Improved play from Russell Westbrook has sparked the Wizards‘ move up the Eastern Conference standings, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The former MVP says the difference involves recovering from a left quad injury that had been bothering him since he was acquired from the Rockets in December.
“Well, I can move and jump now,” Westbrook said. “So, there ya go.”
Westbrook’s quickness has returned, Katz adds, and he has become more aggressive in attacking the basket. He took 55% of his shots at the rim during the team’s recent four-game road trip after shooting just 26% of them from there earlier in the season.
“He just does a great job of staying in attack mode. We’re better when he does that,” Bradley Beal said. “He’s just being able to put pressure on the rim, getting to the basket, letting our bigs be able to follow up for offensive tip-backs if that’s the case. So, we just need him always in that mode. He never stops.”
There’s more on the Wizards:
- Thomas Bryant joined his teammates on the bench Saturday for the first time since suffering a season-ending ACL tear in January, Katz tweets. “That was definitely the best part about the first half, just seeing him in the locker room,” coach Scott Brooks said. “… He’s definitely missed, loved by all of us.”
- Backup point guard Raul Neto had to leave Saturday’s game with a left knee contusion, but Brooks doesn’t believe it’s serious, Katz adds (via Twitter). The team will check on Neto’s condition today.
- The Wizards have won seven of their eight games since Brooks inserted Garrison Mathews and Moritz Wagner into the starting lineup, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports. Both are among the top 10 in the league in drawing charges, and they have raised the team’s energy level. Brooks is particularly impressed with Mathews, who earned a two-way contract last year after going undrafted. “He’s a fighter,” Brooks said. “I remember the pre-draft workout. We did this running drill and he has our record. I thought his lungs were going to explode he was running so hard. You could tell that he wanted to slow down, but he was determined. That got my attention right there.”
Go Bullets!
Long live Bernard King!
Go wiz kids
@walladipo… what happen to you man?
You been h8ing on Russ all the season, as he was playin’ injured, now that he has been playin’ really well the last few weeks & thanks to him his team has been winnin’ most games, how is that you stopped keepin’ count?
You had goin’ a countdown of Russ, right?
Maybe you should focus more on Optimus Dime (I am a great fan of Wall BTW) but man he has been rather on the disappointing side this season far removed from his usual play in WAS… meanwhile Russ is just ballin’ out in DC, some life walladipo, right?
You just can’t catch a break, right?
How many teams would rather have Westbrook right now instead of Wall?
You could probably count them on one hand, Russ is still having one of the worst seasons of his career. The Rockets won that trade hands down.
Wizards have a good chance to take down 4th seed Knicks
2.5 GB
Knicks would be 12th seed in West
Pelicans are a better team than Knicks
Waiting for Westbrook to get a 24 rebound and 24 assist night to bring that avg up to triple double status.
and another triple double season. check.
Literally tough to bring your best foot forward if your quads will not cooperate!
WAS is 1.5 games behind 8th place… they should make it in.
As RW said, So there ya go.
Moe is the answer.
little brother franz is a 6’9″ guard at michigan and is a projected first rounder.
The bottom half of east seeds are tight right now. All the way to 12th. After all star break you will see cream rise to top. Wizards healthy were always at least an 8th seed. Heat, Celtics are still on top and will get there. Knicks, Hornets, Bulls can challenge Pacers, Raptors. Be interesting to see who is a buyer and seller at TD. Cause either you think you can make noise in playoffs. Or you think you are one and done, so look to draft.
I personally dont think its as cut and dry on buyers and sellers based on possibly going 1 and done –
Cha for instance I think would absolutely value a playoff spot to build on , Knicks as well ; and a team like ATl might look at not making playoffs too big of step backwards to at least not attempt to be buyers… they shoved a lotta chips in preseason already
Free agency in a lot of ways is affected down the line as well. Players like to go to teams on the upswing and a lil momentum moving forward –
Gonna be tough tho, I think there are way more buyers than sellers this year to fight with. Having a 1st rder this next year in the middle might prove to be who gets the prizes, deep draft, a teen pick might be as valuable as a top 10 this past year if your willing to dangle it
Yeah I agree there are young teams who can build on playoff series. Like Knicks you have vets who probably not going to be on roster next yr. So I think some will sell to go young and use next yr draft.
I wouldn’t put the Wizards (even if healthy) above any of Bucks, Sixers, Nets, Heat, Raptors, Celtics or Pacers. In other words, for me they are at most an 8th seed, with Charlotte and Orlando (if healthy), and now seemingly the Knicks, also fighting for that spot.
You can put them above the Pistons. And possibly the Magic and the Cavs too, but that’s about it. The Wizards are at best the #10 seed.
WAS still better than HOU!
#Deal with it!
Houston has lost 12 straight, yet the Wizards are only 2 1/2 games ahead of them in the standings. How does that make them better?
The Rockets are now 3-13 without Christian Wood in the lineup.