Washington Wizards: Big Three thrive in second game of the season
The Washington Wizards are off to a 2-0 start in the 2017-18 as their Big Three begins to take command of the team.
The Washington Wizards got their second victory of the 2017-18 season after getting the best of Reggie Jackson and the Detroit Pistons, 115-111. The Wizards got 79 points from John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, giving fans a glimpse the core’s potential offensive firepower.
The trio was an efficient offensive force in leading Washington to victory. They shot a combined 57.1 percent from the floor and were a lot more efficient from the 3-point line, going 4-for-10 from 3. In the first game, they were 1-of-10 from the 3-point arc.
Porter took a majority of the shots on offense for the Wizards and he looked a lot more comfortable doing it. He was 11-for-19 from the field with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists.
He played a solid game after starting the game at the 4 position for Washington. With injuries in their frontcourt to Markieff Morris and Jason Smith, Porter has been looked upon to play a bigger role. It looks like he’s ready to embrace it now.
Wall finished with his second double-double of the season, racking up 26 points and 10 assists. He was a lot less shot happy in this one and it paid off for him. He shot 8-of-12 from the floor and was 9-of-11 from the free-throw line in the victory.
Beal had 25 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks as he continues to expand his game and play well on both ends. He was 9-of-18 from the floor and 1-for-3 from the 3-point arc. He got to the free-throw line seven times this game, making six of those attempts.
Getting Gortat and Oubre in the mix
One thing missing from the Big Three’s performance was the presence of Marcin Gortat. Gortat did play 34 minutes in the game but finished with five fouls and just six shots. He did have 10 points and 9 rebounds, but foul trouble limited his ability to get involved in the game.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 4 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in his first start of the season with Jason Smith out. He was 1-of-5 from the floor on offense but was a solid performer on the defensive end.
With Morris and Smith out, the starting five all saw 30-plus minutes of playing time for the Wizards. Their defense has taken a hit as they continue to adjust, but they’ll need to figure things out, as they have down the stretch, if they hope to overtake the top spot in the East.
Next: 30 reasons to be excited for the 2017-18 NBA season
The Washington Wizards rank 21st in the NBA in points allowed per game (113.0) through two games so far. They’ll look to remain undefeated when they travel to face the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 23.