Washington Wizards: 3 keys to victory over the Phoenix Suns
By Ethan Smith
Key to Victory #2: Limit Points in the Paint
Throughout the season, the Washington Wizards have not been able to keep teams out of the paint. And when other teams get there, they score. When the season was put on hold in March, the Wizards were giving up the 5th most points in the paint per game: 51.7.
Now you can’t put all of that entirely on the “rim protectors” in D.C. For most of the season, the Wizards were allowing all kinds of penetration due to poor perimeter defense from their guards. It got better post-trade deadline, but the Wizards are far from a defensive powerhouse. Plus, the defensive frontcourt still leaves a lot to be desired when a Moritz Wagner charge is their most effective move down low.
Against the Suns, though, the Wizards will have their hands full with one of the NBA’s premier young centers in Deandre Ayton. In just his second season, Ayton is already a double-double machine and averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds in 30 games this season before the hiatus.
The Wizards’ big men will need to come up with something to stop Ayton from scoring inside. This season, Ayton has shot 70 percent of his field-goal attempts from within ten feet. 47 percent of his attempts came at the rim. Flailing attempts at drawing a charge aren’t going to work.