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) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards look on during the game against the Toronto Raptors in Game Three of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2018 at Capital One Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards look on during the game against the Toronto Raptors in Game Three of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2018 at Capital One Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wizards’ chemistry a winning formula?

Wall told Michael Lee, “I think this is deepest team we’ve had and I feel very comfortable with this team”.

The roster as currently constructed is the deepest Wizards team Wall has played with — Bradley Beal, Dwight Howard, Otto Porter, Jr. Markieff Morris, Jeff Green, Austin Rivers, and Kelly Oubre, Jr.

No disagreement there, Wall is the person who would be the expert on that account.

Ok, the Wizards look good on paper, but what about putting all those ingredients together? Does it make a winning formula?

Lee reminds us that:

"“the Wizards experienced a noticeable regression in their second season under coach Scott Brooks that went beyond an early season knee injury to Wall that cost him a career-high 41 games and much of his usual explosiveness. Their record with Wall (23-18) and without was almost identical (21-20), which either suggested how hobbled he was or the depth of the dysfunction.”"

There has been a lot of speculation about the Wizards’ locker room issues and chemistry. But does that spill onto the court?

Again, I believe that what happens off the court shouldn’t translate onto the court. As long as the team has the same goal—to win. If a team can’t rise above that, then it falls on the leaders’ shoulders — Wall and Beal.

Lee adds:

"“The campaign was encapsulated by an image from their playoff loss to Toronto in which Wall and Marcin Gortat were bickering during a timeout while a disgusted Bradley Beal buried his head in a towel. “"

As I was watching that scene play out, I had no idea what Wall and Gortat were “discussing”. But when Beal buried his head, it appeared to me that he was disappointed in himself. Not with what was happening beside him.

Beal didn’t show up for the first two games of the Toronto series, because his arms were tired. He had nothing left to prove towards the end of the regular season, but yet he kept going and going. That’s alright, we all learn from our mistakes.

Wall on the Wizards disappointing season:

"“It was just guys all for themselves last year,” Wall told Yahoo Sports. “That’s what I felt it was about. It wasn’t the same as the year before when we were all having fun. It was hard to find any fun on the court. You didn’t see any smiling or excitement. I don’t know, that [expletive] was just weird. If you don’t know your roles, everybody wants to be ‘the man’ and when they do that, it hurts.”"

I’m in 100 percent agreement with this. That was the linchpin of last season. What separated it from the 2016-17 season, the Wizards didn’t look like they were having fun on the court.

For the 2016-17 season, I watched the games as a fan and a sportswriter. Last season, I could only watch the game as a sportswriter. There was no witty commentary, that I could add about what I witnessed.

For me, there were two teams last season. They were competing against each other.

So Wall and Beal have to decide. Are they going to lead one team or two teams this season? Because if it’s the latter, start booking your summer vacation.

If the fans can see the discord, what about the opponents on the floor? They don’t even have to divide and conquer the Wizards. The Wizards did that all by themselves.

Wall and Beal chose to lead a team, not a set of individuals. So, if there are any locker room issues the buck stops with them.

If it’s true that there was friction between Gortat and Wall, then from a leadership perspective the problem was solved by trading the “big” away.

Wall wants to play fast and Gortat was moving slow. I thought he should be traded because he didn’t fit the tempo, not because he didn’t fit the locker room. But since I don’t care to know what goes on behind closed doors, then that’s the end of that story.

But in walks Dwight Howard. I still believe that’s an excellent pickup.

Wall has said this before: “If you don’t know your roles, everybody wants to be ‘the man’ and when they do that, it hurts”.  Still not clear as to whom Wall’s referring.

But for the sake of peace, let’s just assume that means everyone (except Otto Porter).

It’s not a superteam, but it’s the team that Wall “chose”. Why I agree with Wall’s assessment:

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