Washington Wizards

The John Wall Effect

Tuesday, 01.29.2013 / 01:29 PM

The Wizards are 6-4 since John Wall's return, but a deeper look inside the stats reveals just how much Wall has been able to elevate the play of the entire team.

The Wizards played their 42^nd game on Saturday night, officially marking the start of the second half of their 82-game season. Yet Wizards fans are likely counting January 12, when John Wall made his debut against Atlanta, as the date the second half of the season really began.

Wall has led the team to a 6-4 mark since returning to the lineup, jumpstarting the team with his playmaking ability and court vision. Following Monday’s game vs. Sacramento, he has averaged 14.6 points and 6.6 assists in just 25.4 minutes in those 10 games, with those numbers climbing to 20.7 points, 9.4 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks when projected over 36 minutes. While those individual numbers have been impressive, a deeper look inside the stats reveals just how much Wall has been able to elevate the play of the entire team (NBA rank in parentheses)*:

With Wall on the floor the Wizards are giving up 93.5 points per 100 possessions (1^st); With Wall on the bench, the Wizards are giving up 101.5 points per 100 possessions (11^th).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are averaging 18.8 fast break points per 48 minutes (1^st); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards averaging 12.4 fast break points per 48 minutes (19^th).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are shooting .449 from the three-point line (1^st); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards are shooting .332 from the three-point line (29^th).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards play at the fastest pace in the league; With him off the floor, the Wizards play at the 17^th fastest pace in the league.

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are shooting .461 from the field (5^th); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards are shooting .416 (30^th).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are averaging 23.0 assists per 48 minutes (6^th); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards are averaging 20.9 assists per 48 minutes (21^st)

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are getting to the free throw line 25.2 times per 48 minutes (7^th); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards are getting to the free throw line 19.2 times per 48 minutes (26^th).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are averaging 17.5 points off turnovers per 48 minutes (9^th); Without him, the Wizards are averaging 15.4 points off turnovers per 48 minutes (22^nd).

With Wall on the floor, the Wizards are averaging 41.5 points in the paint per 48 minutes (14^th); With Wall off the floor, the Wizards are averaging 32.4 points in the paint per 48 minutes (30^th).

"It's not just me. Never just me," said Wall following the team’s win over Chicago. "It's my team. I just wanted to come in and be a spark for the team and just play my game. We’re just happy to get wins, happy to play as a team, trusting each other and giving the city back what they deserve and that’s us playing hard."

As usual, Wall's humility off the floor mirrors his ability to raise the level of everyone around him with his unselfish play and competitive drive. He may not take full credit for what he has been able to do to turn things around for the Wizards, but the numbers tell a different story. Wall has clearly inspired the team over his first nine games, as shown by the numbers above and the numbers that matter most—those that go in the win column. He and his teammates will look to continue to keep both moving in a positive fashion as the second half of the season unfolds.

*Numbers reflect games through January 26