The Washington Wizards are facing a 0-2 deficit in their best-of-seven series with the Toronto Raptors. The Wizards have been outclassed in each of the first two contests.
John Wall has tried to carry the team on his back but the struggles of others, specifically Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat have doomed the Wizards in the first two games.
In Game 2 on Tuesday night, Washington fell behind by as many as 22 points. They fought back to cut the deficit down to five in the fourth quarter, but the Raptors proved to be too much eventually winning 130-119.
Beal struggled in all aspects of the game, shooting just 3-of-11 from the field while manufacturing a minus-34 plus/minus rating. Gortat was relegated to just 12 minutes of play, going scoreless for the game.
During a timeout the Wizards’ struggles this season were on full display as Wall and Gortat were visibly not on the same page in heated discussion. Meanwhile, Beal sat on the bench in disbelief, burying his sorrows in the towel.
The Wizards are not on the same page right now 👀 John Wall and Gortat arguing on the bench while Bradley Beal covers his face pic.twitter.com/PrTBywLbY3
— Hoops ON Tap (@SONTHoops) April 18, 2018
Remember when the motto was “Everybody Eats?”
Well the entire Wizards team is starving now. Wall is starving for some help. Beal is starving to find his footing in the series and Gortat is starving for playing time and some glimpse of production. During Wall’s absence this season, the three were featured in the headlines detailing dissension within the locker room. Beal seemed to bask in the glory to the Wizards’ hot streak while Wall was out with knee surgery. Gortat’s tweet about the Wizards’ “Great ‘team’ victory’ while Wall was out made matters worse.
Oh how things have changed lately.
While all three downplayed any turmoil, it’s hard not to think otherwise with their actions then and now seeing this telling scene.
If the three don’t get over whatever is hampering the team chemistry, Washington’s stay in the 2018 NBA Playoffs could be a short one and possibly lead to future changes this offseason.
