Yes, I know the title of this article sounds crazy, but it’s
actually true. The Washington Wizards could make a very deep run in the NBA
Playoffs this year! How deep? Well, how does Eastern Conference Finals sound?
That’s right, with the Indiana Pacers on the brink of complete
self-destruction, the main benefactor of all this could be the Washington
Wizards who are presently awaiting the winner of the Pacers/Hawks series after
dispatching of the Chicago Bulls in 5 games.
The Wizards
already are a dangerous team as it is with John Wall, Bradley Beal, Marcin
Gortat, and Nene. With they way those guys are playing and the way the Pacers
are playing, there’s no reason to not think the Wizards could get to the
Eastern Conference Finals and take out the Pacers IF the Pacers get past the
Hawks. If the Pacers lose Game 7 against the Hawks and it’s the Wizards vs. the
Hawks, then I think with home court advantage and a more healthy line up, the
Wizards should be clear favorites to win that series and get to the Eastern
Conference Finals where they would presumably face the Miami Heat.
There is still plenty of playoff
basketball left, and the odds are still good that we see a Heat-Pacers series
to decide the East. But I really am a fan of these Wizards and they exceeded my
expectations since I had them taking out the Bulls in 6 games. If they do somehow get to the Eastern
Conference Finals, they will be one series away from the NBA Finals and while I
assume they’ll see the Heat, there is a chance that the Nets take out the Heat,
which would set up a Wizards/Nets Eastern Conference Finals with the Wizards
getting home court. If they just hold serve, they could find themselves in the
NBA Finals!!
Like I said, there is tons of
basketball left, and I’m getting way ahead of myself, but if I was a fan of the
Washington Wizards, I would be beyond excited about the draw that my team has
gotten in the playoffs. With good odds at getting past whoever wins the
Pacers/Hawks series, the Wizards definitely could be on the verge of pulling
off one of the more surprising playoff runs in recent memory.
---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord
As Jeff Teague tweeted, the Hawks "handed out the blue print". The Wiz were Pokemon evolutions of every position: Speedster, Marksman, Low post Big etc... Seems the Wiz started getting ahead of themselves as Indiana have regained their composure and confidence.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair though, the bandwagon never fully filled up for the Washington so the hype wasn't fully there. Still believe this series is going to 7. Time for the Wiz to show some heart.
I agree with your points. Obviously, the Pacers survived, but the Hawks did lay out a blue print of sorts for sure.
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