Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Washington Wizards: Dwight Howard and Wizards Locker Room

By Jen Julie Smith

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers (L) and Dwight Howard #12 of the Houston Rockets (R) have words after a scuffle during the Lakers first regular season NBA game against the Houston Rockets, October 28, 2014 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO / Robyn Beck (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers (L) and Dwight Howard #12 of the Houston Rockets (R) have words after a scuffle during the Lakers first regular season NBA game against the Houston Rockets, October 28, 2014 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO / Robyn Beck (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 25: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics defends John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards during the game at TD Garden on December 25, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 25: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics defends John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards during the game at TD Garden on December 25, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /

There are two leaders on this team, there shouldn’t be two teams

If it ever happens that there’s a segment of the team that wants to isolate Howard inside the locker room, when everyone needs to be together, then that’s where the two leaders stand up.

Although, some have noted Howard’s physical presence. I don’t see that when I view the center. I just see a person who enjoys the game of basketball, and doesn’t get upset at his opponents. Therein may lie the problem.

If anything, I’ve seen Bradley Beal as the one who’s ready to scrap. Not with his teammates.

So for both Wall and Beal, they will have to keep the team together. Just like they lead the team on the court, their leadership skill are needed just as much inside the locker room.

The Wizards have a better team than they had for the past two seasons.

At the start of the 2017-18 season, Beal said, that the Wizards have a target on their back, because of how well they played. They did not.

This season they do. This time with the East wide open without LeBron James, other teams are targeting Washington.

Because Washington’s roster improved behind a healthy Wall and Beal. Other teams may hope that if they can’t beat them on the court, the Wizards will beat themselves off the court.

That is Washington’s Achilles’ heel–losing games because they lost the locker room.

Wizards don’t set your own trap

Washington has a good team with a very good shot at reaching their conference finals. They just cannot become that team everyone is expecting and waiting for them to be.

Other teams won’t believe that they have to beat Washington, they just wait for Washington to proverbially “beat” themselves inside the locker room. The Wizards cannot fall into that trap.

Yes, it’s 100 percent on Dwight Howard to finally put to bed that he hurts the locker room. But it’s 100 percent on Wall and Beal to lead it.

For the 2016-17 season, I wrote that the Wizards weakness was their big and Wall not getting rest, because he didn’t have a reliable backup.

Fort the 2017-18 season, I wrote that the Wizards weakness was their big and Beal wasn’t getting enough rest. Rest meaning the two guards didn’t get to sit down in games as much as their counterparts, because of the bench.

So even though they were better than other backcourts, fresh legs always win.

For the 2018-19 season, the Wizards weakness is no longer their big. Wall and Beal both should have reliable backup.

Don’t let this season be lost by what happens off the court. Don’t set your own trap.

The Wizards have a path to ECF. Howard, please block shots, not the path.

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