Wizards Weekly: Empire State of Mind

Dec 18, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets power forward

(2) guards Washington Wizards shooting guard

(3) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Wizards waltzed into the Empire State this week and came out with two resilient wins against the dysfunctional New York Knicks and the Kidd-led Brooklyn Nets.  Both were close games down to the wire, but the Wizards found ways to win and are playing some solid basketball after a rough four game losing streak.

Things I liked:

I liked watching Bradley Beal play basketball again.  It has not been the same watching the Wizards, especially on offense, the last three weeks without Beal stroking shots from all over the hardwood.  In two games back this week, he is averaging 18 points while shooting a scorching 67.5 percent from three.

He was monumental in making the Knicks the laughingstock of the Twitterverse this week as he poured in five straight points in the final minute to allow the Wizards to leave Madison Square Garden feeling good about themselves.

Let’s just enjoy the full highlights of Beal being back.  If you just want to see Beal quiet the Big Apple just go to the 1:10 mark as he hits a three from Rucker Park and then proceeds to blow by Beno Udrih and make him look like a helpless baller at the local YMCA.

Martell Wester being a scorer off the bench.  With Beal out the previous three weeks, Webster was forced to start and it really hurt the Wizards bench production.  Now with Beal back, Webster is back to coming off the bench and will be the number one option of the second unit.

Against the Knicks Monday, he was big-time off the bench.  Beal’s late game antics stole the show, but Webster was the man for the majority of the game.  He finished with 30 points and knocked down six three-pointers.  It was weird to see someone off the bench scoring, but it will be a key part of the Wizards season if they want to keep getting better.

More highlights against the Knicks! Let it rain!

The balanced attack against the Nets.  Seven Wizards scored in double figures in the Wizards 113-107 Wednesday night.  It was the first time all season that the Wizards had more than six players score in double figures.

If the Wizards can get productive play and scoring from guys like Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin, and Garrett Temple than this team has a legit chance to finish as the third best team in the Eastern Conference.  With others guys playing big minutes it will allow the starters to not play as many minutes.  Many coaches around the league have been under intense scrutiny for playing players too many minutes.  Wizards coach Randy Wittman is one of them, but the truth is that he has no choice because of how poor the bench has been thus far this season.  The bench has looked much better lately, especially this week and needs continue to at least give some good minutes.

Things I didn’t like:

The team celebrations

After the big win over the Knicks, it seemed to get a little rowdy and now Glen Rice Jr. is out 3-6 weeks with a wrist injury as a result of the post game craziness that ensued after the Bradley Beal takeover.  According to the Washington Post, Rice Jr. had been feeling soreness before the New York trip, but still easy up on the celebrations, Wizards.  The injury gods have already been cruel enough.

That is all that I did not like.  The Wizards travel to Boston tomorrow to take on the Boston Celtics.

The Northeast takeover ends in Beantown.