When news of John Wall’s impending surgery hit hoops circles late last month, not a few quarters figured the Wizards to be dead meat. After all, they sported a pedestrian 27-22 slate, and the five-time All-Star’s absence for the next six to eight weeks was sure to put a crimp on their already-questionable competitiveness. True, they were in the so-called Leastern Conference, where even those struggling to play .500 ball had a chance to make the playoffs. On the other hand, their campaign up to that point could best be described as up and down, and appeared headed for worse without their acknowledged leader.
Fast forward four weeks, and it looks like the Wizards will be just fine. In fact, they have thrived without Wall, going eight and three since he had his left knee cleaned up, and looking every bit like the conference power they were projected to be. And it isn’t just because they sit just half a game behind the still-in-transition Cavaliers for third place in the conference. The quality of their victories show the extent of their progress; en route, they’ve prevailed against such notables as the Thunder, the Raptors, the aforesaid defending East champions, and the Sixers.
These days, the Wizards are a confident bunch. It helps, of course, that they have another capable All-Star in Bradley Beal to spearhead their cause. More importantly, however, Wall’s forced sidelining has provided them with the impetus to prove their worth — as if they want all and sundry to see they remain a force — without him. If anything, they seem to rejoice in dealing with adversity without having to rely on him; starting Center Marcin Gortat even went so far as to indicate in a social-media post how much more of a “team” they are in his absence.
There’s evidence of the Wizards drawing strength in themselves, to be sure. Certainly, their performance sans Wall underscores their capacity to be greater than the sum of their parts. Every single player from Beal down has stepped up. Among others, Tomas Satoransky has thrived in a starter’s role, Otto Porter has gladly accepted a bigger offensive load, and Kelly Oubre has been a spark plug off the bench. That said, they understand that the only way they can go deep in the postseason is if they get him back at full strength.
Parenthetically, Wall’s problems with his left knee limited his effectiveness on the court, in large measure accounting for the Wizards’ woes early on. He needed to have it scoped, and, to their credit, they bonded in the aftermath. Moving forward, though, Beal is right. They’re much, much better with him — or, to be more precise, the unhampered him — in action. That they didn’t have to take a step back in order to make sure they can then take two steps ahead is a testament to their spirit.
Needless to say, Wall’s impending return will compel the Wizards to adjust anew. Nonetheless, they’ll be better prepped for the best-of-seven affairs to come with him on board. He’s integral to their success. He knows it. They know it. Everybody knows it.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
