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  4. title => "5 takeaways from Wizards-Pelicans, including Rui Hachimura's breakout"
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  6. article_body => "<p>The Washington Wizards lost to&nbsp;the New Orleans Pelicans 118-107&nbsp;on Friday night in Orlando, officially eliminating them from the playoffs. Here are five takeaways from what went down...<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yet another loss<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The playoffs were always going to be a longshot for the Wizards and now those hopes&nbsp;are officially a thing of the past. They were eliminated from postseason contention on Friday night with their loss to the Pelicans, who used a 12-point advantage in the third quarter to coast to victory.<\/p>\n<p>Now it is fair to ask if the Wizards will win a single game in Orlando, as with this loss&nbsp;they fell to 0-5 in the restart games that count and 0-8 if you include their three exhibition games before that.&nbsp;Making matters worse is that their three toughest opponents still await.<\/p>\n<p>Their final three games are against the Thunder, Bucks and Celtics. Unless any of those teams rest star players, it will require a major upset for the Wizards to leave Orlando with a victory.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, it's more about player development than anything. But zero wins would be unexpected.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/wizards-tipoff\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WIZARDS TALK PODCAST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/wizards-tipoff\/episodes\/39436d79-5624-4962-ac82-8f240e7176f9\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p><strong>Rui bounced back<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After three games in which he fell short of double-digit points and shot a total of 8-for-29 (27.5%), Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura finally broke through with a big offensive performance. He wasted no time either, with nine points in the first quarter and 15 by halftime.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hachimura finished with 23&nbsp;points on 10-for-16&nbsp;shooting with six rebounds. It seemed like the Wizards tried to spread things out a bit more to give him space. It didn't hurt the team was able to knock down some threes.<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Scott Brooks explained recently how the team's lack of 3-point shooting has limited Hachimura's ability to go to work in the midrange. He had more room to operate but also hit some tough shots that just didn't fall for him in previous games.<\/p>\n<p>It was good to see, though, because the Wizards only have three more games in Orlando. If any of their young players are going to get something out of this experience, they better do it sooner than later.<\/p>\n<p><strong>No Zion<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Hachimura go up against Zion Williamson, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/pelicans-star-rookie-zion-williamson-out-vs-wizards\">Pelicans held him out for rest on the second night of a back-to-back<\/a>. Williamson, who has been treated very carefully all season, played 22 minutes against the Kings on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>That would have put the No. 1 pick from last summer against the No. 9 pick and it would have been their first meeting since college. The Wizards didn't see Williamson last July in the Summer League because he got hurt. And their other game against the Pelicans this season was canceled due to the league shutting down because of the coronavirus.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe next year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bryant keeps producing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Few players on the Wizards have made the most of the restart quite like Thomas Bryant, who has made the most of his extra shot attempts, especially from long range. Bryant posted another strong stat-line of 22&nbsp;points, eight rebounds, two steals and two&nbsp;blocks. He went 9-for-18&nbsp;from the field and hit two threes.<\/p>\n<p>Much like Troy Brown Jr. (20&nbsp;points, 10&nbsp;rebounds, five assists), Bryant is showing enough in Orlando to warrant some respect next year in the Wizards'&nbsp;gameplan. We're seeing that Brown's play-making should be incorporated into the offense, no matter the fact that John Wall and Bradley Beal will be high usage centerpieces. And Bryant's three-point shooting is begging to be utilized.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe it is as simple as Bryant spending more time on the perimeter as they spread the floor with shooters. Or, he could form a deadly pick-and-pop duo with Wall, who has never really had a reliable partner in that regard in his career. Bryant can also be effective at rim-running. The potential between those two in the pick-and-roll is very intriguing.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">THE FINISH \u203c\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bR2YoM2ZJD\">pic.twitter.com\/bR2YoM2ZJD<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WashWizards\/status\/1291910168939081728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p><strong>Wagner and&nbsp;Robinson were off<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Something doesn't seem right with Moe Wagner. He has been one of the Wizards' most disappointing performers so far in Orlando and he just doesn't appear to be himself on the floor.<\/p>\n<p>Wagner had another bad game with two&nbsp;points in 10&nbsp;minutes. He only attempted one shot.<\/p>\n<p>Before the game, Brooks said he had been thinking a lot about how to get Wagner going, that he wasn't playing with the same spirit he is used to seeing. Beyond that, the numbers tell a bleak story. In five games at Disney World, Wagner has 16&nbsp;total points. He's averaging 3.2&nbsp;points per game while shooting 30 percent.<\/p>\n<p>Is it the ankle injury he suffered earlier this year? Is something going on we don't know about? Wagner is a good player, but he hasn't looked like it in Orlando. The good news is he has three games left to change that.<\/p>\n<p>Jerome Robinson had been one of the best stories of the restart for the Wizards, but he took a step back in this one. The second-year guard scored only six&nbsp;points on 2-for-8&nbsp;shooting. Maybe he can get back going on Sunday against the Thunder.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Stay connected to the&nbsp;Wizards with the MyTeams app.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE WIZARDS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Wall &amp; Beal: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/john-wall-says-he-and-bradley-beal-motivated-people-wanting-them-break\">Rumors add fuel to the fire<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Brown Jr.'s role:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/troy-brown-jrs-role-playmaker-doesnt-have-change-when-john-wall-returns\" target=\"_blank\">Wall won't change it<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Rui's future:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/bradley-beal-thinks-rui-hachimura-will-be-small-forward-long-term\" target=\"_blank\">Beal sees him at SF<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Wizards

Wizards

The Washington Wizards lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 118-107 on Friday night in Orlando, officially eliminating them from the playoffs. Here are five takeaways from what went down...

Yet another loss

The playoffs were always going to be a longshot for the Wizards and now those hopes are officially a thing of the past. They were eliminated from postseason contention on Friday night with their loss to the Pelicans, who used a 12-point advantage in the third quarter to coast to victory.

Now it is fair to ask if the Wizards will win a single game in Orlando, as with this loss they fell to 0-5 in the restart games that count and 0-8 if you include their three exhibition games before that. Making matters worse is that their three toughest opponents still await.

Their final three games are against the Thunder, Bucks and Celtics. Unless any of those teams rest star players, it will require a major upset for the Wizards to leave Orlando with a victory.

Sure, it's more about player development than anything. But zero wins would be unexpected.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WIZARDS TALK PODCAST

Rui bounced back

After three games in which he fell short of double-digit points and shot a total of 8-for-29 (27.5%), Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura finally broke through with a big offensive performance. He wasted no time either, with nine points in the first quarter and 15 by halftime. 

 

Hachimura finished with 23 points on 10-for-16 shooting with six rebounds. It seemed like the Wizards tried to spread things out a bit more to give him space. It didn't hurt the team was able to knock down some threes.

Head coach Scott Brooks explained recently how the team's lack of 3-point shooting has limited Hachimura's ability to go to work in the midrange. He had more room to operate but also hit some tough shots that just didn't fall for him in previous games.

It was good to see, though, because the Wizards only have three more games in Orlando. If any of their young players are going to get something out of this experience, they better do it sooner than later.

No Zion

Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Hachimura go up against Zion Williamson, as the Pelicans held him out for rest on the second night of a back-to-back. Williamson, who has been treated very carefully all season, played 22 minutes against the Kings on Thursday.

That would have put the No. 1 pick from last summer against the No. 9 pick and it would have been their first meeting since college. The Wizards didn't see Williamson last July in the Summer League because he got hurt. And their other game against the Pelicans this season was canceled due to the league shutting down because of the coronavirus.

Maybe next year.

Bryant keeps producing

Few players on the Wizards have made the most of the restart quite like Thomas Bryant, who has made the most of his extra shot attempts, especially from long range. Bryant posted another strong stat-line of 22 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He went 9-for-18 from the field and hit two threes.

Much like Troy Brown Jr. (20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Bryant is showing enough in Orlando to warrant some respect next year in the Wizards' gameplan. We're seeing that Brown's play-making should be incorporated into the offense, no matter the fact that John Wall and Bradley Beal will be high usage centerpieces. And Bryant's three-point shooting is begging to be utilized.

Maybe it is as simple as Bryant spending more time on the perimeter as they spread the floor with shooters. Or, he could form a deadly pick-and-pop duo with Wall, who has never really had a reliable partner in that regard in his career. Bryant can also be effective at rim-running. The potential between those two in the pick-and-roll is very intriguing.

Wagner and Robinson were off

Something doesn't seem right with Moe Wagner. He has been one of the Wizards' most disappointing performers so far in Orlando and he just doesn't appear to be himself on the floor.

Wagner had another bad game with two points in 10 minutes. He only attempted one shot.

Before the game, Brooks said he had been thinking a lot about how to get Wagner going, that he wasn't playing with the same spirit he is used to seeing. Beyond that, the numbers tell a bleak story. In five games at Disney World, Wagner has 16 total points. He's averaging 3.2 points per game while shooting 30 percent.

 

Is it the ankle injury he suffered earlier this year? Is something going on we don't know about? Wagner is a good player, but he hasn't looked like it in Orlando. The good news is he has three games left to change that.

Jerome Robinson had been one of the best stories of the restart for the Wizards, but he took a step back in this one. The second-year guard scored only six points on 2-for-8 shooting. Maybe he can get back going on Sunday against the Thunder.

Stay connected to the Wizards with the MyTeams app. Click here to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.

MORE WIZARDS NEWS: