Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis talked to the Washington Wizards for 20 minutes before a Game 3 win over Atlanta. The Wizards had just lost their leader and best player in John Wall to a left hand injury when Lewis explained how the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl in 2013 had to overcome so many injuries to become champions.
He challenged other players in the locker room to step up in Wall’s place to get the job done. From the perspective of a fantasy GM, the biggest question is who will answer the bell that Lewis rang and produce better numbers with Wall out? Here are five players whose fantasy value will improve.
SF: Otto Porter Jr.
Ramon Sessions has taken over as the Wizards starting point guard with Wall out over the last two games but it has been Porter that has shown the biggest improvement in overall fantasy production with an average of 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 three-point shots per game. No player on Washington’s roster has improved his fantasy stock as much as Porter in these playoffs. He has been rewarded with added minutes with Wall sidelined and he has seized the opportunity. Sessions has started in Wall’s spot and Bradley Beal has become more of a primary ball handler, but no Wizards player has stepped up their fantasy production more with Wall out than Porter over these last two games.
SG: Bradley Beal
Beal is Washington’s best healthy guard and while his point production since Wall was injured (18.5 PPG) is actually lower than his playoff average (20.5 PPG) he has actually taken more shots and become more of a playmaker in the Wizards offense. Beal has averaged 4.8 assists per game this postseason but that includes an average of 7.5 assists per game in the last two contests with Wall out and that average has the potential to steadily climb as he continues to become more comfortable. Beal has averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 three-point shots in two playoff games without Wall and he could really stand to benefit from being more of a primary ball handler for Washington.
PG: Ramon Sessions
Sessions actually had an excellent Game 3 with Wall out when he went off for 21 points, four assists, three rebounds, a steal and three three-point shots but his point production dipped dramatically in Game 4 when he managed to record just eight points as he was just two-of-10 from the field including one-of-four from beyond the arc. The increased minutes will undoubtedly provide a boost to Sessions fantasy potential but he will have to consistently produce at a high level in order to earn the trust of fantasy GM’s with Porter and Beal still better options on the Wizards’ roster with Wall out.
SF: Paul Pierce
Basketball fans in Washington found out who will be relied on to take the big shot with the game on the line without Wall in the lineup as Pierce banked home the game-winning basket to take Game 3 103-101 at home. However, Pierce played just 26 minutes in Game 3 because a nerve in his back was giving him some issues, so while the Wizards may turn to him in clutch situations and try to keep his minutes down the rest of the game. His uncertain health status makes him a questionable fantasy play even with Wall out moving forward.
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C: Nene
It may have been an aberration but with Wall out, Pierce dealing with his back problem and only so much that Porter and Beal can contribute, it was Nene who stepped up with a monster performance in Game 3. After being held to a combined two points in his previous two games, Nene exploded for 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal in 30 minutes of action. While he isn’t a very reliable fantasy option at this point, his Game 3 stat line was an indication he could be in for a bigger fantasy role than he was with Wall healthy and in the lineup.
