The Washington Wizards have been struggling without John Wall. Instead of the players rising to the occasion to fill Wall’s void, some of their performances have dropped dramatically.
With John Wall sidelined with knee injury, the Washington Wizards have been unable to find a consistent rhythm. While other teams in the league have seen teammates step up when an All-Star goes down–Celtics with Gordon Hayward and Cleveland with Isaiah Thomas–the Wizards have been playing as if it’s business as usual.
The next man up mentality is missing from Washington. Although Bradley Beal, who was in a shooting slump, shot his way out, with a career-high 51 points against Portland. Otto Porter, Jr. has been consistent, and has also pushed the ball up the floor. Kelly Oubre, Jr. has brought energy and is becoming a knockdown three-point shooter. Other bench players have done their parts as well, Tomas Satoransky, Jodie Meeks, Mike Scott, and Jason Smith (when he gets playing time).
However, with Marcin Gortat‘s and Markieff Morris‘ lack of production, the Wizards essentially don’t have a frontcourt. If the duo isn’t able to take their game to the next level, they should at least perform at their normal level, when Wall was on the floor. Without them, there’s essentially two starters on the court–Beal and Porter.
Beal and Porter have to carry the weight of Wall being out, in addition to carrying Gortat and Keef. Every time the Wizards start a game, it’s Washington’s two starters against the other team’s five.
Since Gortat and Keef aren’t playing with a next man up mentality, then the next man should really be up–Oubre.
It’s time for Oubre to be reinserted to the lineup, and move Porter back over to the four, just to start the first quarter. While Keef fully recovers from his hernia surgery, since he may have returned a bit early.
The Wizards play the Suns on Thursday. This is a rematch, after the Wizards lost in dramatic fashion, blowing a 22-point lead to the Suns in November, 122-116. However, the Suns are without Devin Booker, who has also been sidelined with injury. This may be a good game for Keef to rest, and Oubre to start.
Suns announce @DevinBook out 2-3 weeks with strained L adductor following MRI today.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) December 6, 2017
As for Gortat, Smith should get some run to start the first quarter. Although Ian Mahinmi has been an adequate backup, he’s also not a full 100 percent, and is a bit slow. A little rest might do the big man some good as well.
"“It’s a whole lot going on in my body,” Mahinmi said. “It’s just I’m living it, I’m going through it. It’s hard. Whatever you think it is, it’s still not the way your body reacts.”"
Currently, the Wizards are in the eighth spot in the East. They should beat the Suns, just out of respect, and also the struggling Clippers, who they see on Saturday.
The Wizards two main competitors, the Celtics and the Cavs, have improved, when they each lost a star player. The Celtics most likely for the season, and the Cavs until spring. Whereas the Wizards are only missing Wall for about two weeks, and they collapsed.
It is risky to have Beal and Porter start the game with the bench, but something has to give. If they keep running with the same lineup, they’re going to get the same results. Last season, Coach Scott Brooks told the Wizards, that “there’s only one team”. If that’s true, then more bench players should receive a starting role.
Opponents smell blood in the water, when they see Washington isn’t cohesive without their star point guard, and they attack. Everyone has to step up, and show the league, that the Wizards’ fortunes don’t rise and fall, just because Wall is temporarily sidelined.
Of course Wall is the linchpin that holds the team together, but the team still shouldn’t fall apart. Now is the time to come together. When a man’s down, next man up.