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2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 12: Boston’s Bargain Bradley, Wall Gets Help And Super Schroder Strikes Again

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 26, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) goes to the basket past Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) during the second half in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) goes to the basket past Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) during the second half in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Playoffs
Apr 26, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) celebrates with fans while leaving the court after the Wizards’ game against the Atlanta Hawks in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

On Day 12 of 2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, John Wall finally gets some help, Avery Bradley turns the series in Boston’s favor and Super Schroder strikes again.

The 2017 NBA Playoffs continue to march toward the conference semifinals, but even as we inch closer and closer to the next matchups, the first round has given basketball fans plenty to enjoy.

The Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets have predictably advanced in quick fashion, but every other series features a pivotal Game 6 with one team fighting for the semis and the other trying to avoid elimination.

As we move deeper into the postseason, we’ll continue to take a look at what stood out from each day of playoff action. Here’s what we took away from the Wizards finally giving John Wall some help, Super Schroder striking again and Avery Bradley turning Game 5 in Boston’s favor Wednesday night.

Wall-Aid

In our previous segment on the Washington Wizards, we lamented how John Wall was having to carry the load for his team. In Game 5 Wednesday night, their Wall-star finally got the help he’s sorely needed in this series.

Bradley Beal, who had been posting big scoring numbers but wasn’t shooting the ball efficiently, finished with a team-high 27 points on 11-of-22 shooting, even if he only made one of his nine three-point attempts.

The bench, which had been the third-lowest scoring unit with the third-lowest point differential among all playoff teams, outscored Atlanta’s reserves 26-19 behind 14 points and six boards from Bojan Bogdanovic.

The most welcome return to form, however, was Otto Porter Jr., who was one bad game away from having his face plastered across milk cartons in the D.C. area.

Porter, who was averaging 8.5 points per game on dismal .433/.273/.833 shooting splits entering Game 5, posted 17 points on just 3-of-4 shooting. His 10 points in the third quarter helped Washington build a lead, he drained two of his three long range attempts and he got to the line 10 times, making nine of them. You might even say he was Otto-matic.

Beal and John Wall (20 points, 14 assists, six rebounds) did the heavy lifting as usual, but if the Wizards can continue to get something out of the supporting cast — and hopefully more out of Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat — they could be a real threat to win the East.