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Washington Wizards: The Team Will Return Next Season – Faster, Stronger and to the Eastern Conference Finals

By Jen Julie Smith

Apr 19, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) and Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) celebrate while leaving the court after their game against the Atlanta Hawks in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 109-101 and lead the series 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) and Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) celebrate while leaving the court after their game against the Atlanta Hawks in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 109-101 and lead the series 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 5, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) is congratulated by forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) after making a three point basket against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Verizon Center. The Washington Wizards won 115-114. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) is congratulated by forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) after making a three point basket against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Verizon Center. The Washington Wizards won 115-114. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

The Stagnation of the Wizards’ Rotation

One secret to the Celtics’ success is their rotation. Boston only has 4 true starters – Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Al Horford, while the final spot is interchangeable.

Boston’s starting 5 is not set in stone. Even if a player is perfectly healthy. If they feel Marcus Smart or Amir Johnson matches up better to an opponent, then that player will start the game.

Whereas with Washington it doesn’t matter – the starting 5 is always the same, barring injury. That mindset must change.

The Wizards should go after Tim Hardaway, Jr., who off the bench for the Hawks was a silent sharpshooter. As an added plus, Hardaway didn’t show off, he just came in and did his job. Hardaway is deadly from the three-point line, and makes his free throws.

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Hardaway, or someone close to his talent, should be starting some games over Otto Porter. I can’t emphasize it enough, wings just don’t fear Porter.

And what’s worse Porter is afraid of the inside, and cannot play bang-bang basketball down low against Boston. When he can’t get his outside shot, he doesn’t drive to the basket for fear of initiating contact or the body blows by Boston.

Furthermore, Porter is streaky and is not a knockdown three-point shooter.

Celtics President Danny Ainge is old school. Ainge was never even close to the best player when he was on the Celtics. But he still retains that old-school mindset, that just because you’re a center, doesn’t mean you can’t shoot from the outside.

Case in point Al Horford. It took Washington awhile to figure out that Horford, although listed as a center, wasn’t playing that position. By the time they figured Gortat was a mismatch on Horford, the damage was already done. Horford was truly Boston’s Trojan’s Horse.

Although Brad Stevens is the Celtics’ coach, it’s Ainge who is pulling the strings. In fact, during the series Ainge sat front and center, even telling the referees when a ball was out-of-bounds.

Boston’s playbook, when it comes to rotation, is not to match their position with Washington’s position on the floor. They’re going to play whatever players matches up to their opponent.

Boston does not match position to position, they match player to player.

The second secret to the Celtics success isn’t really a secret at all. Before the beginning of the series, Stevens told his team no matter what don’t try to block any shots. Stevens’ goal was for the Wizards to not see the free-throw line.

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Their third secret is Boston’s bench. After the Wizards loss in Game 2, I wrote you can’t have Kelly Olynyk looking like the second coming of Larry Bird.

Washington didn’t prepare for the expected. Although, to be fair, no one saw Olynyk having a Game 7 like that. Nonetheless, Washington couldn’t find anyone to match up to Olynyk throughout the series, neither on the inside or outside.

Boston can throw in the rookie Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Olynyk, Terry Rosier, Gerald Green and Jonas Jerebko. Almost all the players just listed could be a starter on another team.

The Wizards’ bench is no match for Boston, and it was completely undermanned. Thus, while the Celtics had a full army at its disposal, the Wizards only had a small unit.

The series boiled down to 3 players, Wall, Beal and Keef, playing against 15. And sometimes 2 versus 15, when Keef took himself out of the game.

Washington must look for bench players, not for a minute here or a minute there, but true players that can start and finish a game.

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