Washington Wizards: Postseason play exposed a glaring weakness

The end to the regular season was fantastic for the Washington Wizards. But their struggles in the play-in and postseason games exposed the biggest weakness, one they grappled with all season, in a major way. By the end of game five against the Philadelphia 76ers, the last Wizards game of the 2020-21 season, issue number one was obvious.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Washington Wizards were locked in on Joel Embiid, who was heading into the playoffs after a career year that earned him an All-NBA Defensive First Team nod and a second-place finish in the MVP voting.

Embiid, as expected, did major damage. He had 30, 22, and 36 points in games one through three before he was hampered early in Game 4 with a right knee injury that turned out to be a partially torn meniscus.  He only played 30+ minutes once during the entire series.

But while Embiid’s dominance was going to doom the Wizards one way or another, there were other players that the Wizards struggled to contain. Those issues were less acceptable and must be fixed this offseason.

The Washington Wizards’ biggest weakness was on full display throughout the play-in and playoff games. They MUST address it this offseason.

The constant example throughout the series was Sixers forward Tobias Harris. He surpassed his season scoring average by more than five points, up from 19.5 ppg to 25 ppg.

Harris set the tone for the rest of the series with his 37-point performance in game one. Harris had his way against the Wizard’s defenders, painlessly penetrating the paint. And when he had to, he hit big shots from mid-range and three. The lack of wing defenders had Harris playing like a superstar talent. And he wasn’t the only one.

Jayson Tatum exposed the Wizards in a similar fashion during the first play-in game, a 118-100 Boston Celtics win.

The Wizards were coming into the play-in hot, winning 17 of their final 24 games of the regular season. Russell Westbrook was on a rampage during the final stretch of the season. Bradley Beal and Stephen Curry were duking it out for the scoring title, which Curry ultimately won. And the Wizards had reached the postseason for the first time since 2018.

But despite the scorching stretch, the Wizards couldn’t overcome their lack of wing defenders. In that game, Bertans was the only active forward on the roster to play more than 17 minutes. Washington played most of the game with a three-guard lineup featuring a combination of Beal, Westbrook, and Raul Neto or Ish Smith. Tatum was predatorial in his hunt and took advantage to the tune of 50 points. Despite the Wizards facing a Jaylen Brown-less Boston squad, the absence of any friction on the perimeter meant the Celtics only needed one of their All-Star wings to secure the win.

What the Washington Wizards have to work with

Rui Hachimura is a plus defender who has made tremendous strides on that side of the ball since his rookie year. Scott Brooks entrusted him to not only guard the team’s best offensive threat but also lock down the paint at the five when the team decided to play small ball. He finished with a decent 114.6 defensive rating this season, which was better than his 116.7 rookie-season rating. However, despite his improvement, he still seems to struggle against quick and shifty wings.

Deni Avdija was a pleasant surprise this year on the defensive side of the ball. Heading into the draft, many scouts were zeroed in on offensive ability and upside. But this season, before his injury, Avidja had a defensive rating of 112.8, which would have been good for second amongst all rookies according to StatMuse had he played the qualifying 2,000 minutes for the season.

Avdija is currently in his tenth week of non-surgical recovery for his right fibula hairline fracture. His development, or lack thereof, will be critical for the Wizards moving forward. If they think Avdija can make strides quickly, he could be a key component in the short and long-term plans. But if not, Avdija is one of the more attractive trade assets on a team that won’t be running it back next season.

Regardless, the top priority this offseason is clear, even if the identity of the next head coach is still uncertain. Get some help on the wing. Get some perimeter defense. And get it now!