The Wizards Could Be Southeast Division Champs

Adam Kinberg '18, Staff Writer

As of today, the Washington Wizards are number one in the Southeast division, tied with the Hawks. They are fourth in the Eastern Conference at 28-20. They have the second best home record behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (defending champs).

Their slow start put them in a bad position at the beginning of the year, but now they are thriving. When Bradley Beal signed his big $128 million dollar contract this summer, it looked like the Wizards spent too much money on a slightly above average shooting guard. The Wizards were destined for a mediocre season. There has been an uneasy friendship/rivalry between Beal and Wall . If they can get it together, they will become an unstoppable force.

With the core of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat, the Wizards have a roster to contend for the Eastern Conference finals. With the Cleveland Cavaliers’ dominance, and the Wizards lack of bench depth, Washington’s best hope is for Beal and Wall to stay on the same page, and Gortat to keep defending the paint.

The Wizards also had a real struggle in the beginning of the year because they had to figure things out with their new coach, and former OKC Thunder Head Coach, Scott Brooks. Now that they have gotten adjusted to his style of play, it seems like they have been showing it on the court as they play more like one team.

The Wizards have currently won 15 straight home games. That home winning streak is the longest in franchise history. The Wizards have had two must see home games against the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. A big part of their success has been the all-star playing by John Wall. Wall had 27 points and 7 assist vs. Boston and 15 points and 13 assists vs. New York. Wall averages a team leading 23 PPG.

The Wizards biggest deficiency is their average bench. They have the 19th ranked bench in the NBA. If the Wizards can fix their bench, maybe by making a trade before the trade deadline, the Wizards would put themselves in a firm position to win the Southeast division.