East gets life, thanks to Wall
It was a shot that torments Gregg Popovich to this day, and until Friday night’s Game 6 of the Washington-Boston series, the NBA hadn’t seen anything quite like it. John Wall’s gamewinning shot marked the first time that anyone had hit a tying or goahead three-pointer in the final 10 seconds of an elimination game since Miami’s Ray Allen did it against Popovich’s Spurs in 2013.
At first glance, that’s just another entry into the endless pile of facts and numbers. But there’s no downplaying the moment, or the consequences. Those Spurs figured to have the NBA championship in hand until Allen’s stunning three-pointer from the right corner; Miami went on to win in overtime, then clinched the title in Game 7. It was such an improbable sequence, “I think about it every day,” Popovich said. “Without exception.”
Yes, but you still had a Game 7, he was told. “Was there one?” he deadpanned.
Shift now to the Wizards’ home court, before a fan base gaining recognition as among the NBA’s most spirited and influential. Wall, who missed 11 of his first 12 shots and was 8-for-24 overall, had no concern with his stats. He has that Stephen Currylevel confidence in his shot, no matter how badly it may be misfiring. “I can go 1-for-30,” he said after the game. “I’m going to keep shooting. That’s not the way I’m gonna go out.”
The shot went down, the joyous Wall leaped onto the scorer’s table after the game, and the Eastern Conference playoffs had arrived for real.
Longtime Warriors fans can relate to the historic significance, an episode along the lines of “We Believe” (2007) for a team accustomed to failure. This was the biggest win in Washington franchise history since the 1978 Finals, when the Bullets (as they were then known) led by Elvin Hayes, Bobby Dandridge and Wes Unseld, won Game 7 in Seattle — although some would prefer Game 6 of the 1975 conference finals: a series-clinching home victory over a Celtics team considered vastly superior with the likes of Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Jo Jo White and Paul Silas. (It meant a trip to the NBA Finals, where the Warriors had a few surprises in store.)
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It’s all about an uncertain future for several teams and players, with crucial decisions ahead:
Houston: There will be no titles over the next five years, not even a Finals appearance. The Warriors and Spurs won’t allow it, nor will the Rockets’ obsession with three-point shots while ignoring the basic tenets of defense. James Harden’s reputation is forever tarnished after his Game 6 meltdown against San Antonio. The Rockets need to re-sign Nene and move Ryan Anderson off the powerforward position, and there’s no need to tear down the essence. But they apparently lack the assets to make a major acquisition like Jimmy Butler or Paul George. They’re likely to return as a high-scoring, entertaining team bound for unhappy endings.
Gordon Hayward: He’s a full-fledged star now, with deep connections to the Jazz, and maybe that’s enough to keep him off the freeagent market. He would need special glasses, though, to foresee a title in Utah. Take a tip: Sign with the Celtics and your old college coach at Butler, Brad Stevens, even it if it means closing the door of relevance for the Jazz, who can’t afford to lose him (or point guard George Hill, an unrestricted free agent).
Chris Paul: Everyone seems to think he’ll sign a max deal with the Clippers and continue enjoying the L.A lifestyle and business opportunities. That’s fine, if he wants to stay in the wrong place for the rest of his career. The Clippers are going nowhere meaningful. Doc Rivers has done a terrible job building for the future (diminished cap space, no young players on the rise, and no draft picks this year). Why stick to the same pathetic script when you can check out San Antonio? Shoot for the stars, man. Enough with the organization that makes people feel, in the words of the Ringer’s Bill Simmons, “like doubledating with a mismatched couple that fights for two straight hours.”
Paul George: He wants to see progress by the Pacers, and it just isn’t there. Neither is his devotion, as he openly declares his desire to play for the Lakers someday. Maybe the Lakers can swing that deal now, with George’s free agency a year away. Maybe the Pacers re-sign George and point guard Jeff Teague, showing they’re not willing to tear it down quite yet. But George needs a change of scenery. You wonder, too, about his value. ESPN Stats & Info determined that he’s a career 2-for-32 on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 15 seconds, including playoffs. Some of those shots were taken in low-percentage desperation, but those are troubling numbers.
Kyle Lowry: He could leave via free agency, and Toronto’s future hangs in the balance. But is it worthwhile offering a five-year deal that would find him making some $40 million at age 36? “I’m open to seeing what else is out there,” he said. Highly intriguing: going home, to Philadelphia, to play alongside Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and an upcoming high draft pick. Quite a show if everyone’s healthy.