I did not think an article like this would be necessary at any point this season, but it’s time to start talking about the real possibility of the Washington Wizards making the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Heading into the all-star break, the Wizards are 9th in the Eastern Conference standings and 3 games behind the 8th seeded Orlando Magic.
Why the Wizards WILL Make the Playoffs
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BRADLEY BEAL
This year, Bradley Beal became one of the biggest All-Star snubs in NBA history and is now on a mission. Over the last 5 games, he has put up 31.6 points and 5.4 assists per game! It is true that as Beal goes so does the team, but he is showing no signs of taking his foot off of the gas. Beal, who is averaging the 5th most points per game in the league (29.1), has the talent to lead this young Wizards group to the playoffs.
2. HEALTH
The Wizards uninspiring record of 20-33 is nothing to be proud of at first glance. However, if we take a deeper look into the injuries this team has had to fight through, there is a lot to be impressed with. During the first quarter of the season, there was a time that the Wizards played without SIX rotation players – Bradley Beal, Mo Wagner, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, IT4, & Davis Bertans – for a big stretch of games. Due to missing 6 guys, the Wizards basically had to roll out their G-League roster for over a week. Their band of G-Leaguers beat the Heat, Celtics, and Nuggets. Obviously, they lost some games that they shouldn’t have, but they kept the team afloat… enough. Everyone besides Thomas Bryant is now back, and the team looks really good. Bertans is continuing his hot shooting, Beal is playing the best basketball of his career, Hachimura is showing that he is the real deal, and Wagner continues to play good defense and finish around the rim. If all of these guys stay healthy, I have no reason to believe they won’t continue to produce.
3. THE TRADE DEADLINE
In my last article, I recapped the moves that the Wizards made over the trade deadline, and the moves have proven to be positive thus far. The Wizards have gone 3-1 since the deadline, and with IT4 gone, the team is sharing the ball more, playing better defense, and turning it over less. Losing McRae was tough, but it’s been a bonus to bring in a guy like Shabazz Napier to be the backup PG. In his first 4 games in D.C., Napier has put up 10 points a game, played good defense, and shot the ball well. On top of Napier’s added presence, Jerome Robinson, who is a former lottery pick, has done some nice things since joining the Wizards. Robinson has given the team a little over 18 minutes a game, and even though his numbers don’t jump off of the page, he’s been very steady out there.
The Wizards could definitely make the playoffs as a result of Beal, getting healthy, and the solid moves made at the trade deadline, but….
Why the Wizards WON’T Make the Playoffs
- HEALTH
Although the Wizards have regained their health, nothing tells me that it is definitely here to stay. There are a decent amount of players that have been banged up a lot this year, so only time can tell if the health is here to stay or if the injury bug will return.
2. THE ORLANDO MAGIC
The Orlando Magic are a good basketball team, and they’ve hit a bit of a slump that I’m sure they won’t be in a whole lot longer. After Jonathan Isaac got hurt, the Magic defense disappeared, and they’ve been searching for it ever since. However, this team has a lot of talent with Vucavic (an all-star caliber center), Markelle Fultz (former #1 overall pick), Aaron Gordon, and good role players like Terrence Ross & Evan Fournier. It could be hard for this inexperienced Wizards roster to make up 3 games on the Magic.
What Will Happen & What Should Fans Root For
Assuming they stay healthy, I think that the Wizards will find a way to sneak into the playoffs. They have been protecting homecourt, playing hard, and winning games. On top of that, the recent Magic slump has left the door open for a motivated Wizards team to grab that 8th spot at some point.
Also, Wizards fans should welcome this! Think about how great it would be to get the young guys some playoff experience. On top of that, if this team can make the playoffs, then there is no reason they can’t get a decent seed with a healthy John Wall next year. Also, who cares that the playoffs would mean no lottery pick? This draft class does not have many sure bets compared to other years. Additionally, the Wizards already have young first-round talent – Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown Jr., Mo Wagner, and Jerome Robinson – so playoff experience may outvalue an 8th overall pick in this upcoming draft. Obviously, no one should be too upset if they miss the playoffs, especially if it results in beating the odds and landing a top-3 pick. However, there’s no reason to cheer against making the playoffs instead of cheering for it.
I want the Wizards to sneak in as the 8th seed, and I hope you do too!
Boo On The Bullets 