Washington Wizards Player Grades: Week 10

Oh, well. The four-game win streak was fun, but reality kicked back in for the Washington Wizards this week. They’re an undermanned, outgunned team with a paper-thin frontcourt. Hey, it happens.

But what the Wizards do have is John Wall, which means they always have a fighting chance.

The Wizards were dominated in a loss to the Clippers and squandered an opportunity in Toronto, but Wall’s gleeful demolition of the Orlando Magic was the Wizards’ star point guard at his very best.

A critical stretch lies ahead for the Wizards, who are fighting desperately to get back in the East playoff picture: eight straight games against Eastern teams, seven of whom are occupying playoff places. The season may be made or broken here.

Let’s grade.

John Wall: 22.0 PPG (43.1 FG%), 4.7 RPG, 11.7 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG

John Wall is locked in, and we’re watching a regular season run from a Wizard the likes of which haven’t been seen in a decade.

Since December 1, Wall is averaging 22.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 11.8 assists a game. The Washington Wizards, stumbling, injured, often trash, have called on their superstar to do more than ever before, and he has answered the call.

Wall has finished off a December for the ages. Wall has double-doubles in eight straight games and 14 out of his last 17 – he’s scored at least 20 points in 11 of those.

December was already an auspicious month for Wizards guards. It was nine years ago, December 2006, that Gilbert Arenas arrived as one of the league’s most preeminent superstars. He averaged 35 points, and on one legendary West Coast road trip, he dropped 60 on the Los Angeles Lakers and 54 on the Phoenix Suns.

That was Gilbert at the peak of his powers. This is John Wall at the peak of his.

Grade: A

Garrett Temple: 7.0 PPG (28.0 FG%), 2.7 RPG, 2.3 APG

Well, the Garrett Temple Renaissance was fun while it lasted. Temple’s brief scoring spree on DC’s four-game win streak was fueled partially by him shooting well above his usual standard, and a regression was expected.

But Temple was more aggressive than ever before attacking the basket, especially flashing a really sweet Euro step that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Temple’s an underrated athlete, quick in the open floor and pretty solid at scoring in transition.

If we’ve learned anything from Temple’s surprisingly long career in Washington, it’s that the shot will come and the shot will go just as quickly. Temple’s capable of breaking out of cold streaks and providing a scoring punch, as he did in the second half against Orlando – he just needs to keep attacking.

Grade: C-

Otto Porter: 20.3 PPG (54.3 FG%), 9.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.0 SPG

GUESS WHO’S BACK, KIDS. Our Otto. King Otto. Jumper-draining, limbs everywhere Otto.

Otto Porter entered the week with three career 20-point games, and he doubled that total with a scoring tear the likes of which we’ve never seen from DC’s spindly wing.

How did Otto do it, you ask? The way the man has to. Porter attempted 18 threes over Washington’s three games this week, hitting eight of them. Otto showed none of the hesitance that has plagued his young career. Killer Otto.

If Porter can keep scoring, we can forgive a lot of his defensive shortcomings. Call if the Carmelo Anthony Corollary. Keep firing, Otto.

Grade: A

Jared Dudley: 8.0 PPG (37.5 FG%), 2.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.7 SPG

Jared Dudley’s been so automatic this season for the Washington Wizards that it’s become a shock to see him miss an open shot. But he did this week, as he hit his first real snag in months.

Against the Clippers, Dudley had his first scoreless game since Halloween night, when he was still playing his way back into shape after an injury, and he shot just 3-11 (1-5 from 3-point range) Friday night against Orlando. Against the Raptors, he scored 17 points, but missed some crucial, wide-open shots late.

It was a fun few days with Dudley as the top 3-point shooter in the NBA – now, he’s fallen to fourth, behind Kawhi Leonard, J.J. Redick and the red-hot Omri Casspi. For shame, Jared. For shame.

Grade: C

Marcin Gortat: 11.3 PPG (39.5 FG%), 13.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 BPG

Part of the Marcin Gortat Experience is suffering through frustrating nights where the Washington Wizards’ imposing Polish center plays soft as all hell. It’s kind of a problem, and when it happens, the Wizards usually lose.

Such was the case this week, as we watched Gortat get absolutely bodied by the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan, and stand as party to the Raptors’ complete destruction of the Wizards on the boards.

To his credit, Gortat largely neutralized Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic Friday night, leading the way as the Wizards won the rebounding battle. The matchup with Vucevic is one that Gortat’s generally controlled as a Wizard, as Orlando’s center doesn’t fit the usual type of big man who has his way with Gortat.

DeAndre Jordan is that kind of player to a T: long, hyper-athletic, and extremely physical. Jordan had his way with Gortat, as did a poor man’s version of Jordan, Toronto’s Bismack Biyombo.

Grade: D+