Washington Wizards: Three more keys to upcoming season

Before training camp began less than three weeks, the three keys involved whether John Wall is ready to have a breakout season, the ability of Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee to be more consistent, and if Flip Saunders can help this young roster reach its full potential.

Those concerns remain as the 66-game season tips off at 7 p.m., but here are three more keys to the campaign based on the developments of the past few weeks.

1. Who will emerge as the go-to guy?

I?ll do it if nobody else wants it. (Nick Wass - AP) After the Wizards lost to Philadelphia in their preseason finale last week, Wall mentioned that players weren?t clear on their roles within the offense, and Coach Flip Saunders added that the team had 15 players who all felt they were the first option. Nick Young led the Wizards in scoring last season, Andray Blatche was the focal point of the offense in the months before Wall was drafted, and Wall is the team?s best player and is determined to make the all-star team. Wall will have the ball the most in Saunders?s point-guard-centric offense, but will he be satisfied at simply being a set-up guy? Young missed all of training camp and will have to earn back his spot in the starting lineup, and Blatche led the team in scoring during the preseason. The pecking order will likely be set over the next few weeks.

2. Which rookie will have the greatest influence on the team?

I can do more than defend. (Nick Wass - AP) Jan Vesely is opening the season on the shelf with a hip injury sustained during training camp, creating an opening for Chris Singleton or Shelvin Mack to have to a more immediate impact among the rookies. Singleton already has an established role as an energetic defensive stopper and will get some playing time with his ability to play both forward positions and defend every spot between point guard and power forward. Mack also has a defined role at backup point guard for Wall, but the Wizards may not have many minutes available at that slot with Jordan Crawford also expected to get time with ball-handling and playmaking duties. Vesely should provide some highlight dunks and energy plays when he?s healthy again, but he could emerge as more of a luxury than necessity in his first season.

3. Will youth work as an advantage or disadvantage during shortened season?

I can run all week. (H. Rumph Jr - AP) The Wizards will have enough young legs to contend with a grueling, jam-packed season that will feature two sets of three games in three nights in the final two months and 16 back-to-back games overall. Though the team brought back much of its roster from the previous season, the intensity of the games will require more than just energy and enthusiasm. With few days available for practice, players will have to rely on instincts and knowledge in critical situations. That could work at a disadvantage for a team that struggled in close games last season and will have little time to correct mistakes in just shootarounds. But depth and a roster that has seven players age 23 or younger could allow them to sneak in a few wins.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=0628ba93fbab52789d946d69a38584d6

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