The Washington Wizards have had a disappointing start to the season, and yet they clawed their way to the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They have had to face a lot of adversity on the way there, but due to the stellar play of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal, they managed to come out on top.
One should never underestimate a team with two superstars. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook have both played at an All-NBA level, and they will provide a dangerous opponent for any team. The Wizards are playing the Boston Celtics next in the play-in tournament, and if they win the matchup they will be guaranteed the 7th seed.
Boston Celtics’ coach Brad Stevens has recently praised the Washington Wizards and has stated that they are not a regular 8th seed team. Ahead of the season, many people predicted that the Wizards would be a very good team due to their talent, so Stevens’ assessment is not that far off.
Brad Stevens on the Wizards: "We're not playing a typical 8-seed… it's going to be a challenge, we know that."
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) May 17, 2021
The Washington Wizards have a solid chance of beating the Boston Celtics, and they have peaked at the exact right time. The Boston Celtics will also be without All-Star Jaylen Brown, further heightening the Wizards’ chances of winning.
A team with the Wizards’ level of talent shouldn’t be the 8th seed. However, this has been a very unpredictable season, and some very good teams have slipped to the bottom of the playoff standings in both conferences. The Washington Wizards could surprise some people these playoffs, so long as they keep playing at this level.
