Are The Washington Wizards For Real?

Gary Dineen/Getty Images

In what may be the biggest show out of the NBA Playoffs, the Washington Wizards are proving to the nation that they deserve to be in the playoffs.

So are the Washington Wizards for real or are the Chicago Bulls really that bad?


The Wizards came into the playoffs as the 5th seed out of a weak Eastern Conference. Their 44-38 record wouldn't have even got them into the playoffs if they were in the Western Conference (Eighth seed in the West, Dallas Mavericks, got into the playoffs with a 49-33 record).

 
Now they have a two game lead over the Chicago Bulls and can close out the series with two more wins. The Wizards two wins over Chicago both came at the United Center in Chicago. The next two games will be played at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The Wizards have a good chance of closing out this series in the next two games based on the fact that their record at home was the same as on the road this season, 22-19.


In the first game it was a front court domination game where Marcin Gortat and Nene controlled the paint on both sides of the court. John Wall and Bradley Beal played decent games in their first playoff appearances. However, compared to their usual numbers they actually had a sub-par performance when the Wizards shocked the state of Illinois with a 9-point win over the Bulls in game one of the series.

 
The second game is when Bradley Beal stole the show. Beal put up a game-high 26 points, just one over the Bulls leading scorer DJ Augustin who had 25 points on the night. Wall also played a better game than the first and finished with 16 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. 


Don't go counting the Bulls out just yet. There is still a lot of basketball to be played and this is a veteran led team with a lot of playoff experience. They have former coach of the year Tom Thibodeau, who has been able to continually coach his team into the playoffs even though they have been without their star player, Derrick Rose, for just about two seasons now; They also lost their second best scorer when they traded Luol Deng earlier in the season to the Cavaliers. Coach Thibodeau does it every year using a defense first approach, led by defensive player of the year Joakim Noah.


The Washington Wizards have surprised most of the nation so far and will have a chance to prove that they have what it takes to win in this series this Friday, April 25th 5:00pm PT on ESPN for what should be an excellent game 3.

NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference 1st Round Look-In

Alright so now that all the seedings are official it is time to take a look into each match-up we have in the Eastern Conference.

Here is a look at the match-ups of the first round (ESPN's NBA playoff bracket here):

 

 

#8 Atlanta Hawks vs #1 Indiana Pacers:

Credit: Philly.com

The Hawks squeaked into the playoffs after beating out the New York Knicks for the final eighth seed out of the East. The Pacers have had their troubles these last couple months, especially Roy Hibbert who has amassed only 9 points and 12 rebounds in his last 4 games! The Atlanta Hawks best player, Al Horford, hasn't played since December 26th and he is not expected to return during their series with the Pacers. The Pacers should be able to run past the Hawks and make it to the second round. However I can see the Hawks pulling off an upset if Hibbert continues his downward spiral towards oblivion.
Prediction:
Indiana Pacers in 6 games

#7 Charlotte Bobcats vs #2 Miami Heat:

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Maybe the most hyped story of this series will be "LeBron & the Heat vs MJ's Bobcats". Lebron James will get a chance to take on a team owned by the greatest player of all time. Knowing LeBron's attitude I think it’s safe to say he will be showing his 'A' game, especially if Michael attends any of the games. This will be Michael Jordan's first playoff appearance since being the owner of the Bobcats, and the franchise's first appearance since Larry Brown coached them to their only playoff appearance in 2009-10. The Heat will run away with this series but the Bobcats should be able to sneak out one win against the champs.
Prediction:
Miami Heat in 5 games

#6 Brooklyn Nets vs #3 Toronto Raptors:

Getty Images

The Raptors are making their first playoff appearance since the end of the 2008 season. The have a young squad ready to make a statement to the NBA. Kyle Lowry has helped lead this team to the playoffs and is showing why he should have been voted an All Star this year. The Brooklyn Nets are talented, experienced, and have a coach that was just playing in the league last year. Kevin Garnett is finally getting back into the swing of things and with Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce around, the final shot will be a tough defensive match-up for the Raptors. The true match-up to watch will be Lowry against Brooklyn's Deron Williams. I expect this series to be close every game.
Prediction:
Brooklyn Nets in 7 games

#5 Washington Wizards vs #4 Chicago Bulls:

Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have been able to stay around the top of the Eastern Conference even though they have been without their best player for almost 2 full seasons now. The Washington Wizards have made a return to the playoffs after a 6 year hiatus thanks to great team play and elite play from their star point guard John Wall. The Bulls have one of the best defenses in the league, led by Joakim Noah, who should win a landslide Defensive Player of the Year award. The Wizards will have the advantage on offense but Chicago's defense will figure a way to limit Wall and will be the difference maker.
Prediction:
Chicago Bulls in 6 games

What do you think will be the outcome?