The Washington Wizards (35-31) came into last Saturday night’s final regular-season match up against the Brooklyn Nets (34-32) knowing that the atmosphere at Verizon Center would have to be of playoff intensity. It took the team three quarters to figure out how to win but when they did, they were led by young All-Star John Wall and an old veteran player, Drew Gooden.
The game had a distinct feel for what playoff life will be for this up-and-coming team. Washington went into the game with a record of 34-31, the season advantage over Brooklyn (33-30) and a desire to cement itself into the playoffs by taking sole possession of the fifth seed in this year’s upcoming Eastern Conference race.
The Wizards have shown inconsistency when facing opportunities to help their cause all season long.
This was a game against a preseason favorite in the Nets who, since the beginning of the year, have sported the Eastern Conference’s best record going 23-9. Along the way they have beaten top teams such as the Miami Heat (twice), the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs so the stakes were even higher.
The Wizards have been putting together some fourth-quarter runs recently which has resulted in them winning four of their last five games (their lone loss was to the defending champion Miami Heat on the road). This game would continue that trend. Brooklyn led in the first half with Nets’ guard Deron Williams scoring 14 points to help build a comfortable nine-point halftime lead, 57-48. But the lead did not last.
The second half was about veteran role players stepping up. The Wizards got major contributions from Al Harrington (six points, four rebounds) and Drew Gooden (21 points, nine rebounds). These guys, along with John Wall (33 points, nine assists), Trevor Ariza (nine points, eight rebounds) and Bradley Beal (15 points), would keep Washington within striking distance (79-72) entering the fourth quarter.
I have been covering this team for a few years and I can honestly say that I have not heard the fans at the Verizon Center display that kind of intensity for a long time in a meaningful game. Sure, the place was jumping when the Wizards blew out Miami (114-97) back on January 15, but that game was over by halftime. This game had playoff implications and the crowd was waiting for a moment to believe that indeed, they have a playoff-bound basketball team.
That moment came from Drew Gooden, who has not wasted his opportunity on a couple of 10-day contracts with the Wizards. He seems rejuvenated and relishes the opportunity to provide leadership and veteran toughness to a sometimes-fragile group. His play off the bench in the fourth quarter was something to behold as he showed a vast repertoire of moves and touch, even hitting from three-point-land. His 11 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter — along with tough defense in the perimeter — helped the Wizards wrap up the season sweep of the Nets, 3-0. I would be shocked if the Wizards do not lock him up for the foreseeable future as he, along with Harrington and recently acquired Andre Miller, have boosted the Wizards’ bench with wily veterans who have playoff experience.
Gooden could not miss on Saturday.
“You guys joke about me being old,” he said, “but I’m still Drew Gooden. That’s what I do. Once I see a couple go in, then I feel like I can’t miss.”
The Wizards finally showed that they can simply be better than another playoff caliber team as long as the intensity is there. They cannot think that they can wait until the fourth quarter to make a come-back in all of their games… but if the picture that is painted is that they will need to do so, they can certainly use games like this as a catalyst and a model.
Should these two teams meet in the playoffs; the Wizards will have confidence knowing that they have played some of their best basketball against Brooklyn.