The Wizards’ loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night was one of those games where if just one more player found a rhythm offensively, Washington likely would have clinched the win.
Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma each scored 28 points, and Kristaps Porzingis added 18, though not on his best shooting night (7-for-18). But no one else on the roster reached double figures as their offense stagnated to score 48 points in the second half after a strong start in which they scored 38 points in the first quarter alone.
In the starting lineup, Corey Kispert shot 2-for-9, including 1-for-7 from three, while Deni Avdija went 2-for-8 and 0-for-4 from long range. The bench combined for just 20 points and Will Barton went 1-for-8, including 1-for-5 from deep.
Give the Heat credit for making the right adjustments to neutralize the Wizards offense after their first-quarter blitz. But the Wizards’ biggest box score illustrated well their lack of depth at this point.
Injuries are a big reason for that. With Monte Morris (ankle) and Delon Wright (hamstring) out for Friday’s game, the Wizards were without each of their top two point guards. Beal was supposed to start at point, which he can do, but the Wizards prefer him to the two.
Rui Hachimura (ankle) was also unavailable, leaving the Wizards without their leading scorer off the bench. And 10th overall pick Johnny Davis (groin) also went down as he faces another hurdle as a rookie.
All of these injuries left head coach Wes Unseld Jr. with few options he could rely on for Friday’s game. Only nine Wizards players saw the court in Miami and only six of them played more than 17 minutes. Daniel Gafford played just eight minutes, while Anthony Gill played 13 and Barton played 16.
Unseld Jr. also handed out four DNP-CDs (did not play, coach’s decision); Taj Gibson, Isaiah Todd, Vernon Carey Jr. and Devon Dotson. Gibson is the only guy more likely to get the nod, as the other three would normally be playing in the G-League if the Wizards weren’t so shell-shocked. Its availability is itself a sign of the times.
While Jordan Goodwin made some plays and Gafford made some dunks, overall the Wizards’ bench was not a strength in their loss to the Heat. It could be argued that it has been a trend so far this season.
While injuries provide key context, those who have been healthy and available haven’t collectively reached their potential. Barton has struggled mightily compared to his career norms, averaging just 8.2 points on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 34.8 percent from three this year. He has a +/- for the season at -4.9, usually representing a weak link in this category.
Barton is one of only three Wizards among the 14 to log the most minutes with a negative point differential per 100 possessions. Barton, Hachimura and Gafford are -8.5 and have been the core of the Wizards bench this season.
The overall numbers aren’t great either. The Wizards second unit is 20th in net rating (-1.2) and 26th in +/- (-3.3). The main problem is their offensive efficiency, as they are 25th in offensive rating (108.6) compared to ninth in defensive rating (109.8).
Reports from Miami suggested that Morris, Hachimura and Davis were all set to play Friday night before the Wizards’ coaching staff thought otherwise. Taking this as an indication that they are close, perhaps the Wizards will welcome all three in the coming days. Morris and Hachimura could be big factors, as Morris helps stabilize their depleted starting rotation and Hachimura is generally good for 10+ points per game off the bench.
Wright is still weeks out with a hamstring strain and his loss has been tough on the Wizards. He is their best defender and brings a lot of value because of his versatility to play both positions in the backcourt.
The Wizards, however, have been fine without him, especially since they discovered they had something in Goodwin. He is not a player whose absence has diminished his depth. It’s just a matter of piling up the injuries and those left struggling to find their shot.
On Friday night, it was a little too much to overcome.
