Washington Wizards' Supporting Cast Holding Up Its End of the Bargain

The Washington Wizards have one of the best starting lineups in the league when healthy, from John Wall to Marcin Gortat. But the real difference in their 6-2 start that included three separate back-to-back wins? Solid and efficient play from role players.

Head coach Randy Wittman is beginning to nail down his rotation, switching the three-point shooting abilities of Drew Gooden for increased minutes to tough interior player Kris Humphries and even giving Rasual Butler valuable minutes.

Garrett Temple, Otto Porter, Butler, Humphries and Kevin Seraphin are emerging as the group of role players Wittman will call upon to play the most minutes behind his core.

This group has played the most minutes outside the four core players over the last five games, with the team going 4-1 over that stretch.

This rotation of role players shoot a combined 79 percent from the free-throw line, a 58.6 percent true shooting percentage and a combined average offensive rating of 110 points per 100 possessions.

This unit is doing its part to alleviate some pressure from this talented starting unit.

Garrett Temple

R Brent Smith/Associated Press

Garrett Temple has stepped up admirably to fill the starting spot vacated by Bradley Beal's wrist injury. Temple has done a great Beal impression, shooting over 40 percent from three-point land and scoring 10 points per game.

Temple is sporting a 56.2 percent true shooting percentage and is taking nearly 60 percent of his shots from three. Of those three-point shots, 93 percent are assisted, attesting to Temple's ability to stretch the floor and provide a kick-out option on offense.

The Wizards shooting guard has brought veteran savvy and composure to the floor, according to Gregg Gottfried of WizardofAwes.com:

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Temple has also played smart basketball. He doesn’t exert himself too much on the offensive end, besides three-pointers and cuts to the rim off of Wall dribble penetrations, as he knows isolation ball-stopping is not his forte. Instead, he saves a bit of energy for the defensive side of the ball where he has been dynamite. Temple has had a positive Defensive Box Plus/Minus, which compares his defensive statistics to that of an average player’s in the league. Furthermore, he has been a tremendous help on the boards and has been helpful in starting fast breaks.

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Temple has the highest offensive rating of any player in the Wizards' starting lineup and will surely be the focal point of the bench unit upon Beal's return.

Otto Porter Jr.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Otter Porter Jr. has garnered the most consistent minutes off the bench of any player for the Wizards this season. Porter has only played less than 20 minutes twice, and those were 18- and 19-minute performances.

Porter has the second-highest true shooting percentage of any wing player at 59.7 percent. The forward's offensive rating of 115 is the third highest on the squad and represents how Porter is helping the second unit score.

He is showing the ability to add a mid-range aspect to the offense, taking 50 percent of his shots from 10 feet out to the three-point line and making a stellar 59 percent of these shots.

Rasual Butler

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Rasual Butler made this team as a training camp invitee, expected to be insurance as the 15th man on the roster. Butler has instead gradually stolen minutes from Glen Rice, becoming the primary option behind Temple at shooting guard.

Butler has the highest offensive rating on the team at 131 and has scored 35 points in only 70 minutes thus far this season.

The 35-year-old forward, among players who have played 50 minutes or more, leads the team in true shooting percentage at 71 percent, turnover percentage and win shares per 48 minutes.

Kris Humphries

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The second unit of the Wizards lacked physicality and interior presence when Randy Wittman was choosing Drew Gooden over Kris Humphries, but that has now seemingly ended.

Humphries is averaging 10 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.25 blocks over the past week, playing more than 15 minutes in three games during that period.

The 29-year-old big man also boasts the highest block percentage (4) and total rebound percentage (17.7) on the team, adding a grittiness the second unit has lacked.

This unit has shooting thanks to Temple, Porter and Butler, but Humphries can add the rebounding and toughness.

Kevin Seraphin

R Brent Smith/Associated Press

Kevin Seraphin's usage rate of 19 percent is the lowest in two seasons, but he is averaging a career-high mark in true shooting percentage at 62.5 percent.

An 80 percent mark at the free-throw line, albeit in a small sample size, is likely helping that percentage.

He is averaging a career low rebounding rate, but he and Humphries will be counted upon by this team to supply that for this second unit.

All advanced stats courtesy of basketball-reference.com 

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