The Washington Wizards won an unprecedented 17 straight games at home earlier this NBA season. Their winning streak was a part of a tremendous turnaround that catapulted them from a slow start into third place in the Eastern Conference, behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. Wizards team attendant and WJ JV boys’ basketball coach, as well as paraeducator at WJ, Chase Rieder watched the early season struggles unfold.
“It was tough [for the Wizards],” he said.
The season did not get off to the best start as the Wizards won just two of their first 10 games. They slowly climbed their way back stood at 6-13 after 19 games. They were still wallowing in mediocrity. In the next game, versus the Orlando Magic, it looked like they could pull out of their rut. Point guard John Wall scored 52 points as the Wizards turned a 19-point deficit into eight. It was far too late; however, and the Wizards lost 124-116. It seemed like the Wizards couldn’t buy a win, even when their star player scores 52 points.
“The NBA is not a one-person team,” Reider said.
But that’s when it all started.
After the loss to the Magic on December 6, 2016, their next defeat at home was not until February 6. In the midst of their home winning streak,the Wizards had an overall record of 23-7, and by the time they lost to Cavaliers on February 6, the Wizards were 30-21 and in prime position to potentially overtake the Cavaliers for number one seed in the Eastern Conference. The winning streak also got Wizards’ fans to start flocking to Verizon Center.
“Every game kind of felt like a playoff game during that winning streak,” Reider said. “During the win streak it wasn’t, we were just winning by one or two [points], we were putting teams away quickly.”
The winning did not only change the attitudes of the Wizards players, the opposing players and coaches also took notice.
“[I’ve heard] the guys and coaches on the bench really say ‘wow, the Wizards have come a long way, this is a scary team,’” Reider said. “Home court is huge… and the teams that come in know that the Wizards are a force at home.”
As of February 21, the Wizards were 34-21 with a 2.5 game lead over the Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast Division, and were in third place in the East, five games behind the Cavaliers for the number one spot and two games behind the Boston Celtics for the second seed. Since the Wizards started winning, there might be some people who think there is a possibility for a championship run. Reider thinks there is a chance but really doesn’t want to face the Cavaliers, but senior Mitchell Muskatel, a varsity basketball player, believes it will be more of a process.
“I don’t know if they can win a championship this year but they will definitely compete in the playoffs. There’s a chance they get to the finals, but I don’t think they can beat the [Golden State] Warriors, not this year,” Muskatel said.
Other people have the same belief, but that they won’t be able to make it past the Eastern Conference Finals.
“No,” senior Andrew Tyler said. “Lebron [James] and Kyrie [Irving] are a better duo [for the Cavaliers] than Wall and Beal.”
With this recent winning, the Wizards hope to carry their momentum into the playoffs, and it all started with the home winning streak.
