Something Special Begins

Fresh off the most successful season in recent franchise history, the Washington Wizards begin a new season in Miami on Wednesday night, and The Truth is, the Wizards have a chance to be even better in 2014-15.

Last season, Washington finished the regular season 44-38 to finish second to Miami in the Southeast Division and earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They then defeated the Chicago Bulls in the first round before succumbing to the top-seed Indiana Pacers in the East semifinals.

Following the season, the Wizards were one of the busiest teams in the league this offseason with several noteworthy moves. Their primary addition, the arrival of Paul Pierce, brings some needed toughness and postseason mettle to the roster, and he has Washington confident that the Wizards can compete for a title this season.

THE TRUTH ARRIVES

In the midst of a hectic NBA offseason, not much was made of the status of one of the league’s top active scorers, in fact Paul Pierce began the free agency period in Las Vegas, participating in the World Series of Poker. Many believed the former Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets star would return to Brooklyn for a second season.

But on July 12th, Paul sent out a tweet that served as one of many shifts in the balance of power in the Eastern Conference this offseason.

The Wizards engaged Paul after swingman Trevor Ariza — one of the few members of last year’s Wizards with previous postseason experience — departed for the Houston Rockets.

Ariza was the Wizards’ primary wing defender last season and enjoyed a career year from beyond the arc, thanks in part to opposing defenses focusing on star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal. He was part of the 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers team that won a championship, and his playoff experience played a big role in helping Washington beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round last year.

Though the Wizards had hoped to keep Ariza, they one-upped themselves when No. 34 agreed to come to D.C. mere hours after Ariza agreed to sign with Houston.

Paul signing with Washington came as a surprise to most NBA fans, but upon further reflection, it was not completely out of the blue. After his Nets lost to the Wizards on March 15, The Truth paid Wall, Beal and the rest of the Wiz Kids some serious compliments, saying the Wizards were “coming into their own.”

“You’ve seen the struggles over the years, and John Wall has matured as a player, obviously, becoming an All-Star this year and taking on more responsibilities and becoming a leader for this ball club. That’s what the Washington Wizards have been waiting on, and you’re seeing it.”

Like Ariza, Paul has won a championship. Unlike Ariza, Paul was the Finals MVP when his team won it all — in the 2007-08 season, when he put up 21.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in the finals for Boston — and he has been in the playoffs for 11 of his 16 seasons in the NBA.

While the signing of No. 34 was definitely the biggest move for Washington, the team also added frontcourt depth with the acquisition of DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries to replace Trevor Booker, who signed with the Utah Jazz in the offseason.

Booker and Ariza were the only two losses of significance for Washington, though the team also parted ways with forwards Al Harrington (now playing in China) and Chris Singleton (free agent).

Washington also added veteran forward Rasual Butler for depth purposes and is excited about the prospects of second-year players Otto Porter Jr. and Glen Rice Jr., who both impressed in the summer league and preseason. Porter played in just 37 games as a rookie last year while Rice was in just 11, but both are in line for dramatically increased roles this year.

When asked about the team’s addition of No. 34 both young players couldn’t hide their excitement. Rice noted that The Truth’s reputation speaks for itself.

“I feel like he can come and step right in,” he said. “His name says it all: That’s Paul Pierce.”

Porter is thrilled for the chance to play with and learn from someone of No. 34’s caliber:

“I heard during an interview after I was playing in a summer league game,” Porter said. “Someone said, ‘Did you hear Paul Pierce signed with the Wizards?’ I was like, “Oh, really? Wow, OK.’ … It was awesome. Getting to play with Paul Pierce, he’s like a legend. … I didn’t believe it at first.”

INJURY BUG BITES EARLY

The Wizards will need their depth after being bitten hard by the injury bug in training camp and the preseason.

The most notable injury is to Beal, who broke his wrist during the preseason and could be out until around Thanksgiving. Small forward Martell Webster is also out indefinitely while recovering from back surgery.

Additionally, Blair and Nene Hilario will both miss Wendesday’s game due to suspensions stemming from an incident with the Bulls in the preseason. Humphries and Rice Jr. are also recovering from injuries but are expected to play on Wednesday.

No. 34, is recovering from an injury of his own. Paul suffered a bruised right knee in an exhibition game against Charlotte and sat out the team’s final two games of the preseason, but he is expected to play in the season opener against Miami.

With so many key players out Paul could be in for an interesting Wizards debut, possibly pressed into action at three different positions over the course of the game.

Paul played power forward for Brooklyn down the stretch in his lone season there. Traditionally, he has excelled as a small forward, but he’s willing to do whatever he needs to to help the Wizards succeed this season.

“I feel like you get me on that stage, big game, bright lights, I can still perform at a high level,” Pierce said. “Not as consistently as before. And I know I’m playing with better players that need the ball and I don’t have to do as much. But any given night on a big stage I feel like I can still be the best player on the court. And that’s with whoever is out there — Kobe, LeBron, Durant. Any given night.”

The Truth proved it last year in Brooklyn, as his contributions were vital to the Nets’ in-season turnaround from 10-21 start to 44-38 finish and sixth seed in the East. He even came off the bench for a stretch to help the team adjust before center Brook Lopez went down to injury. Then in the postseason, Paul made key scoring contributions in Game 1 and key defensive contributions in Game 7 to help the Nets oust the Toronto Raptors in the first round.

That’s why despite having recently turned 37 and entering his 17th NBA season, the Truth believes he can still make high level contributions to a championship squad, as long as he  continues to be smart about the way he plays the game, as he told Mike Wise of the Washington Post:

“I’m going to pretty much listen to my body. The body can speak volumes to you — if you listen to it. A lot of players at the end of the road don’t listen to it,” he said. “If you look at my game, it was never about dunking on anybody or running up and down the floor. It was based on my IQ, my footwork, my ability to shoot the ball. Be strong on the inside. You know, outsmart players. I’m sort of like a judo fighter. You know how they use your energy against you? That’s kind of what I do. I get them leaning one way, I go another way. I use their force against them. It’s hard to explain but it’s why I’m still effective.”

INSTANT IMPACT

The impact of Paul’s signing had many effects on the Wizards over the course of the summer and into the preseason. According to Beal, The Truth’s arrival instantly legitimized Washington and affirmed the progress the franchise has made.

“For us to be able to have him on this team, it’s a great look for us,” Beal said. “It just shows what we’re capable of doing. This is a young team on the rise, and he wanted to be a part of it.”

As the team came together for voluntary workouts and then training camp, Washington coach Randy Wittman could already see his newest player rubbing off on some of the younger Wizards, and he believes the biggest contributions No. 34 will make to this squad won’t show up in the box score.

“He’s been good, very encouraging with our young guys,” Wittman said. “He leads by example, is one of the first guys at practice every day. Those intangibles like that, right now, are being used by us more than his actual physical skills on the court.”

Wittman is confident that Paul’s on-court contributions to the team will remain consistent with what he’s done over the last few years of his career.

“The greatness of Paul is he knows who he is and where he’s at right now,” Wittman said. “I think he’s already stated that this isn’t his team. He’s coming in to try to help this team move forward in a positive manner. He understands where he’s at in his career and who he is. With the players he’s got here and some of the young guys, this is a situation he’s just trying to help. That’s unique.”

And while Paul’s championship mettle and willingness to adapt to benefit his team are certainly crucial to Washington’s success, so to is his ability to execute with the ball in his hands when the game is on the line for the Wizards, who struggled closing out games at times last season.

“When you can have another guy on the floor who can take the last shot, it makes that much harder on the floor for the team to defend it,” Wittman said.

Then there’s Paul’s work ethic, which just so happens to be second to none.

Center Marcin Gortat playfully chided the legendary small forward in a Washington Post article in late September, but he also realizes the leadership Paul brings to a team desperately in need of a vocal leader.

“I’ve played with him every day and it’s ridiculous how people follow his lead,” he said. “Whatever he is, 35, 45 maybe, 37, whatever, he shows up at the gym two hours before practice and even young guys can’t beat him. That shows a lot.”

As for personal accolades, The Truth will continue to etch his name in the history books this season. With 25,031 career points, Paul is 18th on the all-time scoring list. With another 1,100-point season (he has 14 of them so far in his illustrious career), he will pass NBA legends Jerry West, Reggie Miller and Alex English.

“I’m striving to place my name in NBA history,” he said. “I’m trying to keep moving up the list. Whenever they say, ‘Where does Paul Pierce fit in with the great players of all time?’ I’ll say, ‘I’m one of the top three-point shooters and I’ve got a title.’ If I get another title, I’ll move up.”

But it’s not about the individual, No. 34 says. Forever the team player, he’s anxious to once again be a part of something great and he told Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press he believes the Wizards have the ingredients to be that.

“Already you see the potential, but you see the hunger,” Paul said. “Each and every day. I’m usually always the first one to the gym, every team I’ve ever played on. But since coming here you see a lot of the young guys, they’re getting here early, it’s like they want to get better. It’s like they want to take the next step from a year ago of not just making the playoffs but doing something really special.”

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

For the first time in a long time, expectations for the Wizards in the nation’s capital are soaring. If Washington can fend off the injury bug and get back to full strength for the bulk of the season, they should be notably improved from last year’s breakout season.

In fact, Jim Brighters wrote in the Miami Herald that “the Southeast title is not just realistic, but expected” for the Wizards, and “they are good enough to win the division and should.”

That’s because the Heat are no longer the favorite in the Southeast after superstar LeBron James departed to return to Cleveland, further shifting the balance of power in the East.

Typically, 50 wins is the threshold a team needs to reach to clinch a division. That is not always the case, as demonstrated by the 2010-11 Orlando Magic, who went 52-30 but still came in second (to the Heat) in the Southeast.

Regardless, Washington hasn’t won 50 games since the 1978-79 season, when the Bullets went 54-28 and lost to the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals.

So 50 wins and a division title are definitive goals for the Wizards in 2014-15. But Paul’s goals for his squad don’t stop there. As Andrew Keh of the New York Times described him, The Truth is “confidence personified,” so he’s placing high expectations on his team and has nothing but faith that they can reach his championship aspirations.

“When I look at the Eastern Conference, we can be right up there with the rest of them,” Paul said. “I think we match up well with pretty much anybody in the East — and not only the East, the entire NBA.”

Indeed, the Eastern Conference is wide-open. Without star Paul George, who was lost for the season due to a leg injury suffered while playing for Team USA this summer, last year’s top-seed the Pacers will be fighting just to make the playoffs.

Last year’s second seed Miami is weaker without James, and the additions of James and Kevin Love make the Cavaliers, who missed the playoffs entirely last season, that much stronger. Chicago is also stronger with the addition of Pau Gasol and the return of Derrick Rose, as is Charlotte with the addition of Lance Stephenson.

All of the moving and shaking should make for an interesting and fun season in the East.

“Obviously everybody is favoring Cleveland and Chicago. They have some great pieces,” Paul said. “But when I saw what this team did last year, the emergence of John and Bradley and everything, I think we have the most big-men depth in the league and can pretty much up match up with anyone. We have the best back court. Now we got experience….“I think we have something here.”

The Wizards tip it all off with a big test on Wednesday night in Miami against the Heat at 7 p.m. ET. The game can be seen locally on Comcast Sportsnet.

RELATED LINKS

• Pierce relishes his new role with a Wizards team on the rise (Washington Post, Oct. 28, 2014)
• New look NBA: A Player’s Perspective: Paul Pierce (Associated Press, Oct. 22, 2014)
• Wizards Expect Paul Pierce To Lead Way (NY Times, Oct. 23, 2014)
• Wizards hope pairing Pierce with youngsters will elevate team (Washington Times, Oct. 27, 2014)
• Paul Pierce prepares for re-assignment (CSN Washington, Oct. 28, 2014)
• Paul Pierce embraces clean slate in joining Wizards (USA Today, Oct. 1, 2014)
• Paul Pierce, an unlikely Wizard, is ready to counsel Washington’s young stars  (Washington Post, Sept. 29, 2014)