Good finish could lead to optimism for future
The three-game winning streak came a bit too early.
Not only did the Wizards’ upswing come to a screeching halt with Wednesday’s 134-112 debacle in Indianapolis, they face three games against playoff teams in their final four contests of the year. The tough final stretch starts Friday with the first of a pair of games against the Celtics, who also will visit Washington on Monday.
While the Celtics, who were 54-23 entering Thursday’s game against the Bulls, aim to keep a hold on their slim edge over Miami (54-24) for the second playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards (21-57) simply hope to keep the recent good feelings from disappearing so they can carry them into the offseason and next year.
| Up next |
| Wizards at Celtics |
| Where » TD Garden, Boston |
| When » Friday, 7:30 p.m. |
| TV » Comcast SportsNet |
| Hawks at Wizards |
| Where » Verizon Center |
| When » Saturday, 7 p.m. |
| TV » Comcast SportsNet |
It’s a similar challenge to what they faced last spring, but this time around those who have meant the most to the team’s recent success are under contract next season, too.
“Some of the guys that were involved with our success last year we didn’t bring back,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. “Shaun Livingston was great, and he had a free agent contract. James Singleton played well for us late, and he ended up leaving, so we had some guys that were there that helped do a lot of things that worked. I think the difference is a lot of these guys are going to be coming back for us.”
Maurice Evans, who will be a free agent, isn’t among the seven players already with a place on next season’s roster, but his third career stint under Saunders has been mutually beneficial and could be one both the team and player extend when free agency opens.
“I think, for me, personally, I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunity. It’s been like that throughout the course of my career,” said Evans, who is also a vice president with the National Basketball Players Association and will be turned to when labor negotiations take center stage after the season concluded.
But first, the Wizards have to survive their homestretch.
“You a man at the end of the day,” Jordan Crawford said. “You don’t want to just go out and lose. That ain’t what nobody about. I know it ain’t what I’m about, so it’s not about the future. It’s about trying to win right now.”
