5 essential keys to the Wizards' West Coast road trip
Efficient scoring from the bench unit
The Washington Wizards bench unit has been ever-evolving this season, most recently acquiring Justin Champagnie. In Tuesday night's loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Wizards bench was outscored 59 to 15. Jordan Poole led the bench unit with 12 of the 15 points on an inefficient 5-of-17 shooting performance.
A clear struggle for the Wizards, they will need to find their groove off the bench to contend with the West Coast powerhouses. Champagnie, while not being offered much playing time, has scored 11 points in 11 minutes over the previous two games he has played with the team. Although the sample size is small, Justin has had success in the G League this year, averaging 23 points per game. Given the opportunity, he could become a solid scoring option off the bench.
Other bench options include Corey Kispert, Johnny Davis, and Jared Butler, a solid guard who played lockdown defense on the Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell in Sunday's matchup. While these players are not household names, they are a solid group that, when utilized correctly, will help keep the Wizards in striking distance of victory.