Until the Washington Wizards start passing the ball more, they will not get past the first round of the playoffs.
After their spectacular Christmas Day performance against Boston, some have wondered whether the Washington Wizards have finally turned the corner. After their disappointing loss to the Hawks on Wednesday, it’s clear that the Wizards only put their heads around the corner on Christmas to see what’s there. But Washington remains on the same block.
The Christmas Day matchup was a glimpse of what the Wizards could be, when they want to be. A team that had ball movement. Passing the ball around to get more touches, until it finally reached the player with the touch. In other words, the best shooter didn’t take the shot. But rather the player in the best position to make the shot.
That’s what an elite level team does. They move the ball around to the player who’s in the best position to make the shot. In other words, no hero ball or selfish play. That’s why the Wizards are surprised when a bench player lights them up.
Offensively, the Wizards are too stagnant. The ball doesn’t always have to go into John Wall‘s or Bradley Beal‘s hands. It should go to the player with the best chance at the rim. The Wizards runs their offense with Wall pushing the ball up the court, then passing it to one other player who takes the shot.
But when viewing other teams like the Celtics or the Cavs, they spread the floor and pass the ball around at least three times, until they reach the player with the best chance at making their shot. Before the player even releases, these elite teams have players underneath the rim. They leave nothing to chance, so they have a second chance with an offensive rebound.
While Washington jacks up a shot, and there’s no one there to grab the offensive rebound.
Elite teams have their eyes on the ball all the time. So if it’s on the way to the basket, they crowd the basket. Whether it’s on the offensive or defensive end, elite teams don’t take their eyes off the ball.
Another thing elite teams do with their ball movement, is tire Washington out. By passing the ball around so much, Washington is chasing around their man.
On the other hand, when the Wizards don’t have ball movement, they’re not tiring out their defenders. All the defender has to do is defend one or two Wizards’ players, and then crowd the paint for the offensive rebound. Washington makes it so easy for opponents, when they’re in possession of the ball.
That’s why Washington may have a commandable lead in the first half, then give it up in the second. Because they’re tired chasing around their opponents, who have beautiful ball movement. If the Wizards passed the ball more, then they too could make other teams tired. Such that both teams enter the second half with the same amount of energy.
Neither on the offensive nor defensive end, do the Wizards have any rim protection. If they kept their eyes on the ball, the second a Wizards player releases his shot, there should be at least two players underneath the rim for a rebound.
Washington has been playing like they’re the Harlem Globetrotters. Assuming that once the shot is released, it’s going to go in, so there’s no need to attempt a rebound.
The game is not an All-Star game where whomever makes the most shots win. It’s not just the opponent’s frontcourt trying to grab the rebound, but every available player. The Wizards have been too flat-footed, no matter which team attempts a shot.
If only Marcin Gortat or Ian Mahinmi or a single Wizards player is always there to grab the rebound, the Wizards are not going to win. Washington is giving away points, when they’re not aggressively crashing the boards.
There has to be more defensive help on the boards. That has been the most glaring weakness for Washington.
There has to be more touches on the offensive end, and more players underneath the rim on both ends of the court. Otherwise opponents are controlling both sides of the floor.
Washington should play team ball on the offense, and team ball by helping out on defensive. They stop playing as a team when it comes to defense.
The Wizards have to stop making it easy for other teams. Until there’s more ball movement and rim protection, Washington will not turn the corner. The only thing they will do is turn the ball over.