or putting a body on an offensive player, enough to throw him off his rhythm, is what makes all of the difference.

Over time, those small contributions really start to matter. Playoff games will come down to the wire. Mahinmi does a fantastic job of altering shots at the rim, even if it doesn’t necessarily result in a block. That could turn a game winning layup into a rejection.

Washington, now that I think about it, has a bench that will contribute in the playoffs. Brandon Jennings and Kelly Oubre – they’re both scrappy. They have games that translate to the playoffs, just like Mahinmi.

Washington has the personnel and the skill-sets that it takes to win in the playoffs. Mahinmi’s presence is going to be huge. We saw how valuable Bismack Biyombo was last year during Toronto’s conference finals run. Mahinmi could have a similar impact for the Washington Wizards.