Washington Wizards: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season
1. Can the Wizards win the East?
Without LeBron James in the Eastern Conference, the race is wide open to win the conference crown. With James now in the West, teams in the East will be competing among a talented field to come out of the conference as champions.
Two early favorites are the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. On the bright side, the Wizards went 2-2 against both squads in 2017-18. They’re just as competitive as both teams, although when it comes to defense, the Celtics and Sixers hold the advantage.
The Celtics finished first in the NBA last season in defensive rating (101.5) while the Sixers finished third (102.0). Washington finished the season ranked 15th in defensive rating (106.2). With Dwight Howard on the roster, finishing in the top 10 is ideal for 2018-19, but guys will need to understand their roles.
Next. Ranking all 30 starting NBA small forwards for 2018-19. dark
Understanding roles seemed to be a hard thing to come by for some down the stretch in last year’s postseason. Hopefully, head coach Scott Brooks has adjusted the game plan with the new faces on the roster.