Amid the matchups between the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors, there is one the Wizards have no clear counter for. Let’s call it The Lou Williams Problem.
Williams is the slender, shot-making guard off Toronto’s bench who is a sixth-man-of-the-year candidate. At 6 feet 1 and 175 pounds, Williams is a wispy assassin who averaged 15.5 points per game this year. Against the Wizards, Williams averaged 19.7 points, shot 48.8 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from behind the 3-point line. He’s the rebirth of Vinnie Johnson and a player Washington has not been able to figure out how to stop.
One option the Wizards had to attempt to handle Williams was Garrett Temple. But, Temple said Thursday his hamstring is still giving him trouble and if he becomes available for round one of the playoffs, it wouldn’t be until late in the series. Temple is not doing individual drills yet nor is he running full speed. Considering Toronto’s swarm of perimeter players, including Williams, Temple’s defensive services would be welcomed by the Wizards.
“I was telling Will Bynum on the sideline watching practice [Thursday] how much I wish I was healthy, especially for this series,” Temple said. “Honestly, their best perimeter one-on-one scorer is off the bench. Lou Williams. One of the best sixth men in the league. Would have been a great opportunity, but we got guys who are going to step up defensively.”
Temple’s presence alone would not be enough to stop Williams. He tried before. His personal experience, like that of his teammates, was not an enjoyable one.
“You can’t even really say I need to be playing, because he was cooking me I think the last time we played them over there,” Temple said. “When he gets to that left hand … We just have got to make it tough for him. Makes his shots tough. He’s a good scorer, we know where he wants to go, what he likes to do, you just try to take that away as much as you can. He makes tough shots.”
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The Raptors are not opposed to playing Williams with point guards Kyle Lowry or Greivis Vasquez. He’s also been on the floor late in games against the Wizards.
It’s not Williams’ handle or range that is the main complication, Temple said. It’s more of his ability to find his spot, get there and sniff out how the challenge from a defender is coming. The right-handed Williams prefers to go left before shooting. If he sees a hard, off-balance close from a defender, he’ll pump fake and draw the foul. If not, he’ll typically have a clean shot. Williams shoots five free throws a game despite averaging just 25 minutes on the floor.
There are also two other unmeasurable attributes for Williams.
“He has the green light,” Temple said. “He has a lot of confidence.”
The Wizards will need to find an answer.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
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