NBA Playoffs: 3 secret weapons the Washington Wizards will have at their disposal vs. Philadelphia 76ers
By Ethan Smith
Washington Wizards secret weapon #3: Garrison Mathews
Where did Davis Bertans go? Throughout the entire season, Bertans has been underwhelming, but recently, he’s nearly disappeared. In the play-in tournament, Bertans made just two of his 13 three-point attempts. Yuck.
Luckily, the Wizards do have another sharpshooting option if Bertans’ long-range troubles continue into the playoffs. That would be Garrison Mathews.
Despite averaging barely 16 minutes per game, Mathews is fourth on the team in three-point attempts per game this season, behind Bertans, Bradley Beal, and Russell Westbrook. His three-point shooting percentage of 38.4 ranks behind only Bertans and Raul Neto. His true shooting percentage (63.5) is the best among non-centers on the Wizards. His role may be small, but Mathews’ impact is big.
It doesn’t take much for Mathews to get hot and he’s learned to capitalize on the few chances he gets while on the court. If Mathews gets the ball with some space along the arc, expect that shot to go up. Even when he doesn’t make it, Mathews’ quick trigger has a way of drawing fouls beyond the three-point line, leading to either three free throws or the rare four-point play.
Mathews may not be able to completely take over a game, but his shooting has the potential to drastically alter one. If Bertans continues to struggle from deep, the Wizards would be smart to loosen the leash on Mathews.