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  6. article_body => "<p>Since John Wall went down with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/john-wall-miss-over-month-all-star-game-after-procedure-left-knee\">a left knee injury in late January<\/a>, the Washington Wizards have enjoyed a surprising run of 10 wins in their last 13 games.<\/p>\n<p>Tomas Satoransky has filled in well and others like Bradley Beal and Otto Porter have stepped up to compensate.<\/p>\n<p>Some have observed the Wizards' surge and suggested they might be better off without Wall in the mix.<\/p>\n<p>Warriors superstar Kevin Durant thinks that is ridiculous.<\/p>\n<p>\"That's from a bunch of people that don't understand basketball,\" Durant said on Wednesday morning, just a few hours before the Wizards host the Warriors at Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n<p>\"If you say you don't need one of the best point guards in the league on your team, then I don't know if you should be in this game as a front office executive.\"<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-forward-markieff-morris-explains-new-standup-comedy-promotion-venture\" target=\"_blank\">MARKIEFF MORRIS ON HIS NEW STANDUP COMEDY VENTURE<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Durant thinks Wall's value will be shown over time. Thirteen games is a growing, but still relatively small sample size. It's one thing to beat the Cavs or Raptors in February. It's another deal facing them in a seven-game series.<\/p>\n<p>\"They need John Wall once they get to the playoffs. The regular season is a different dynamic than the playoffs, obviously,\" he said. \"You definitely need a guy like that.\"<\/p>\n<p>Durant, though, is impressed with how the Wizards are playing while Wall recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. He was on a Oklahoma City Thunder team that had seasons greatly affected by injuries to star players, including himself.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PODCAST:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-tipoff-podcast-markieff-morris-goes-1-1-talk-standup-comedy\" target=\"_blank\">WHO SHOULD WIZARDS WANT IN PLAYOFFS?<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>\"To see how they're playing without him, it shows that they have a lot of pride. I know Coach [Scott] Brooks. When I was playing for him [in OKC], we were in the same situation. The way he coached the&nbsp;team throughout that time showed that we had a lot of pride and you see it in this team as well,\" Durant said.<\/p>\n<p>The Wizards have notched some big wins with Wall out. In addition to Cleveland and Toronto, they beat the Thunder, Bucks and Sixers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/wizards-vs-warriors-tv-live-stream-and-radio-info-things-watch\">Now comes the ultimate test<\/a> in the defending-champion Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>RELATED:&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/wizards\/nba-power-rankings-2017-18\" target=\"_blank\">LATEST NBA POWER RANKINGS<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n"
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Wizards

Wizards

Since John Wall went down with a left knee injury in late January, the Washington Wizards have enjoyed a surprising run of 10 wins in their last 13 games.

Tomas Satoransky has filled in well and others like Bradley Beal and Otto Porter have stepped up to compensate.

Some have observed the Wizards' surge and suggested they might be better off without Wall in the mix.

Warriors superstar Kevin Durant thinks that is ridiculous.

"That's from a bunch of people that don't understand basketball," Durant said on Wednesday morning, just a few hours before the Wizards host the Warriors at Capital One Arena.

"If you say you don't need one of the best point guards in the league on your team, then I don't know if you should be in this game as a front office executive."

RELATED: MARKIEFF MORRIS ON HIS NEW STANDUP COMEDY VENTURE

Durant thinks Wall's value will be shown over time. Thirteen games is a growing, but still relatively small sample size. It's one thing to beat the Cavs or Raptors in February. It's another deal facing them in a seven-game series.

"They need John Wall once they get to the playoffs. The regular season is a different dynamic than the playoffs, obviously," he said. "You definitely need a guy like that."

Durant, though, is impressed with how the Wizards are playing while Wall recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. He was on a Oklahoma City Thunder team that had seasons greatly affected by injuries to star players, including himself.

 

PODCAST: WHO SHOULD WIZARDS WANT IN PLAYOFFS?

"To see how they're playing without him, it shows that they have a lot of pride. I know Coach [Scott] Brooks. When I was playing for him [in OKC], we were in the same situation. The way he coached the team throughout that time showed that we had a lot of pride and you see it in this team as well," Durant said.

The Wizards have notched some big wins with Wall out. In addition to Cleveland and Toronto, they beat the Thunder, Bucks and Sixers.

Now comes the ultimate test in the defending-champion Golden State Warriors.

RELATED: LATEST NBA POWER RANKINGS