How Wall’s Broken Wrist Changes Hawks-Wizards Series
By John Buhler
According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com, Wizards All-Star PG John Wall has “five non-displaced fractures in his left wrist”. This is a crippling injury for the Washington Wizards. Though the organization has not stated his status for Game 3, it’s nearly impossible to believe that Wall can play for the next month. That would mean he most likely is out for the year unless the Wizards can get to the NBA Finals without him.
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You hate for one of the league’s best young stars to fall like this on the highest stage. The Wizards chances to defeat the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals just might have vanished for DC. When he’s not playing against the Hawks, I thoroughly enjoy Wall’s game. He plays outstanding textbook point guard for a good basketball team. Even Atlanta fans have to feel for their Southeastern rival this afternoon. Being stripped of your best player in the midst of a playoff run is absolutely devastating.
The uncertainty around Wall’s status is grim at best. So that would mean that backup PG Ramon Sessions will be thrust into the fire for the rest of the Eastern Semis and beyond if Washington advances. While Sessions looked good in Game 2, he’s not John Wall. Where the discrepancy is most obvious between Wall and Sessions is in ball control. Wall rarely turns the ball over and Sessions plays a little careless with the basketball at times.
For the Wizards to fight on, Paul Pierce, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat need to all play their best basketball of the season. I’m talking 75 points between the three of them a night. That’s asking so much from a team that is more of a defensive minded squad under HC Randy Wittman.
If Wall cannot go the rest of the series, expect Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder to take over these next several games. Wall’s on ball defense will be sorely missed when Teague and Schroder continuously attack the paint with authority.
I know our Hawks are up against Wall’s Wizards in a very heated best-of-seven series, but I can’t help but feel slighted that Wall is surely out indefinitely. Still the Hawks cannot cake walk through the rest of round two just because John Wall may not play another second for the Wizards this season. Stick to Coach Bud’s plan and execute Atlanta Hawks basketball and the team could very well find itself in the Eastern Finals for the first time.