(Photo: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Wizards 102
Grizzlies 100
January 5, 2018 | FedEx Forum | Memphis, TN
Since John Wall’s return from double knee injections, the Washington Wizards are 9-3, which despite some horrific losses, is the best they have played all season. Despite a slow start and finish, the road team won despite no having their best shooting night. The win, unfortunately, came at a cost and could lead to a schedule loss on Saturday night against Milwaukee with Washington returning to D.C. after 3 a.m.
Despite Numbers Game, Bradley Beal Will Be An All-Star
With the popularity vote in fan voting for All-Star starters leading to Dwayne Wade and Isaiah Thomas receiving more votes than Beal even though Wade is coming off the bench and Thomas playing just one game, the Big Panda has zero chance at starting in Los Angeles in mid-February. With Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, and Victor Oladipo being locks, Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry (because of Raptors strong record), and John Wall also in contention, Beal is in a tough spot, especially if only five guards make the team this year unlike last year’s six. Even if it is only five, I think NBA coaches, who are the ones that choose the seven reserves, will all but certainly choose Beal. In 38 minutes on Friday, he scored 34 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 three-pointers.
John Wall Starts Hot, But Was Suspect Late
In the first quarter, Wall had 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting. By the end of the game, he accumulated 25 points, 9 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, and 3 three-pointers in 36 minutes. On the other end of the field, Wall is sometimes infuriating for a seemingly lack of effort that he sometimes blasts his teammates for. On a couple of late three-pointers for Memphis to make things interesting, he was late to contest the shot and failed to even get a late hand up to make it seem that he was at least partially impacting the shot. He may be exhausted from the offensive end, but that is simply inexcusable behavior that Scott Brooks should not tolerate.
Erase The Fourth Quarter From Your Mind
Headed to the final frame, Washington maintained a hearty 87-72 lead on Memphis and was moments away from putting the nail in the Grizzlies coffin for the night. Then, they laid an egg and nearly pissed away a victory. The Wizards scored just 15 points in the frame and was 2 of 16 (12.5 percent) from the field including missing all five of their three-point attempts. Thankfully for the road team, they got to the line 14 times in the fourth quarter and they knocked down 11 of them. The House of Guards were 0 of 8 in the fourth quarter, but at least Beal made all 6 of his free throws including two in the clutch. Memphis drew to within one point with 18.4 seconds to play and had an opportunity to tie the game with a Tyreke Evans three with 5.3 to play, but it did not fall and Washington escaped.
Death Row Keef May Be Back
The Wizards power forward tied his career-high with 17 rebounds in 32 minutes on Friday. Even though he was only 5 of 12 from the field for 12 points, not great efficiency for a big, he has been finding other ways to impact the game in benefit of his team. In the past three games, in which he has combined double-digit boards in each, also a career-best, he has combined for 39 rebounds. Before last Wednesday’s Knicks game, Morris said he was at 100 percent and wanted to find other ways to help his team if his shot was not working on any given night. Helping on the glass is certainly one way to do so.
Losing Otto Porter Jr., Again
The Wizards have already been without their third max contract player for three games this season, twice for a “bruised right thigh” that Porter would later admit was related to a hip injury that has plagued him multiple times during his young NBA career. In the third quarter, Porter would exit the game and not play in the fourth quarter with what the team initially called a hip injury before classifying it as a back injury. Brooks opted to play Tomas Satoransky at the small forward position instead of Kelly Oubre Jr. as the 6-foot-7 Czech played the entire fourth quarter. With the short turnaround, there should be no question that Porter sits out against Milwaukee to allow for four full days off before trying to give it a go against Utah on Wednesday.