Washington Wizards: The top 5 Wizards Top Shot moments
By Sununu Bah
Washington Wizards Top Shot Moment #2
2. Bradley Beal’s game-winning layup
In a season that consisted of plenty of low moments and concluded with the Wizards losing nine of their last 10 games in the COVID-19 bubble, Bradley Beal’s game-winning layup vs. Dallas was the highest of the few highs on the season. With 1.8 seconds left in the game, a driving Beal caught Troy Brown’s inbound pass and gathered to make a contested layup that edged out the Dallas Mavericks by one, 119-118.
Despite their woeful record (18-32 after the win over Dallas), the Wizards remained competitive and showed grit and effort against teams above .500. They often had no business competing with winning teams, late in games, yet there they were. Throughout the past two seasons, many have wondered why Bradley Beal hasn’t requested a trade to a more competitive environment. The reason why he hasn’t done so yet is because of moments like this.
Washington Wizards Top Shot Moment #1
1. Russell Westbrook’s Go-ahead Three for the Win
Russell Westbrook’s go-ahead three epitomizes his impact for the Washington Wizards. Leading up to the shot, the Washington Wizards were down by five points with 12.3 seconds left in the game before Beal sank a big-time three from near their midcourt logo. Garrison Matthews stole the inbound pass after Beal’s three and found Westbrook, who was streaking behind the three-point line near Matthews. Westbrook firmly set his feet and shot a beautiful shot to give the Wizards a one-point lead with four seconds remaining, a lead which the Brooklyn Nets weren’t able to surpass. The Wizards would go on to win this game 149-146.
The Wizards, up until the Jan. 31 matchup, had only three wins under their belt and were coming off a four-game losing streak in which they were plagued by injuries. Despite the early-season turmoil, Westbrook was able to have arguably his best game of the season and carry the Wizards to a win. The Wizards are currently sitting in the Eastern Conference’s 10th seed, a spot that will guarantee them a play-in game to fight for the last two seeds in the playoffs. They are in a spot that few possibly imagined them in the given how slow their start to the season was. Westbrook’s energy and play are a major reason why they are poised for the postseason despite it all.