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Washington Wizards: Don’t Drop Ball on John Wall

By Jen Julie Smith

May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) makes the game winning three-point field goal over Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) makes the game winning three-point field goal over Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots the ball as Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) looks on in the first quarter in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots the ball as Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) looks on in the first quarter in game six of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 92-91, and tied the series at 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

A Rested John Wall is a Faster John Wall

Whether Fultz plays backup to Thomas or starts at the 2, the Celtics nonetheless have solidified help for Thomas. In turn, Fultz’s addition allows IT to play less minutes, and place less stress on his ailing hip.

Last week, Stephen Curry was asked why he’s he playing better this season versus last season. Curry replied, that the team did a better job of managing minutes this year.

I’m not saying put starters on ice till the playoffs. I’m saying, that they have to get rest periodically throughout the year, whether it’s managing minutes in a game or sitting out a game. If not, they will turn cold in the playoffs. Exhibit A, John Wall during the 4th quarter of Game 7 in Boston. Wall’s a man not a machine.

Wall needs a solid backup for three reasons. One, so he, like all the other point guards throughout the league, can rest a few extra minutes in a game, without worrying about the bench blowing their lead. And so that he has fresh legs to close out the game.

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Secondly, the Wizards need more firepower off the bench. Right now Washington doesn’t have any.

Kelly Oubre, Jr. is a great defensive player, he just has to stop with the silly reach in fouls, but he is fearless. Bojan Bogdanovic, who started shooting lights out, has looked like the lights are out. I believe Bo could start lighting it up again in a consistent fashion. I’m not even going further down the bench.

The third, and the most important reason, is injury, because there’s  a correlation between playing too many minutes and injury. Commissioner Silver recently said, that a rest policy will be implemented next season.

Yet, schematically, the new plan is the opposite to what Wall believes in – he doesn’t believe in rest. Under Silver’s new policy, starters would only rest during home games. Wall doesn’t believe in sitting out games, because that may be the only time a child gets to see him play. Wall is intelligent enough to make sure those children get to see him play in some form or fashion.

Stop chasing the past and look to the future. So what if Washington didn’t get to a 50-win season. Remember what I wrote about the Warriors’ owner dinner with Michael Jordan. Lacob tried to impress Jordan with his team’s 73 wins, and Jordan said that means s&%^.

Jordan is right, the goal is the ring, and nothing but a ring. You didn’t see the Warriors saying anything about that this season, they even sat out nationally televised, away games. They kept their eyes on the prize, and knew rest would take them closer to the prize again.

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