J-Speaks: Wizards' Wall (Knee Surgery) Shelved for Two Months

The 2017-18 Washington Wizards, have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA this season. Their inability to win games against inferior opponents, plus the inconsistency from players not named John Wall, and Bradley Beal has had head coach Scott Brooks shaking his head on most nights. The prospects of a quick turnaround got even tougher with some tough news about their All-Star floor general. 

On Tuesday, the Wizards announced that Wall, who earned his fifth All-Star selections last month will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. 

That operation took place on Wednesday in Cleveland, OH to get a second opinion on his knee, that has been an issue for him for much of this season. 

A person with direct knowledge of the No. 1 overall pick in 2010 by the Wizards could miss 6 to 8 weeks. That means without any setbacks in his rehabilitation, Wall could return in late March. 

“It’s a concern, but we have to trust that the doctors, and everybody is going to have the best game plan for him going forward, not about us going forward,” Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said about Wall’s knee prior to surgery, according to The Washington Post on Monday. 

“We want to make sure, not only with John, but with all our guys that their career is most important. But right now, I don’t know how concerned, but we’re definitely concerned that it’s bothering him time to time.”

Along with losing their No. 2 scorer at 19.4 points, and the No. 2 man in assists per game at 9.3 this season, they lose their floor general who not only can operate the team in the half court but is one of the fastest players in “The Association” in the open court. 

This injury to some extend has taken away some of Wall’s speed, and it has hampered his production from last season where he averaged career-highs of 23.1 points, and 10.7 assists, which was second in the league, on 45.1 percent from the field. 

In July, Wall agreed to a four-year, $170 million contract extension, which begins in the 2018-19 season. 

Last week, Wall earned his fifth All-Star selection, but will miss the Annual unofficial midseason classic in Los Angeles, CA on Feb. 18 on TNT. In his place, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver chose Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond to replace Wall on captain LeBron James’ squad. 

He had missed nine games from November to December 2017 this season due to that knee, and the Wizards went 4-5 in those contests. 

Attempts to get Wall’s right included draining it and getting platelet-rich plasma injections. 

“It just kept becoming a problem,” Brooks, whose starting floor general a season ago averaged said. 

Manning the lead guard spot until Wall returns will be second-year guard Tomas Satoransky, who was Wall’s understudy. His backup will be Tim Frazier, who the team signed in free agency this summer. 

In the 11 prior games that Wall has missed, Satoransky has averaged 7.3 points, and 4.1 assists on 44 percent from the floor. 

Last Saturday in his second start of the season in place of Wall, who was shelved because of a recurrence of soreness, and swelling in that left knee Satoransky had 11 points, and seven assists, hitting all three of his triples in the Wizards 129-104 win at the Atlanta Hawks (15-36). 

He was one of six Wizards to score in double-figures with Markieff Morris leading the way with 23 points, hitting 9 for 12 from the floor, including 4 for 5 from three-point range. Mike Scott had 19 points off the bench. Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter, Jr. each scored 18. Kelly Oubre, Jr. had 15 points off the pine. While he only scored four points off the bench, Frazier had 14 assists, two steals, and two blocks in 27 minutes. 

The Wizards shot 57.6 percent at the Hawks, hitting 18 for 32 from three-point range, garnering 40 assists on their 49 made field goals.    

“That was an opportunity for them,” Wizards starting center Marcin Gortat said of his backcourt teammates’ performance. “John has some health issues, and that’s why he was resting (Saturday). That’s an opportunity for somebody to step up.” 

“Tim took that challenge. He used that opportunity. It was an unbelievable game for him… Tomas is Tomas-we know what he can do. He’s shooting the ball very well now, and we’re excited. It’s a lot of fun to play with Tomas. He’s looking for you, and he’s trying to get you the ball.” 

In their rematch against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, the Wizards controlled matters for much of the game, garnering a 102-96 win, to improve to 7-6 without Wall this season. 

Porter led the way with 25 points, with six boards, and two steals. Beal had 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Morris had 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Oubre, Jr. added 10 off the bench. 

In their first encounter in Oklahoma City on Jan. 25, the Thunder (30-21) scored 36 points of 23 Wizards turnovers; were outscored 60-40 in the paint; scored 22 fast break points; and shot 51.7 percent shooting. 

The Wizards while they shot 38.2 percent from the floor, won because they held the Thunder to 37.5 percent shooting. While they were out-rebounded by the Thunder 61-53; they only had 12 turnovers, leading to 11 points; were only outscored 34-32 in the paint; held the Thunder to 9 for 32 from three-point range; and forced 21 miscues, leading to 13 points. The Wizards also managed 27 assists on their 34 made field goals. 

All-Star Russell Westbrook, who had a season-high 46 points, on 19 for 29 from the field, and 7 for 10 at the foul line, was held 13 points, on 5 for 18 shooting, with 10 assists, six rebounds, and seven turnovers. Anthony had 19 points, but shot just 7 for 21 shooting, including 2 for 12 from distance. 

“Our spirit won the game,” Brooks said following the win. “We fought, we battled, we clawed. We didn’t complain. We just played. How many times can you shoot 38 percent, and have 27 assists? That means the ball was moving around, and shot distribution was great.” 

The Wizards improved their record without Wall to 8-6 thanks with a 122-119 victory versus the Toronto Raptors (35-16) on Thursday night. 

In a game where both teams were scorching hot from the field, connection on 53, and 51.8 percent from the floor between the Raptors and Wizards respectably, the home team out-rebounded their opponent 50-37; scored 23 points of 18 Raptor miscues, which consisted of 10 steals and had 16 fast break points. The Wizards also registered 30 assists on their 44 field goals, which offset their 16 turnovers that ended up in 22 Raptors points. 

Beal led eight Wizards in double-figures with 25 of his 27 points in the second half, with six boards, six assists and three steals. Porter had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists of his own. Morris had 15 points and seven boards. Scott had 14 points off the bench, while Gortat, Satoransky, Ian Mahinmi, and Jodi Meeks each scored 10. 

If there is any silver-lining with Wall going on the shelf at this point in the season, the team is the No. 5 Seed in the Eastern Conference at 28-22, just a ½ game ahead of the No. 4 Seeded Miami Heat. 

While it may be a long shot, Wizards’ President Ernie Grunfeld could acquire a point guard before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Brooks said however that Wall’s injury would not alter the team’s approach to the deadline.” 

“This is a minor setback. And he [Wall] will be back-I don’t know when,” he said. “We’re not going to change things up just [be]cause of this.” 

The team has played well in their first two games with Satoransky, who dead a wonderful job on Westbrook, and his understudy Frazier. 

“John is the main guy, so it’s always tough to cover your main guy when he goes down,” Satoransky said. “It’s very challenging.”

Led by their starting backcourt of Wall and Beal, who will be playing in his first All-Star Game in three weeks from this Sunday in Los Angeles, CA, the Wizards were within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Boston Celtics in seven games a season ago. 

For them to be in that same position again this spring, they will have to win at a high rate without their perennial All-Star lead guard. That means Satoransky, and Frazier will have to lead the way at the point. Beal, Porter, Jr., Gortat, Morris, and Oubre, Jr. will have to raise their games. Above all, the team can have no more setbacks in terms of beating teams they are supposed to beat. 

This season still has a chance to be a special one for the Wizards, but only if they play to the level of their talent, and put aside the pettiness that has been a major distraction. 

Hearing Beal say what he did near the end of this week that without Wall, "it's fun basketball. Everybody gets a touch, everybody gets a shot. It makes life easier. It keeps the camaraderie going. At the same time, that's the type of team we need to be in order for us to be special."

They may have won their first few times out without Wall in the lineup, but if they think that life will get easier for them until he returns, they will fall flat on their faces before they know it.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 1/30/18 www.nba.com article “Washington Wizards’ John Wall to Have Left Knee Surgery,” by Howard Fendrich of The Associated Press; 1/31/18 www.espn.com article, via The Associated Press “John Wall Undergoes Knee Surgery;” 2/2/18 3:30 p.m. edition of "Sportsnation," presented by Toyota with Michelle Beadle, LZ Granderson, and Marcellus Wiley; www.nba.com/games/20180201/OKCWSH#/preview;  www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/wsh/washington-wizards; www.nba.com/games/20180130/OKCWSH#/preview; www.nba.com/games/20180201/TORWAS#/matchup;  www.espn.com/nba/standings; www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/4237/john-wall; and www.espn.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/6621/tomas-satoransky.