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Washington Wizards: For John Wall No Postseason Postmortem for the Wizards

By Jen Julie Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on after defeating the New York Knicks at Capital One Arena on January 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on after defeating the New York Knicks at Capital One Arena on January 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 03: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on after defeating the New York Knicks at Capital One Arena on January 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 03: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards looks on after defeating the New York Knicks at Capital One Arena on January 3, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The Washington Wizards who have been known this season to rise to the occasion against top teams, and fall when playing inferior teams, are no longer accepting the unacceptable.

The Washington Wizards who have been known this season to rise to the occasion against top teams, and fall when playing inferior teams, are no longer accepting the unacceptable. Washington started the new year full of promise, after finishing of the New York Knicks. But they didn’t keep the promise to themselves not to be that team who falls to sub-.500 teams anymore.

Against the Bucks the Wizards didn’t even keep up their good habits of playing up to the competition. Instead they didn’t show up. If you’re good against the good and bad against the bad, at least be consistent. All jokes aside.

It was unacceptable for Marcin Gortat to register four points in the Bucks’ loss on Monday, then go scoreless in the Hornets’ loss on Wednesday.

It was unacceptable for Markieff Morris to have more fouls (4), than points—two, in the Charlotte loss. Unacceptable for Otto Porter to only have six points against the Hornets. That’s not the Porter who lit up Golden State.

It appeared that the Wizards’ frontcourt had taken a back seat. Although they were in the game, they were no longer a part of it. Whether it was due to heart or health, they didn’t appear engaged on either ends of the floor.

Collectively, as a team it was unacceptable that the Wizards would turn matches into an All-Star game. They would do well offensively but neglect to play defense. They’re not going to beat any team in a shootout when only their opponent plays defense.

With a huge production from their bench, Kelly Oubre scoring a career-high 26 points, and all Wizards’ starters in double-digits, the Wizards would beat the Pistons on Friday.

But as history has shown, the Wizards would turn the corner one game, and turn right back around and lose the next game. But this win was different, because John Wall still knew that all was not well, and didn’t let this win cover their sins.

After their Pistons win, Wall finally said what needed to be said, and no truer words were spoken this season:

"“Everybody got to put their pride to the side. Every team I’ve been on so far, we always have a team meeting, and everyone expresses how they feel. I think after we did that a lot of guys took it a negative way. We haven’t been showing that consistency on both ends of the floor. Me, as a leader, and us, as a team, have to put that aside and understand that we were 12 minutes away from the Eastern Conference Finals last year. We added some pieces that could help us. But nobody is going to fall to us. We’re not one of those teams that’s going to sneak up on anybody anymore. We got to go out there and show it every night. If we don’t do that, we’ll be the team that makes it to the second round every year and wonder what we’re going to do to make it to the next step.”"

There was a point where I began to think, do they accept the way things are going? Are they happy to just to make it to the postseason and be one-and-done, a one-hit wonder? As long as they stay in playoff contention that’s all that matters?

But a funny thing happened when I watched Wall’s postgame interview. Although they beat the Pistons, Wall knew that they still have to change and soon. If you listen closely there was a distinct sound. It wasn’t the sound of sadness nor silence. But rather the sound of frustration. Wall was finally fed up, at least visibly to the viewers.

Of course, he had to be fed up beforehand. Nonetheless, that’s what I was waiting for. A sign that this team was sick and tired of just being tired. That they’re not going to take it anymore—the mediocrity, the turnovers, not getting back in transition, not boxing out, not staying on their man, not making their free throws, not competing and not closing out.

Wall’s comments were needed now. No one wants to hear that during the postseason, while the Wizards have already started their early summer vacation.

Wall has stepped up and publicly said, that the Wizards are no longer going to accept the unacceptable.

There’s no postseason postmortem. The Wizards had to perform an assessment now, and that’s what Wall did. Come playoff time it would have been too late.

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