NBA Power Rankings: 2014-15 Eastern Conference Forecast
By Shane Young
4. Washington Wizards — 49-33
Credit Golden State with the best backcourt in all the land if you please. There’s a certain group out there that would take John Wall and Bradley Beal in terms of projecting their abilities in the long-run, and you can throw me into the group.
While Klay Thompson has made it extremely tough (maybe impossible) to argue that his shooting can be matched, Beal is every bit as dangerous from beyond the arc. Just turning 21 years old, Beal is entering his third season, and it’s set to be the one that separates him from any other guard at his age level.
Wall has personal goals this season, it surely goes without saying since he was cut from Team USA in the early roster trims. Side-by-side with Stephen Curry, it’s terrifying how similar the two were last season. Besides, of course, the magically hot hand Curry has that Wall never will:
If anyone can figure out why Washington falls so deeply in love with the mid-range attacks and places themselves among the league leaders in attempts, asking Randy Wittman that question would just entertain me.
The same core is returning, with their two guards and aggressive, angry center (Marcin Gortat) signing a five-year extension worth more money than he thought he’d ever see.
A switch-up at the small forward slot will either go horribly, or work out for the better of the team. Paul Pierce jumps into the starting lineup after choosing D.C. over staying with Brooklyn or joining Doc Rivers in Hollywood. Apparently, he wants to remain in the weaker conference and actually have a realistic shot at reaching the Finals. Trevor Ariza takes his younger body and obviously higher athleticism to the Rockets, so the whole season rides on Pierce being able to play 25-30 minutes a night without being sidelined. At age 37, Pierce secretly hopes you don’t place any bets on that order.
Washington’s depth is truly what keeps them fighting for a top four seed this season, and their first division championship since 1979 (35 years ago). It’s the perfect time. Miami is down to their 2009-10 level, Charlotte is bound to have ups and downs trying to implement Born Ready, and Atlanta is just as horrid as the Pacers with their turnovers.
Ernie Grunfield has invested his summer in calling helpful frontcourt free agents, and taking them off the market. Kris Humphries is everything you want in a backup center for the Polish Hammer. He only gets all the fan hate because he’s not meant to be a starter that you depend on. Behind Nene — since he’s been injury-prone forever — Drew Gooden and the newcomer DeJuan Blair will have opponents in a hairy mess on both ends. Blair has turned into more than I believed he would after his days in Pittsburgh, heading into his sixth year as a pro and bouncing around from San Antonio to Dallas.
The defense is there, and it leaves you with nothing more to search for. With easily the most well-rounded frontcourt in the East — mixed with youth and veteran talent, offensive threats and paint watchers — Washington causes matchup problems for every team in their conference.
Playoff struggles, especially at home vs. Indiana, are on the checklist more than anything. It doesn’t matter what Washington does in the regular season … they could win 55 games. Each member on the roster and coaching staff is aware of the playoff expectations. They can’t fall short and miss out on a conference finals trip when they have The Truth to set them free.