Washington Wizards: Uptempo Offense Evident Thus Far

Throughout the offseason, there were two big discussions that were constantly being talked about from Wizards fans in D.C. One, was Paul Pierce going to stick around for another year in the nation’s capital? Two, would head coach Randy Wittman fully commit to playing a more uptempo offense that benefited the Wizards so much in the playoffs?

Fast forwarding to this point the answer to the Pierce question is obviously no. Pierce decided to return back home and play for the Los Angeles Clippers. And although the NBA is still in preseason mode, the answer to the second question is looking like an astounding yes.

It all began in training camp when Wittman sat the players down prior to the first practice and reassured to his players that if they wanted to play faster and sometimes smaller, every person on the team had to fully commit to it. As a result, the first couple days of camp were grueling because of the amount of running, but at least they knew Wittman meant business.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: 25 Best Players To Play For The Wizards

Now five preseason games in, it is evident that the Wizards style of play has upgraded to fit their strengths.

John Wall thrives in the open floor and has done so ever since he entered the league six years ago. With a roster full of young and athletic players, many defenses will be at his mercy on fast-break opportunities especially if the Wizards have the advantage down the court. Through the five preseason games, the Wizards are averaging 119.8 points per game.

To give a comparison of last season’s pace, they ranked 18th in the NBA averaging 93.7 points per game.

More from Washington Wizards

• Washington Wizards draft odds: What are their chances at the #1 pick?
• Wizards: 5 Teams that should trade for Bradley Beal this summer
• Ranking the top 18 shooters available on NBA trade market
• Trade Grades: Rui Hachimura traded to the Lakers
• NBA Trades: 5 under-the-radar trade targets

Usually, when you think of an uptempo offense, the logical adjustment to make to the lineup would be to go smaller at the power forward position, similar to what Golden State does with Draymond Green.

Wittman is exploring those options, but for now is going with Kris Humphries and Drew Gooden to still allow them to keep size, while also bringing the ability to stretch the floor with outside shooting.

Humphries has been known as a high-energy player who can pound the glass and score around the basket, but as the word got out that the Wizards would look for big men who can shoot, he worked on his outside shot non-stop during the off-season and won over Wittman’s confidence enough to be entered into the starting lineup.

Thus far, he has connected on six triples, many of which have been off pick-and-pop sets that they ran to exhaustion during camp.

Another concern for a team making the transition of playing quicker is how the center will adjust to the speed. Luckily for the Wizards, Marcin Gortat is one of the best in the business at doing so. There have been numerous times this preseason that Gortat has been on the receiving end of a Wall dish on a fast-break.

Gortat and Wall are also one of the best duos in the half court and have continued to shred defenses in their pick-and-roll sets.

The biggest question mark heading into training camp was how Otto Porter Jr. would react to the responsibility of the starting position now that Pierce was gone. Porter Jr. played outstanding for the Wizards in the playoffs last season, but it was up in the air of whether or not he could do so without Pierce mentoring him throughout the game.

Averaging 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists 23.4 minutes per game gives good indication that he his comfortable with his new role and offense.

Stressing transition opportunities isn’t the only thing Wittman wants to stress to his players. Shooting more three’s has shown to be a point of emphasis after finishing 27th in three-point attempts last season (16.8 per game). With shooters such as Bradley Beal, Jared Dudley, and Gary Neal, the Wizards are stocked with players who can feel it up beyond the arc.

Live Feed

Wiz of Awes

In the five games thus far, they have averaged 25.2 three-point attempts, a clear increase in last season’s number.

The Wizards have done all this throughout preseason without the services of Dudley, Alan Anderson, and Martell Webster, three players who won’t be afraid to add to the three-point attempts number and do so efficiently.

The Eastern Conference is clearly ran by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but some smaller market teams such as the Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks are teams to keep an eye on this upcoming season.

The Wizards proved they can be a matchup nightmare as they swept Toronto in the first-round and gave Atlanta all they could handle even when Wall was playing with a fractured left wrist.

If the Wizards can stick to their guns on the uptempo offense, they have a good chance to surprise teams this season with their new style. It has worked well so far in preseason action, so it is expected to carry over once Oct. 28 comes as they begin their regular season at Orlando.

Next: 50 Greatest NBA Players Without a Championship

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout