Wiz of Awes
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Washington Wizards: 3 takeaways from Wizards’ Big Win vs. Lakers

By Andrew E. Johnson

WASHINGTON , DC - DECEMBER 16: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball during the game against Lance Stephenson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers on December 16, 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON , DC - DECEMBER 16: John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball during the game against Lance Stephenson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers on December 16, 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Washington Wizards, Sam Dekker
Washington Wizards, Sam Dekker (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wizards Bench Stepped Up

If you had told Wizards fans that the team was going to basically play a seven-man rotation against James and the Lakers, and that the two players off the bench would be the recently acquired Dekker and rookie Troy Brown Jr., it would have been hard to see a pathway to victory.

Due to a pending trade and injuries, that was the case. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers are now essentially members of the Phoenix Suns following the trade, and Trevor Ariza is not yet available. Otto Porter missed his third straight game because of a right knee contusion, and Markieff Morris got hurt in the first half after just 11 minutes of play.

As a result, the Wizards were forced to play Sunday’s game with a limited squad of basically just Dekker and Brown to spell the starter, and the newcomers stepped up to the challenge. As mentioned earlier, Dekker, who has only been on the team for nine days, was huge off the bench with 20 points thanks largely in part to running the floor in transition and several great cuts. During his time with the Houston Rockets, Dekker proved he can be a dynamic scorer, and it’s promising to see this type of showing.

Although the box score won’t tell the full story, Brown played an important role too. As the Wizards’ first substitute of the game, Brown came up with two big steals in the opening quarter that stymied the Lakers’ offensive and led to two transition opportunities for the Wizards. He may have not knocked down a shot in his 15 minutes, but he was a major contributor to the team’s early momentum.

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