Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards Are So Hot Right Now
The Washington Wizards are back! It seemed impossible just two short weeks ago, but the Wiz have found a new lease on life, put a smile on the face of their superstar, and won a bunch of games. Look how far they've come.
On February 12th, the Washington Wizards lost to the New York Knicks to drop to 6-17 on the season. They were in last place in the Eastern Conference. They were tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the fewest wins in the NBA. Bradley Beal was awesome, but miserable.
Then something happened. Maybe it was thrill of beating the Boston Celtics, something most NBA teams have experienced lately. Maybe it was Russell Westbrook stepping up and asking everyone to define their roles. Whatever it was, it was transformative.
Rui Hachimura says Russell Westbrook was the one who told him he should be able to guard 1 through 5, which made him start to think about how important defense should be for him.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) February 23, 2021
Rui Hachimura said Russell Westbrook asked each role player to define what their role is in front of the group at a recent practice. Several players have cited the newfound clarity in roles as having helped lead to the winning streak.
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) February 23, 2021
They have won six of seven games since that loss to the Knicks. The lone hiccup being on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. While it's a crowded mess, they're just two games out of the play-in tournament and three games out of the four seed. No one expects them to be hosting a first-round series, but they look like a team that will compete for a playoff spot.
The Wizards have won 6 of their last 7 games, and Bradley Beal is “happy as hell” ? pic.twitter.com/YAIUC1VQ6G
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 26, 2021
Things are going so well, people have stopped talking about if and when Beal should be traded. With Minnesota, Memphis and Boston (and the Clippers) left before the All-Star break, they have a shot to go into the second half of the season with momentum and hope.
Isn't that the best part? When a lost team suddenly stops feeling helpless? You can tune into a Wizards game and think they have a chance to win. It's no a small thing, but it's closer to what Beal and his teammates deserve.