Wiz of Awes
Fansided

John Wall: Wizards also a favorite to reach conference finals

By Jen Julie Smith

John Wall of the Washington Wizards celebrates. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
John Wall of the Washington Wizards celebrates. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 07: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards celebrates in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Verizon Center on May 7, 2017 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 McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 07: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards celebrates in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Verizon Center on May 7, 2017 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 McDermott/Getty Images) /

Before the 2018-19 NBA Season tips off, some have knocked the Washington Wizards off from reaching conference finals. John Wall has something to say about that.

Yes, the Washington Wizards had a first round exit in the playoffs last season. Yes, John Wall missed half the season due to knee problems. Yes, there may have been a bit of conflict between Marcin Gortat and Wall.

What happened to the Wizards’ 2017-18 season has been well documented. At the same time, it was also blown out of proportion.

The Wizards were under a microscope. At first, I thought it was a joke when I saw articles about John Wall’s hair. What does someone’s hair have to do with the game of basketball?

But that was the type of season the Wizards devolved into. Every little thing became a story.

There was more of an appetite for what happened off the court than on. It got to a point, that I couldn’t tell if I was reading a tabloid or a sports story.

So let’s hear it straight from the leader himself about why the Wizards have the same chance as Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto of reaching their conference finals.

Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports had a great in-depth interview with Wall.

According to Wall, no one in the East is a ‘favorite to win their conference’.

"“I feel like we’re all equal,” Wall told Yahoo Sports recently from his annual backpack giveaway at Barry Farm. “None of them won a championship. This is no knock on no other team. Don’t get me wrong. Boston is a hell of a team. Philly has great young talent with those guys [Joel] Embiid, [Ben] Simmons. And Toronto, losing DeMar [DeRozan], they still get Kawhi [Leonard]. Y’all might have been to the Eastern Conference finals, where we haven’t been to, but none of y’all were going to the Finals. It was one guy going to the Finals. Ain’t nobody separated from nothing. I know one guy that separated himself from the Eastern Conference every year and that was LeBron James and the Cavs. Other than that … if you lose in the second round, or the conference finals, you still didn’t get to your ultimate goal."

Wall is arguing that everyone in the East is on equal footing. Boston doesn’t have an advantage over Washington.

Before LeBron James headed West, the King of the East was reaching the Finals. No one was beating the King. Now that he’s no longer here, everyone has a shot.

Ok, can see Wall’s reasoning there.

However, I disagree with Wall’s next point:

Home/Wizards News