The Washington Wizards got off to a surprisingly hot start to the 2021-22 NBA season. This was not a team that was on many radars coming into the season but they quickly changed that notion by winning 10 of their first 13 games and climbing into the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Things have changed a bit since so the million-dollar question remains, are the Wizards a playoff team?
Washington started out the season 10-3 before running into some problems. It went on to lose four of its next five games and this is where some thought that the team might be coming back down to Earth.
Since then, the Wizards have won three of four and sit comfortably as the second seed in the East. Yes, the season is just a quarter of the way through but who has the Wizards in this position after 22 games?
The Wizards traded Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason. In return, they received Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell, along with signing Spencer Dinwiddie.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets for Washington Wizards — Pass or Pursue?
While the Westbrook trade was inevitable, the return might have caused some to scratch they heads and question the fit. It turns out that the Wizards have gelled nicely to this point.
Harrell looks to have returned to his Sixth Man of the Year ways averaging 16.6 points and 8.3 rebounds off the bench this season.
Both Caldwell-Pope and Kuzma have started every game this season for the Washington Wizards and are scoring double-digit points per game. Dinwiddie has been a nice compliment to Bradley Beal, who leads the team with 22.7 points per game, in the backcourt. This is all while Rui Hachimura has struggled to get on the floor.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets for Washington Wizards — Pass or Pursue?
Wes Unseld Jr. came into the franchise looking to make an immediate impact — and he did so on the defensive end. The Wizards were one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season. So far this year, Washington is in the top-five and playing extremely well. The loss of Westbrook will certainly improve a team’s defensive prowess.
It is still extremely early in the season but the short answer is yes — Washington is looking like a playoff team. It seems to have the depth necessary to withstand 82 games and the defensive ability to remain in games. Bradley Beal is one of the best scorers in the game and there are some experienced players who have contributed to winning teams in the past.
Unseld Jr. is an early-season candidate for Coach of the Year in the league if this continues. What he has done in year one has many people watching with their mouths wide open.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Targets for Washington Wizards — Pass or Pursue?
This is not to say that the Washington Wizards will compete with the Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals but this is a team that looks like it can clinch one of the right postseason spots. They did it last year so why not once again?
Either way, there should be some excitement in D.C. as they can watch a competitive basketball team night in and night out that is finding ways to win games. This is all that can be asked early on. Whether Washington can keep this up is unknown but the early-season wins count all the same.
