Despite the recent slide, it’s been a magical start to the season in D.C. as the Wizards find themselves less within reach of the top-seed in the Eastern Conference.
Starting point guard Spencer Dinwiddie believes the team that resides in the nation’s capital isn’t being talked about enough.
“Honestly no. When I look at the standings and maybe I’m just bullish on who we are, I think you always give credit to the champs, Milwaukee; I think the talent in Brooklyn is undeniable… I think when you look from three through ten it’s going to come down to cohesiveness, you know what I mean?”, Dinwiddie said in an interview with Bally Sport’s Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson
Dinwiddie clearly put things into perspective and acknowledged the talent the Wizards have across the board starting with none other than Bradley Beal.
“Just little plays here and there; like, we have a top tier scorer — one of the best in the league, so we have a puncher’s chance EVERY night, you know what I’m sayin’? It’s going to be about us playing together and playing the game the right way and like I said, the rest of that is up for grabs. I think you gotta lace ‘em up every night and go out there and compete so I’m not looking at it like a top-5 team; I’m looking at it like, there’s a clear cut top two and I’ll pay my respect where it’s due but you know, after that, everybody gotta come see us, you know what I’m sayin’? The same way that we have to come see them, they gotta come see us!”, Dinwiddie said.
Evaluating the Kyle Kuzma Addition
Apart from Dinwiddie’s 15.3 PPG and Beal’s 23.9 PPG this season, a large part of this team’s 10-5 start has been because of Kyle Kuzma. The former Lakers forward was acquired via trade alongside teammates Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this past offseason in a blockbuster deal that sent Russell Westbrook out west.
Although Harrell may be paying the most dividends averaging 17.4 PPG and 8.5 RPG, Dinwiddie believes Kuzma may be the difference-maker on this squad down the stretch…
“If you look at how he rebounded in the first game was big time. His ability to catch and shoot spacing the floor when he shoots was huge; and then again, if we’re able to get on the same page there’s no reason that he can’t be in the high teens, maybe a double-double type of candidate which puts him in elite conversation at that stretch-4 spot and makes us one of the better teams in the East,” Dinwiddie said.
Kuzma is averaging 14.1 PPG and 9.1 RPG while shooting an efficient 41.4% from the field. If he keeps it up alongside what Dinwiddie, Beal, and Harrell bring to the table, Washington most certainly won’t be looking like a dark horse, but instead a true contender in the East.
