The Washington Wizards return on Thursday to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Occupying the fourth spot in their conference, they’re looking to improve their standings. However, standing won’t matter if Bradley Beal isn’t fresh for the postseason.
The Washington Wizards return on Thursday from their all-star break to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Occupying the fourth spot in their conference at the second-half mark of the season, the Wizards are looking to improve their standing.
Notwithstanding John Wall‘s injury, they’re in a better position than last season. Why? They have a reliable backup point guard in Tomas Satoransky—which would have made all the difference during the Boston series.
Wall is slated to return in the middle of March. If he returns fully recovered, they can make a serious playoff push.
According to Candace Buckner of the Washington Post, “the Wizards have the toughest remaining schedule in the East and third hardest in the NBA, according to BasketballReference.com”.
Nonetheless, a deep postseason is still within Washington’s reach.
Washington has proven that they can rise to the occasion when playing tough teams, such as Golden State and the Boston Celtics. They have also proved that they learned from their mistakes, when they stooped low to play sub.-500 teams.
However, the pendulum has swung. The concern last season was Wall’s minutes. Particular his inability to rest during games for fear that the bench would squander any lead. That problem has been alleviated with Satoransky.
Now it’s Bradley Beal‘s minutes that are concerning. If Beal isn’t allowed to get meaningful rest for the remainder of the regular season, then the Wizards could have a repeat of Boston’s Game 7.
Regular season rest
It doesn’t matter if Beal is the best shooter on the floor if his arms are too tired. Similarly, it didn’t matter that Wall was the fastest player at TD Garden, when his legs failed him due to an entire season of not getting rest.
It wouldn’t be a wasted season if Washington competed. But it would be a waste, if they reach another elimination game and Beal doesn’t have the energy for those final 12 minutes.
The Wizards played with half of a backcourt in Boston and lost. They don’t want to play with half a backcourt again.
Therefore, even if they get through this final 25-game stretch of the regular season, it won’t matter if their all-star shooting guard isn’t fresh for the postseason.
In June 2017, in “Don’t Drop the Ball on John Wall” I wrote:
"“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 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.”"
This season Wall got rest, albeit through injury. (Since the five-time all-star doesn’t believe in rest). The Wizards didn’t have to go outside the organization to find Wall a “solid backup”. Satoransky took it upon himself to improve.
Second problem last season was the Wizards bench. However, this season it has been the bench that woke Washington up and kept them alive in some instances.
Thus, Washington addressed the backup point guard situation and the bench. What fell through the cracks is the backup shooting guard.
Calling for back up
Jodie Meeks started off the season shooting lights out, but it appears that the sharpshooter’s lights have dimmed. Could it be from not getting enough minutes and collecting DNP-CDs? The best way for a shooter to return to shooting form is to keep on shooting.
At the start of the season, he was such a delight to watch. Although he’s currently averaging 30 percent from the three-point range, he’s shooting 87 percent from the free-throw line.
Instead of attempting threes, Meeks should play to his strength. Short jumpers and getting to the foul line. Be more aggressive and drive in for layups.
The Wizards have enough 3-point shooters on their payroll—Beal, Otto Porter, Kelly Oubre and Markieff Morris. What they don’t have is a backup shooting guard.
Meeks needs to step inside the line and shoot twos. Jacking up threes is not what the Wizards need now. There’s no need for desperation shots in the second and third quarter.
Although Meeks may find his job description has changed, he will get the job done—allowing Beal to get some rest, and not digging a deeper hole by missing three-pointers.
Otherwise the storyline this postseason will be that Beal not Wall ran out of gas.
Don’t drop the ball on Beal.