After nearly a month of NBA action, the Washington Wizards own the best record in the Eastern Conference. Bet you didn't see that coming, huh?
A handful of observers expected a drop-off in Washington's performance after they traded away Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the newfound depth they got in return has spurred immense success early on in the season.
The most significant difference for the Wizards has been on the defensive end. The Wiz were comically terrible on that end for the past few seasons. They were 29th in both defensive rating and opponent's points allowed back in 2019-20. They allowed an astonishing 118.5 points per game last season, the clear-cut worst mark in the NBA.
But now under new head coach Wes Unseld Jr., the team has hung its hat on the defense – and it's paying dividends. Their latest win over the Orlando Magic was yet another defensive gem, holding their opponents to just 92 points. It's their fifth instance of holding an opponent below the century mark through 12 games, the same number they had in all 72 games last season.
Wizards beat the Magic, 104-92. The Wizards have held teams under 100 points five times this year, matching their total from all of last season.
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) November 14, 2021
No longer does the team have to rely heavily on the offense generated by superstar Bradley Beal. The Wizards are 2-0 in games he hasn't played so far thanks to a heavy dose of defense and team-wide scoring. If Washington can continue to lock down their opponents at this rate, there's no reason for them to drop down from the standings anytime soon.
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