Gameday Preview: OKC Thunder aim for sweep of the season against the John Wall-less Washington Wizards
By Alex Mcewen
The OKC Thunder return home to face the Wall-less Washington Wizards. After two solid road wins, OKC hopes to continue rolling in the new year.
The OKC Thunder are coming home after two quality road wins over the LeBron-less Lakers and their division rival the Portland Trailblazers. Oklahoma City registered their first when in Portland since February 11, 2014. To put in perspective how long it had been since OKC took one in Rip City, LeBron was still on the Heat and Stache Brother to be Enes Kanter was on the Utah Jazz.
OKC’s win in Portland was their best of the season to this point. Aside from the fact, the Thunder had lost eight consecutive games in Portland and six consecutive overall, prior to Friday night. The win pulled OKC even in their division record at 3-3.
For what it’s worth, divisional record is the third tiebreaker for two-way ties and the second tiebreaker for multi-way ties.
Paul George scored 37 points tonight against the Trail Blazers.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 5, 2019
It was his 6th road game this season with at least 35 points, which is the 2nd most in the NBA. He trails only James Harden, who has 7. pic.twitter.com/wksu3D0kQe
Wall-less and hopeless Wizards
Behind the New Orleans Pelicans, the Wizards are probably the biggest disappointment in the NBA this season. There has been bickering in the locker room, a piriformis injury, Scott Brook has continued making head-scratching decisions, and last but, not the least, the trade that wasn’t a trade.
Scott Brooks playing Ron Baker over Troy Brown is one of the most hilarious and yet saddest parts about an already hilarious and sad Wizards season
— Robert Flom (@RichHomieFlom) December 29, 2018
It has been a sad season for the Wizards indeed, as the team currently sets nine game under .500 and they have lost their starting point guard John Wall for the rest of the year due to heel surgery. Washington’s problems extend deeper than coaching and chemistry issues.
It starts at the top where the culture or lack thereof is formed. Case and point, the Wizards solution to stop their hemorrhaging was to bring back a player, Trevor Ariza who elected to leave the sinking ship five years ago via free agency.
Aside from a coaching change, the Wizards core of Wall, Beal, and Otto Porter Jr. have remained the same since Ariza departed. Not much will change in the Nation’s capital until there is a change at the top, they have stood behind their president of basketball operations for well over a decade. Hence, there is no end in sight to this point for the Wizards purgatory.