In a year that was projected to be a down year, the Wizards have found a way to be exciting. John Wall was lost to injury last season to knee procedure and later an Achilles injury. Unfortunately over the last few seasons, Wall has missed significant time. Enter Bradley Beal. Since being drafted to the Wizards in 2012, Beal has recently stepped into stardom. He was a solid player who struggled with injuries in his first few years. Over the last three seasons, Beal is recognized as an All-star. Solid defense and one of the teams’ scorers, he is the star of the team. Here are a few factors to the keys behind Wizards’ exciting play.
To throw some numbers out he is averaging 27.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 31 games. Also, he is shooting 43% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc. Going into this season in lieu of a contract extension, it was no secret that Beal was the key to success. Also, the injury bug has plagued him yet again. He has missed three straight games. Despite this, the Wizards have remained competitive. How have they managed to stay exciting to watch? Any sports fan knows basketball is a team sport made of individual talents.
Ballistic Bertans
Davis Bertans was rather unknown coming into the season. Acquired via trade from the Spurs, the 6’10” Latvian was not expected to do much. Don’t let the .434 from three-point land fool you. Bertans has crazy games where he will shoot 57(4/7), 66(6/9) and even 100 (5/5) percent. This is significant because, for the longest time, the Wizards have been terrible shooting 3’s. Bertans is the best shooter on the team and has a higher ceiling than many thought.
The Real Ish
A journeyman who has played for about 1/3 of the leagues’ team, Ish Smith finds himself with the Wizards. The lineups are constantly changing however starting position does not matter to him. Smith gives the same boost starting as he does coming off the bench. Over the last three games, he has averaged 25 points and 5.6 assists. Certainly a viable option at point guard.
Marvelous McRae
Jordan McRae is certainly coming into his own. In a year where it is known that the Wizards are thinking about the future, trade debates are swirling. McRae has generated some trade interest with his play as of late. Over the last three games, McRae has been an offensive machine. 21.7 points averaged, scoring 35 in a loss against Portland. It is uncertain what the plan is for Brooks and a few other players moving forward, but it is certain, McRae will put up points while he is here.
Offensive Power
This year’s team is different than in the past. Similar to last year, this group is demonstrating a pretty powerful offense. They are not the Rockets or Warriors with an exceptional deep ball. Most of their work comes from inside. Guys like the rookie Rui Hachimura, Smith, and McRae conduct a lot of business inside. Add that with Beal who can shoot and drive and Bertans who is a sharpshooter and you have a team who is averaging about 115 points per game. Not bad at all. Granted this team has a way to go before they are real contenders. Some things are the return of John Wall, an emergence of a consistently good center, and improved defense. There’s also no telling who will be here next year and who won’t be. However, for the time being, this team is putting on a show.
