Loading ...
The Washington Wizards entered tonight’s Game 2 Eastern Conference Playoff contest against the fourth-seeded Chicago Bulls having already taken home-court advantage after their 102-93 win on Sunday. What would be a surprising win in Game 1 turned into another stellar performance from a team that supposedly lacked playoff experience.
If the Wizards’ roster was to be truly dissected and analyzed from a playoff experience perspective, one would see that this team was actually built for the playoffs.
In their second straight win (101-99) on the favored Chicago’s home court, Washington got major contributions tonight from veterans Nene Hilario (17 points, seven rebounds), Trevor Ariza (eight points, eight rebounds, seven assists), Andre Miller (eight points), and Martel Webster (10 points). These veterans between them have played in a total of 146 playoff games collectively. If you add in veterans Drew Gooden (45 games), Marcin Gortat (47 games), and Al Harrington (48 games), that would be a collective 286 games played in the playoffs. Throw in the fact that Ariza has a championship from his days with the Los Angeles Lakers… if this is not a playoff experienced roster then I’m not sure what constitutes the term.
Obviously the focal point of the lack of playoff knowledge is the ultra young and talented backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. In Game 1 the duo came out a bit nervous and it showed. Leave it to a veteran-laden team to calm them down and, although the Wizards won, you got the sense that they would play much better in Game 2 once they went through that “baptism.”
Washington came out tonight and showed why this very writer said back in December that they were the best backcourt in the NBA when it came to sheer talent. Their gifts were on full display tonight for all to see in front of a nationally televised audience. Beal, who in Game 1 scored 13 points and had six assists, was assertive from the opening tip-off. He hit timely shots to spell runs by the Bulls and even spearheaded a late fourth quarter run that saw the Wizards come back from a 10 point deficit. His only bad decision on the night was a tough corner fadeaway as time expired in regulation. The shot would have won it for the Wizards but instead missed and the game went into overtime.
Wall was as efficient as a point guard could possibly be, going up against the best defensive team in the NBA. Sure, he had five turnovers. But on the road in a hostile environment and with the game basically a must-win for Chicago; Wall showed how much he has grown as a player and a leader, posting 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds. He ran the offense that the Wizards needed to get good shots. When he was called on to score, he did. He scored the Wizards final seven points at the end of the 2nd quarter to help stymie a Bulls run that saw them cut into a once 17-point Wizards’ lead. In the third and fourth quarter, even though the Wizards would fall behind, he kept the offense within striking distance. And down the stretch it was Wall who showed the poise of a playoff-battled veteran.
Washington has won four out of five against Chicago dating back to the regular season. And when their starting five is intact they are 4-0 against the Bulls. Winning a home game — let alone a playoff series — will be the next hurdle that is looking this team in the eye. If they want to expand on their already surprising run in this years playoffs they will need to lean on those veterans who have been here before. But when you have a play-making tandem that is gaining experience and confidence, these growth spurts are not necessarily painful.
The Verizon Center will be rocking on Friday as the excitement for basketball in the Nation’s Capital will be at an all time high.
Leave a Reply