Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks 2017 NBA Playoffs Preview

Washington Wizards will have a chance to redeem themselves against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

The Washington Wizards overcame a monumental deficit of 2-8 to not only reach 49 wins, but also secure home court advantage in the NBA Playoffs. The Wizards will be matched up against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, which begins on Sunday.

The last time the two teams met in the playoffs, John Wall suffered a hand injury and future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce‘s 3-point shot didn’t beat the buzzer, which would’ve landed the Wizards into overtime, thus ending the Wizards’ Eastern Conference Finals dreams.

This time, the stars are aligned. The difference is, the Wizards have a healthy Bradley Beal and a strong second unit.

Washington also has a different coach, Scott Brooks, who knows what it takes to win.

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As the former head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooks led his team to the playoffs five times, including a Finals appearance.

Markieff Morris, who’s become a consistent threat from outside, has given the Wizards another physical player to counter versatility from, say, Paul Millsap.

Then there’s Bojan Bogdanovic, who has fit in nicely with the Wizards’ rotation. Not only is Bo Buckets dangerous behind the 3-point line, he can also play the two, three, and four position.

Otto Porter, who for a time this season was the number one 3-point shooter in the league but is now a highly respectable third, is a two-way player. His length, improved shooting and constant slashing has given the Wizards another dimension to their offense.

And of course, the Washington Wizards have their fearless leader in John Wall.

Wall wanted the Hawks in the first round to exact revenge. According to Wall, during the last series, Hawks guard Dennis Schroder taunted Wall that he was going to “strike his inured hand.”

The only weakness for the Wizards is at center.

Since Ian Mahinmi has been playing quality minutes, and has been a contributing factor in the last few games, he has been both an offensive and defensive threat inside the paint. Whereas Marcin Gortat, for whatever reason, has seen his numbers dip significantly.

Unfortunately, Mahinmi will miss the first few games off the playoffs due to a strained left calf.

Washington can’t afford to lose out on those second-chance balls or putbacks that Mahinmi does provide, so Gortat will be asked to increase his energy.

The second-unit, as of late, has produced too.

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Coach Brooks was absolutely correct when he reminded the Wizards that there is only one team.

The second-unit plays like the starting five, and sometimes they are the only thing that keeps the Wizards in the game.

The Wizards’ bench starts and ends the game with such a ferocious energy.

Washington’s bench gave life to the starting lineup that would sometimes sleepwalk through the first half.

The bench has won games that the Wizards would’ve otherwise lost.

Kelly Oubre has started three games this season, and will be a major factor in the playoffs. He has a type of defense that can’t be taught during drills. He is all over the court, and all over whomever he is defending. Oubre has also drilled threes when the game has been on the line. Oubre has elevated the Wizards’ once weak defense to another level.

Offensively, the Wizards have gotten a boost from Jason Smith, who’s become the team’s most consistent threat from mid-range. His improved shooting has given the Wizards another threat from deep and his energy has remained contagious.

Brandon Jennings, in a similar light, is someone the team can rely on for a spark, but in the form of distribution. He infuses energy into the Wizards’ offense with his lightning speed.

But for the Wizards to have real success against the Hawks, the mental lapses – the errant passes – have to go. Washington has become prone to giving the ball away, making it that much more difficult to build momentum.

And with Mahinmi out, the Wizards have to fill the defensive void by committee.

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The guards can’t allow their assignments to get inside, putting more pressure on the bigs. Wall and Beal, in particular, also have to help Morris and Gortat on the glass. Washington’s given up too many offensive rebounds, which deteriorates the team’s defense.

To add onto it, the Wizards have to keep their composure. Wall has been one of the league’s leaders in technical fouls this season and Morris has routinely been thrown out of games.

Washington can’t afford to lose either player in the series.

The Wizards have triumphed over insurmountable odds, but the slate gets cleaned in the playoffs.

The journey has been a long one. The Hawks will present plenty of challenges as the fifth seed. Mike Budenholzer will, without a doubt, prepare his team for any matchup.

Next: Why the Wizards Could Get To the NBA Finals

Ultimately, though, the series will be determined by Washington’s star backcourt. The energy, defense and ball movement starts with them. If they’re in sync, the rest of the team will follow.