Russell Westbrook unlocked his All-Star mode to help the Washington Wizards race into the playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The 8-seed in this year’s Eastern Conference was dead in the water.
They struggled through the early part of the season and it did not seem like their gambit to bring two stars together would pay off with a return to the postseason. The fact that it was a 72-game season added more urgency to the course of the season. There was always time running out as the league went on an all-out sprint to the end of the season.