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Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks 2017 NBA Playoffs Analysis: 5 Takeaways from Wizards’ Game-1 Rotation

By Blaise Malley

Apr 16, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots a layup as Atlanta Hawks forward Taurean Prince (12) and guard Dennis Schroder (17) look on during the fourth quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Washington Wizards won 114 - 107. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots a layup as Atlanta Hawks forward Taurean Prince (12) and guard Dennis Schroder (17) look on during the fourth quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Washington Wizards won 114 - 107. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards dominated the Atlanta Hawks in Game-1 of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Here’s what Scott Brooks should keep in mind for his rotation.

Scott Brooks’ playoff debut as head coach of the Washington Wizards was a success.

John Wall put together a showing more than worthy of the superstar label, as he scored 32 points and dished out 14 assists via an array of highlight-reel plays.

The rest of the starting lineup also scored in double digits and the team played a more physical brand of defense than they had the past few weeks to secure the win.

Moving forward, though, the Atlanta Hawks will adjust and improve. The Wizards must do the same. The Wizards have a relatively set rotation, but here are five takeaways from Game-1 that may be crucial to keep in mind as the series continues.

Wall and Beal can’t sit at the same time

Brooks seemed to have figured this one out pretty quickly.

For a short spurt in the first quarter, Washington trotted out a backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Tomas Satoransky.

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The experiment lasted for two minutes before Satoransky checked out.

John Wall and Bradley Beal remained out for about three minutes of the second quarter.

This five minute stretch was the worst of game for Washington.

The Wizards’ offense was stagnant and lacking a playmaker.

Wall was clearly the best player on the court and made plays virtually every time the ball was in his hands.

Beal struggled a bit with his outside shot but showcased his vastly improved playmaking and finishing. He finished with a respectable 22 points despite his inability to find his three point stroke.

For the game, Wall played 37 minutes and Beal played 39. The Wizards cannot create enough offense with them both on the bench.

Given the lack of back-to-backs, and therefore the minimized importance of rest, don’t expect to see many lineups without the House of Guards for the rest of the playoffs.

Oubre is the sixth man

The sixth man spot is a void the Washington Wizards have struggled to fill for years.

Going back to the franchise’s last playoff appearance, it has been a huge weakness for the team. At the start of the season, Washington had a few members of the bench who were competing for the spot and looking to be a spark plug off the bench.

Nobody distinguished themselves from the pack, and the Wizards’ lack of depth dragged down the performances of a stellar starting five.

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After the reserves’ performance steadied a bit, the Wizards acquired Bojan Bogdanovic from the Brooklyn Nets.

Bogie was supposed to fill this role. For a while, he did so admirably.

However, recently, Bogdanovic fell into a bit of a slump, especially from long range.

Kelly Oubre, who had been in and out of the rotation, saw a substantial uptick in his playing time.

Although Oubre is still coming into his own as an offensive player, he provides a spark for the Wizards’ bench unit with his outstanding defense and energy.

He often takes the challenge of guarding the opposition’s best player. His long arms and quick reactions result in plenty of steals and deflections. He attacked the basket with impressive confidence, even if the results occasionally left more to be desired.

Oubre finished the game with 11 points on 50% shooting from the field. Oubre may not fit the definition of a prototypical sixth man, but he provides an energy boost for Washington that no other reserve can match.

Bogdanovic will still play a key role

Bojan Bogdanovic is probably the Washington Wizards’ fourth best scorer, after Wall, Beal and Markieff Morris. Those three almost never sat together over the course of the game, with each of them playing a stretch of the game with four bench players. That means, for important periods of play, Bogdanovic will be the Washington’s secondary scoring option.

Although the long ball has deserted Bogie a little, he is still a more than capable scorer in a variety of ways, including from the post and via getting to the line.

The 4 points on 2 for 8 shooting he put up in game one is not enough. The Wizards cannot count on their starters scoring this many points throughout the entire series, and if they ever hit a dry spell, Bogdanovic will be counted on for valuable scoring.

Washington misses their big man

Ian Mahinmi, the team’s marquee offseason addition, missed more than half the season with a preseason injury and then went down again late in the season with an injured calf.

His timetable for return is unknown, but he may appear in this series.

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Until he does, Washington will miss him. He is the team’s best interior defender, and even though Jason Smith has gone above and beyond what anybody expected of him as a backup big, he does not provide the same defensive abilities.

Against a ferocious rebounder like Dwight Howard, having a player like Mahinmi is especially useful.

The Hawks outrebounded Washington 48-42 in the series, and Washington will have a tough time reversing that without the big Frenchman.

Furthermore, Mahinmi simply provides an extra body so that the starters do not have to long too many minutes.

Mahinmi’s absence is by no means series-defining, and the team is accustomed to playing without him, but having him back, whenever that is, will be nice.

A small-ball lineup might work

Washington hasn’t played many lineups without a traditional center this season. Brooks, though, decided to try it out for a short timespan in the postseason opener.

The lineup could undergo many different looks, but the idea is that Morris, who was absolutely crucial to the game one success, plays the center. The other guys can be any of Wall, Jennings, Beal, Porter, Oubre, or Bogdanovic.

This lineup spreads the floor with four or five shooters and opens up the lane for Wall to attack the basket. Defensively, this combination allows Washington to pressure the ball with Oubre or Porter and switch almost any screen.

Although it may be tough to trot out this lineup with Howard in the game, it provides matchup difficulties all over the court.

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Assuming Washington wins the series, it could also prove to be a useful wrinkle to throw out against the Eastern Conference’s other elite teams in Cleveland and Boston. Even if the lineup is used only on a limited basis for the time being, the possibility of playing it eases some of the sting from Mahinmi’s injury.

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