How the Western Conference Finals are exposing the Wizards’ failures

The NBA playoffs always bring unexpected storylines and breakout performances. As the stakes get higher, new stars emerge and certain veteran players solidify their reputation as winning, playoff-level players. There are two former Wizards who are doing exactly that this season: Rui Hachimura and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

After being acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers mid-season, Rui Hachimura has played a crucial role in the Lakers’ unexpected rise in the Western Conference standings and a deep run in the playoffs. For a player with very limited playoff experience, Hachimura’s ability to take his game to the next level in high-intensity match-ups has been one of the most surprising…