NBA Power Rankings Week 7: The revenge of the Los Angeles Lakers
By Corey Rausch
5-14. Previous: 30th. Washington Wizards. 27. team. 142.
Last Week: Beat Brooklyn Nets 149-146, Lost to Portland Trail Blazers 132-121, Beat Miami Heat 103-100, Lost to Miami Heat 122-95
This Week: 2/7 at Charlotte Hornets, 2/8 at Chicago Bulls, 2/10 vs. Toronto Raptors, 2/12 vs. New York Knicks
It is hard to imagine a weirder week than the one put forth by the Washington Wizards. They took on the Brooklyn Nets by erasing a 5-point deficit in the final 8.1 seconds of the game with back to back 3-pointers from Bradley Beal and (of all people) Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had his best game of the season to the tune of 41 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Against the Portland Trail Blazers, Westbrook returned to form, extending his streak of games where he has a triple-double and the team loses to seven. Beal, Rui Hachimura (24 points on 12 shots) and Deni Avdija (13 points, seven rebounds) were not enough to move them past the Blazers.
Splitting the games with the Miami Heat is the icing on the cake. The Heat are a mess so far this season and the 27 point drubbing is a new low for the Wizards. Beal missed his first 13 shots and finished with just seven points. Alex Len was the leading scorer with 18 points.
The young guys are starting to get some rhythm, unfortunate given the focus on Westbrook’s struggles. Hachimura and Avdija are finding a rhythm. Garrison Matthews is exceeding his two-way contract and will play as many games as he is allowed. If only Westbrook could turn into the player the Houston Rockets saw before the season paused last year.