The Washington Wizards are coming off a key win against a shorthanded Boston Celtics team ended in a 125-124 victory in a double overtime thriller.
While the spirits are high, the team has only won five of its last 1o games, still mired in fifth place in the East, while spot three through eight battle in a see-saw battle for the highest seed possible.
Head coach Scott Brooks warned his team needs to be in playoff mode even before the postseason starts.
“We need guys to play their minutes harder, that’s it. You know what, it’s time,” Brooks said, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “It’s time for guys to come off the bench and play better. It’s time for our starters to have better starts, and it’s also time for our team to play well together and not just have a first and second unit. It’s a team, but they all have to do their part and it’s all connected with one another.”
Brooks is putting it all on the line — John Wall or not, these Wizards needs to plow their way through the last 13 games of the season if they hope to have home court advantage for at least the first round.
Shooting guard Bradley Beal echoed the same sense of urgency, noting the preparation for the postseason is just as important as each consequent series the Wizards face, keeping Wall in their back pocket with his imminent return in the horizon.
“We got to realize the playoffs are right around the corner. It’ll be here in a snap of a finger,” Beal said. “Every team that we play is a playoff team… We got to use that as a trump card, that being beneficial to us moving forward and we can get better and be ready to go come the playoff time.”
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