Washington Wizards guard John Wall and Isaiah Thomas have led their teams to the second round in the 2017 NBA Playoffs. They have many comparable skills, yet are very different in their approach. So who’s better?
Two different All-Stars. Two different skillsets. Two different come-ups. Who’s better?
John Wall, who was ESPN’s No. 1 high school point guard (PG), committed to the University of Kentucky and his stardom began. He was selected No. 1 in the 2010 NBA Draft, becoming the face of the Wizards’ franchise, and has been “dat dude” ever since.
Wall is in the midst of his best season in Washington. Averaging 29 points and 11 assists this postseason, he has been nothing short of exceptional.
Everyone who watches the NBA is aware of his top-tier speed and explosiveness. When his outside shots are falling, which has been the case this series, he becomes virtually unstoppable.
Despite this All-Star’s dominance, Wall is not considered to be the best guard in the Eastern Conference (based on my Twitter followers). To many, he’s not even the best PG in this series: Isaiah Thomas is.
Who's the best point guard in the Eastern Conference?
— Erik Threet II 💨 (@junior_threet) May 5, 2017
An under-sized, over-looked Thomas, who was the last pick in the draft, has played on three NBA teams as a role player, sixth-man and star player, has worked for everything he’s achieved.
“F*ckin’ playin’ with me man…”
John Wall uttered these words after he bucketed a pull-up jumper – plus a foul – extending the Wizards Game 3 lead to 29 points. But these words could apply to how amazing Isaiah Thomas’s story is.
In this series alone, IT has led a double-digit comeback by lighting-up a suspect Wizard defense – twice. He effortlessly dropped 53 points, a career-high, in Game 2 scoring from anywhere in the frontcourt, against any Wizards defender. What’s still impressive about this performance, Thomas scored 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime on 10/14 shooting, living up to his “Mr. Fourth Quarter” nickname.
He makes a difference when it matters most. However, Thomas, as well as Wall, makes his presence felt throughout the course of a game. Though John is stronger and can finish with power, both All-Stars are crafty finishers in the paint. They maneuver through defenses with or without a screen and consistently create open looks for themselves, which they typically convert. Thomas and Wall share many qualities that strike fear into their opponents, but there are three aspects differentiating one from the other.
Where Isaiah has the advantage: Shooting.
IT has a dangerous jump shot; Wall doesn’t. Thomas forces defenders to play him at arms-length because of his 38 percent clip from deep. He can look opponents in the cornea and knockdown 3-pointers, blow by you and hit mid-range jumpers (on which he shoots 48.7 percent) or get to the rim where he finished with elegance or draws a foul (8.5 FTA/G).
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Pick-and-Roll situations. Defenders can hedge the screen, preventing an immediate pull-up, but he’s elusive enough to split it or accelerate around the defender. John Wall: No hedge. Defenders can go under the screen and feel safe because he shoots the same percent from mid-range that Isaiah shoots from 3-point range.
Where John has the advantage: Defense.
Wall has been top-8 in steals three of the past four seasons and top-2 in PG blocks the past four seasons. His 6’4” 210 lbs. frame, mixed with his unparalleled lateral quickness is a strenuous task for opposing PGs.
Thomas’ height is not a weakness in most facets of the game, but his defense can be a liability for the Celtics. IT is capable of moving his feet and cutting people off, but repeatedly in Game 3, the Wizards exploited his size. We watched this happen three times over a two-minute period in the second quarter. A Wizard player took Thomas down to the block and bullied him, which led to three Otto Porter buckets.
Why I believe John Wall is better: Wall is responsible for more of his teams’ points.
His ability to maximize his teammates effectiveness on the court is an aspect very few players have. The Wizards not only feed off his energy, but they feed off his 10.7 assists per game (2nd to only James Harden). Wall also gained 50 double-doubles – all being points and assists – while Isaiah had five such games.
Wait. Isaiah averages six more points.
He does, but John’s field goal (FG) percentage is within 1.5 percent of Isaiah’s. And Wall makes up for the scoring deficit by averaging five more assists, which is at least 10 points (depending on the FG). Combining similar offensive efficiency with Wall’s superior defending, I believe Wall is better than “Mr. Fourth Quarter.”
Next: Washington Wizards: What Went Right in Game 3
Wall, however, finds himself down to Isaiah and the Celtics in this series, 2-1. These two competitors, though different, are talented and focused on continuing their run toward an NBA Championship.