John Wall throws down the hammer
From the opening tip, Washington Wizards superstar John Wall came out like a bat out of hell. The speedy point guard continued to defy logic and play both under control and at his trademarked break-neck speed.
Wall’s shot was shaky at best, but he found other ways to make his presence felt on the court. The Allstar brought his defense up to near lockdown levels and kept the ball on a string as he slipped the ball through the defense for sleek assists.
By the buzzer, Washington’s backcourt of Wall and his deadeye shooting counterpart Bradley Beal had combined for 53 points to lead the Wizards to a 120-115 victory over the talented Philadelphia 76ers. Although the duo put up huge single game numbers, in order for the team to retain it’s upward trajectory, the duo must score at a higher rate with better efficiency.
Whereas the Wizards succeeded despite their stars empty production, the Sixers found themselves in a frustrating situation with franchise player Joel Embed on a minutes restriction. The Cameroonian big man thoroughly dictated the direction of play when given court time, but Philadelphia struggled to keep up on both ends of the ball when he sat on the bench.
As for rookie headliners Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons, the first overall picks from the past two drafts impressed in different ways. While Simmons demonstrated his overall impact and special passing vision can change a game, Fultz disproved doubters and showed evidence of his ability to play off the ball effectively.
Both franchises are full of promise, but at two different points in the process of attaining a championship ring. Washington sits among the leaders of the Eastern Conference with a realistic goal of achieving a Conference Finals berth. Philly on the other hand, has the centerpieces necessary to challenge even the best of teams on a nightly basis, but lacks the proper big game experience to pose any legitimate threat to NBA powerhouses.
With Embiid’s minutes management dilemma and Washington entering a pivotal year in their development, it’ll be interesting to see how the two teams progress through the over 80 games left in the season. One thing’s for sure, with the East wide-open for the taking, the NBA’s in for a wild ride.
