Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards

The #1 seeded Boston Celtics and #4 seeded Washington Wizards are facing off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics won Game 1 of this series by a final score of 123-111. Game 2 will be held tonight at 8:00 PM EST on TNT. The Celtics come into this series having taken out the Bulls in six games while the Wizards come in having taken out the Hawks in six games.

After understandably struggling right after the death of Isaiah Thomas' sister, the Celtics have now won five straight games and appear to be fully locked in. Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, and Al Horford are playing really good basketball right now and are back to playing the type of basketball that got them the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, playing unselfishly and getting everyone involved.

The Wizards likewise come into this series playing good basketball. John Wall is showing why he is arguably the top point guard in the NBA, scoring 42 points and dishing out 8 assists in the Wizards' series clinching win over the Hawks in Atlanta. Bradley Beal is also playing at a high level, putting up points and proving himself to be a fantastic backcourt mate for John Wall, dropping 31 points in Game 6 against the Hawks.

Last week, I said the key to the Celtics' success is Al Horford stepping up his game and he is so far doing just that. In Game 1 against the Wizards, Horford scored 21 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists. When Horford plays at an elite level, the Celtics become a really difficult team to stop. Isaiah Thomas is one of the best scoring guards in the NBA, Jae Crowder has emerged as one of the top small forwards, and Avery Bradley is one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. When you combine their stellar play with a big man like Al Horford who is putting up 20 points and 10 rebounds, they can hang with anyone in the league.

In order for the Celtics to win this series, they not only need Al Horford to step up. They also need Avery Bradley to do all he can to slow down John Wall and Bradley Beal in the backcourt. When Wall and Beal are on a roll, the Wizards are very difficult to stop as well. Bradley is one of the few defenders in the NBA that can give those guys trouble and he needs to do all he can to get in their grill, fight through screens, and not allow them to get easy looks. If he is able to do that, the Celtics will be in really good shape.

As for the Wizards, they need to do more than just get stellar production from John Wall and Bradley Beal. They need to do a good job on the glass and not allow Al Horford, Jae Crowder, and Kelly Olynyk to have an easy time inside. Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, and Otto Porter, Jr. need to do all they can to keep things competitive on the glass. Morris injured his knee in Game 1 and his status for Game 2 is a game-time decision. If he is unable to go for an extended period of time, that could be trouble for the Wizards.

My prediction for this series is Celtics in six games. I think the Wizards will get a couple of games, but the Celtics are simply the better team. Plus, the Celtics want to be as rested as possible for the Cavaliers. This will be a fun series, but in the end, it will be the Celtics advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks

In the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the #4 seeded Washington Wizards (49-33) will take on the #5 seeded Atlanta Hawks (43-39). The Wizards won the regular season series 3-1. Game 1 tips off on Sunday at 1:00 PM EST on TNT.

The Washington Wizards no doubt wish that they had a higher seed than what they got. The Eastern Conference has an upper tier consisting of the Celtics, Cavaliers, Raptors, and Wizards with the Wizards bringing up the rear as the #4 seed. The Wizards finished the regular season 4 games back of the top seeded Celtics and 2 games back of both the Cavaliers and Raptors. Had they not gone 5-5 in their last 10 games, they may be looking at having the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs instead of the #4 seed.

As disappointed as the Wizards should feel for not getting a better seed, they should also feel encouraged by the fact that they are hanging with the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The emergence of Otto Porter, Jr. and the addition of Bojan Bogdanovic has given John Wall and Bradley Beal a lot more help than they've had in years past. As a result, the Wizards are closing the gap with the top teams in the conference.

The biggest key for the Wizards in this series is to rely on all the weapons and balance that they have. John Wall (23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game) is perhaps the best point guard in the NBA right now and right by his side in the backcourt is Bradley Beal, who is also averaging 23.1 points per game. The Wizards' backcourt is scary good and then when you combine that with the other guys I just mentioned, you have a team that has the capability of doing a lot of damage in the playoffs. The Wizards can beat you on the perimeter, they can beat you down low, they do a good job on the boards, etc. Their balance is really impressive.

As for the Hawks, to a large extent it's a miracle they've done as well as they have. When they traded Kyle Korver before the trade deadline, there was also chatter that they might trade Paul Millsap or even Dwight Howard. The Hawks appeared to be a franchise that was tanking and entering in rebuilding mode. Instead, they finished as the #5 seed in the Eastern Conference and have positioned themselves to win a first round playoff series.

If the Hawks want to pull off the upset, they need to have a big series from Paul Millsap and rely on the balance that they also have. Millsap is averaging 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while Dennis Schröder is averaging 17.9 points and 6.3 assists per game. In addition to those two guys, the Hawks also have Tim Hardaway, Jr., Kent Bazemore, and Dwight Howard scoring in double figures. The Hawks have a lot of guys that they can go to as well and they'll need every one of them to step up.

Probably the guy who the Hawks could use the biggest boost from is Dwight Howard, who is averaging 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. Howard is a guy who has a lot of playoff experience and has even played in the NBA Finals. He knows what it takes to go deep in the playoffs and came to Atlanta with the hopes of helping them make a playoff run of their own. If he is able to have a big series and produce above his season averages, the Hawks will really give themselves a great shot at winning this series. Especially if Paul Millsap and Dennis Schröder play up to the levels that they have been playing at.

This is a series that could go either way, but I have the Wizards coming out on top in six games. John Wall is the best player in the series and should be able to slow down Dennis Schröder in the backcourt. Wall is not only a maestro on offense, he is also a fantastic defender, averaging 2.1 steals per game. I see Wall making life hard on Schröder and really owning that matchup.

Bradley Beal might even be the second best player in the series ahead of Paul Millsap, which is just another reason to pick the Wizards. The bottom line is the Wizards are the better team and as a result they should come out on top. The Hawks definitely have the pieces to win this series, especially if Dwight Howard comes up big, but I really don't see the Hawks having an answer for John Wall. Dennis Schröder is a very nice point guard, but he will not win his matchup with Wall. Wall's ability to dominate that matchup will have a huge impact on this series and make things very tough for the Hawks.

My official prediction is Wizards in six games. The Hawks will stretch them a bit, but will not be able to pull off the upset. Unlike the Hawks, the Wizards have a real shot at coming out of the Eastern Conference and making it to the NBA Finals. The Wizards are at a different level and it will show in this series.





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Wednesday Windmill: The Washington Wizards are evolving into championship contenders

The Washington Wizards currently sit at the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference at 47-31, tied with the 3rd seeded Toronto Raptors. At just 3.5 games back of both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, the Wizards are in the middle of an intense battle for positioning atop the Eastern Conference standings, establishing themselves as a true championship contender.

During the past couple of seasons, the Wizards have flirted with championship contending status, reaching the conference semifinals in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. With John Wall and Bradley Beal as their one-two punch in the backcourt, the Wizards have rightfully entered the conversation as a true contender in the Eastern Conference.

What's been lacking during the past couple of seasons is merely experience and development. While the Wizards had been playing really good basketball, they have needed more seasoning in order to bloom into a true championship contender. This season, the Wizards have continued to make strides towards their goal of being a championship contender and it has largely been due to the supporting cast that they have put around Wall and Beal.

During the Wizards' rise to prominence, Marcin Gortat has been a rock solid post presence, averaging 10.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game this season. While not being the flashiest player in the world, Gortat produces consistently and brings his hard hat every night. Without having a strong post presence that demands respect, the offense would not open up for John Wall and Bradley Beal like it has.

During this same stretch of time, Otto Porter, Jr. has slowly but steadily gotten better. After looking like a bust during his rookie season, Porter is now averaging 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 51.8% shooting from the field, 43.8% shooting from three-point range, and 82.5% shooting from the foul line in his fourth NBA season. The emergence of Porter has been huge since the Wizards really had high hopes for him to become a cornerstone player of their franchise. Porter gives the Wizards a versatile wing that can attack the basket and do damage on the perimeter. He compliments Wall and Beal really well and allows them to be much more effective.Without his progress, the Wizards would not have the upward trajectory that they have.

As far as this season is concerned, the Wizards made a really good trade to bring in Bojan Bogdanovic from the Brooklyn Nets. Bogdanovic has given the Wizards another quality wing to work with, averaging 13.5 points per game during his 22 games with the Wizards on 47.3% shooting from the field, 39.6% shooting from three-point range, and 92.9% shooting from the foul line.

 By putting two quality wings around John Wall and Bradley Beal in addition to the steady of presence of Marcin Gortat, the Wizards truly appear to have a recipe for long-term success. I still think the  Cavaliers or Celtics come out of the Eastern Conference, but the Wizards are right there knocking on the door. They have the talent, the versatility, and the depth to do a lot of damage in the playoffs and give both of those teams a run for their money.


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Wednesday Windmill: The Washington Wizards are catching fire

The Washington Wizards have started to catch fire, winning 9 of their last 11 games, putting them at 25-20 overall, which is good for 5th in the Eastern Conference. The key to the Wizards success is the fact that everybody is healthy and Otto Porter, Jr. is starting to come into his own.

Otto Porter, Jr., in his fourth NBA season out of Georgetown, has really stepped up his game this season, averaging 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Porter took a little while to find his groove, being proclaimed a bust after his first NBA season due to his lowly 2.1 points per game average. Being the 3rd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft placed a lot of expectations on Otto Porter, Jr. and after not living up to those expectations early on, he's starting to live up to them now.

 John Wall (23.1 points and 10.1 assists) and Bradley Beal (21.9 points) form a very dynamic backcourt while Marcin Gortat (11.3 points and 11.4 rebounds) has no trouble holding his own down low. With Otto Porter, Jr. now playing like a future all-star, the Washington Wizards have one of the better starting lineups in the NBA. They can beat you in multiple ways, whether it be inside or out on the wing. Instead of having two guys that can beat you out on the wing, they now have three guys, which makes them a lot tougher to defend.

So long as the Washington Wizards remain healthy, they have the pieces to do some serious damage in the playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers are heads and shoulders above the rest of the Eastern Conference, but the Raptors, Celtics, Hawks, and Wizards are all within striking distance of each other, which means that the Wizards are still very much in play for the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this Wizards team progresses through the all-star break and where they finish in the standings. If given the right circumstances, this could be a team that wins a series and makes a serious push to the Eastern Conference Finals. They're that talented.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards

#4 Toronto Raptors (49-33) vs. #5 Washington Wizards (46-36): 

     During the regular season, the Toronto Raptors swept the Washington Wizards 3-0. However, two of those games were decided by 4 points or less, so it isn't like the Raptors dominated the Wizards. The fact that two of their three games were close indicates that this could be a tight and competitive series in addition to the fact that most 4/5 playoff series' are close. 

     Still, the Raptors won all three of their meetings and the fact that the scores were close should not take away from that. The Raptors should have a tremendous amount of confidence going into this series   because they swept the Wizards as well as getting home court advantage for the series. At the end of the day, this is the Raptors' series to lose. 

     What is huge for the Raptors is that Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are healthy. Kyle Lowry has missed 12 games due to injury and DeMar DeRozan has missed 22 games. Having their two best players injured for a good chunk of the season took its toll on the Raptors and derailed them from getting a higher seed than what they got. With both guys healthy, the Raptors should have no problem scoring the basketball and getting into a rhythm early on. 

     In addition to Lowry and DeRozan, the Raptors also have Lou Williams in the backcourt to accompany Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas holding down the fort in the paint.  Lou Williams has been especially key to the Raptors' success because he has brought a very nice scoring punch off the bench, scoring 15.5 points and 1.9 threes per game. When he gets going, the Raptors are a very difficult team to stop. The Raptors absolutely have to make him a priority and get him touches when he is in the game. 

     As for the Wizards, they are a little more banged up, but thankfully Nene should be good to go in Game 1 after being sidelined with an ankle injury. Only reserve shooting guard Garrett Temple (hamstring) should miss the game. Like the Raptors, the Wizards had injuries derail their season, with their star shooting guard Bradley Beal missing 19 games in the regular season. It's huge for the Wizards to have him healthy as well as their star point guard John Wall. Without those two guys able to go, the Wizards would have no shot at winning this series. 

     The biggest difference between the DeMar DeRozan/Kyle Lowry combo and the Bradley Beal/John Wall combo is that the Raptors' combo has one guy (DeMar DeRozan) who consistently puts the ball in the basket. DeRozan has averaged 20.1 points per game whereas Beal has only averaged 15.3 points per game. Some of that is due to injury on Beal's end, but all the same, DeRozan has been more consistent and that definitely gives the Raptors an edge. 

     If the Wizards want to win this series, they will really need to make sure John Wall and Bradley Beal are able to find ways to score the basketball since they don't have the luxury of having a guy like Lou Williams coming off the bench. The pressure will really be on those guys to deliver the goods. While there is also pressure on DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, they can breathe a bit since Lou Williams has been a reliable third scoring option off the bench all season. 

     In addition, the Wizards will also want to take advantage of their size down low. The Wizards have two great post players in Nene and Marcin Gortat who both are better than the Raptors' center Jonas Valanciunas. In addition, the Wizards also have Kris Humphries coming off the bench who is another banger down low. The Wizards will have to control the glass to compensate for being more offensively challenged. If they really dominate on the glass, the Wizards could end up taking this series. What has to worry the Wizards is that the Raptors still took the season series 3-0 despite losing the battle on the glass in each game. The Raptors appear to have what it takes to compensate for any deficiencies they have inside, which means that the Wizards likely have to do more than just rebound well. 

       As for my prediction, I hinted that I would be picking the Raptors and that is exactly what I will do. I think the Raptors win this series in 6 games because they simply have more ammunition when it comes to scoring the basketball and finding guys to step up in crunch time. This isn't to say that John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Paul Pierce (who I haven't yet mentioned) aren't clutch. They are and they can certainly hit big shots. It's just that I like the guys who the Raptors have better. Plus, it appears as though the Raptors shouldn't be bothered by losing the rebounding battle. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter  @nba_lord  for NBA news 

     

       

Saturday Slam: Could Kevin Durant really leave the Thunder for his hometown Wizards?

With LeBron James leaving Miami to return to play for his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, many people are now starting to wonder if Kevin Durant will pull a similar move and leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to join his hometown Washington Wizards. Durant was born and raised in the D.C. area and he is proud of where he is from, but would he really leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Washington Wizards when he hits free agency in 2016? While it sounds like pie in the sky for Wizards fans, I will argue why it could actually end up happening.

The first reason why it is possible that Kevin Durant joins the Wizards in 2016 is that he may find their roster more attractive. If Kevin Durant can't win a championship or at least get back to the NBA Finals with Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, he may look at what the Wizards have with Bradley Beal, John Wall, and Marcin Gortat and think to himself that his odds of winning a title with the Wizards are higher than they are with the Thunder.

I don't doubt for one second that Durant likes Oklahoma City a lot, but he is also a very competitive guy who wants to win. If he feels like the grass is greener somewhere else, odds are good he leaves, especially if it's his hometown team calling with an attractive roster.

                                                  (credit: worldsportswag.com)

The second reason why it's possible he makes the move from Oklahoma City to Washington D.C. is that I'm not convinced he really likes playing with Russell Westbrook. Russell Westbrook will be a free agent in 2017, which means that if Kevin Durant re-ups on another 5 year max contract with the Thunder, he'll have to do it with Russell Westbrook still on the team for the following season. It would be hard to negotiate things in such a fashion in which he says "It's me or him" when Westbrook still has one year left on his contract, which is why I think if he doesn't care for Westbrook, he'll probably just go somewhere else to play.

The final reason why I think a move to Washington D.C. is possible is that if Kevin Durant wanted to get out of Oklahoma City, Washington D.C. would be the most publicly acceptable place for him to go. Nobody would criticize him for desiring to bring his hometown team a championship especially since it is the Wizards, a team that has historically been unsuccessful at recruiting marquee free agents. If his hometown team happened to be the Lakers, Bulls, or Knicks, a lot of people would perceive the whole "I wanna play in my hometown" argument through a more cynical lens.

While I think these are legitimate reasons for thinking he goes to the Wizards, there are reasons for why it's also very unlikely that he leaves the Thunder. For one thing, he seems to enjoy playing for the Thunder and seems to really have an attachment to the fans and the Oklahoma City community. Durant has repeatedly talked about how much it would mean to him to bring that city a championship and how he feels a sense of duty to the community. Durant comes off as a really humble and sincere guy. If he says he loves it there, I want to believe him.

In addition, he and Russell Westbrook overall make a great team and he once again seems to like playing alongside Russell Westbrook. While I do think it's possible that things between them are strained, it sure doesn't look like it judging by what Durant says about him. He seems to genuinely enjoy Westbrook's company and seems to want to make things work between them.

Finally, he has a great thing going with the Thunder as is. The fans love him, the community loves him, the Spurs are sure to go away eventually, and the team is really good. Leaving behind the Thunder would be leaving behind a very good team, which may only be one piece away from a championship. He knows what he's getting in Oklahoma City, whereas in D.C. there would be some unknowns such as whether or not the team could afford both him and Bradley Beal.

                                                (credit: washingtonpost.com)

While over $70M in cap space will open up in 2016 to sign Kevin Durant thanks to Nene and Paul Pierce becoming free agents, Bradley Beal will be a free agent, too. Beal is certain to command a lot of money which means that Durant may not be able to play with John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat. He may only be able to play with Wall and Gortat, which suddenly doesn't sound as good.  Plus, going to the Eastern Conference means playing in the same conference as LeBron James and I'm not sure he wants to do that.

In conclusion, could Kevin Durant really leave the Thunder to join the Wizards? I think it's very possible, but it's far from being a slam dunk. A lot of factors are still at play that could make him lean one way or the other. His love for the city of Oklahoma City, the fact that he knows what he's getting there, and also being in an opposite conference from LeBron James are good reasons to stay where he is. On the other hand, his hometown would also fully embrace him while also providing him with an attractive roster to play with. Both options seem possible to me at this point, and only time will tell what decision Durant ends up making. It will certainly be interesting to see.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

The Washington Wizards Could Make A Very Deep Run In The Playoffs

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