Washington Wizards Season Expectations

Sports Editorial

By Michael D. Sykes II

Now more than any season before during the John Wall era, the Washington Wizards have the pressure on them to make it to the post-season. The expectation is for this team to not only return to the playoffs, but also do some damage when they make it.

The Washington Wizards opened the season saying they were very open and eager to talk about the expectations of this season.

When asked about the Wizards making the playoffs, Martell Webster said, “That’s our mentality but we understand that we have to take this one practice at a time and I don’t think we’re going to look too far into the future with this. We’re better than last year just because of experience.”

In an interview with Chris Singleton, I asked him what his expectations were for the team if they were to make the playoffs. “I feel like we’re talented enough to go as deep as we want to go,” Singleton said. “If we all come together and just play together and motivate each other, I feel like we can beat any team out there.”

These are big words for a team that hasn’t sniffed the postseason since 2008. But that doesn’t mean that the Wizards don’t have the firepower to back it up. After a 5-28 start to last season, the Wizards went 24-25 to finish the season after the return of John Wall.

They look like a playoff team this season with Wall back on the floor and playing at an MVP level. They are armed with one of the best defenses in the league; with any offensive improvement, they’re easily one of the best teams in the NBA.

The expectations in D.C. this season are sky high and rightfully so. But what is most important is that the Wizards believe that they can live up to them.