Wizards' Wall sits out Game 3, likely out for series vs. Hawks

Like the city of Jericho, the Washington Wizards are hoping they can get by just fine without an important Wall.

John Wall sat out a second consecutive game Saturday as the Wizards took Game 3 from the Atlanta Hawks in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, and according to a pregame report from ESPN's Chris Broussard, the All-Star point guard will likely miss the remainder of the series.

Wall has five fractures in his left hand and wrist, leaving him without an official timetable for a return. When he can play will depend not only on the opinion of doctors but of Wall's own comfort level and willingness to risk further injury. It had been largely expected Wall would not be well enough to play by Saturday despite three days off between games.

Depending which bones in the wrist and hand were fractured, a full recovery could take four-to-six weeks, though Wall could conceivably play with a splint on his non-shooting hand far sooner.

Wall told Broussard on Saturday that he has yet to even start dribbling yet.

Wall initially suffered the injury landing awkwardly on his hand in the second quarter of Game 1. He was able to return to the game, leaving him initially optimistic of his ability to play through the issue. He was diagnosed with a bad wrist sprain and sat out Game 2 in order to seek multiple opinions, reportedly after clashing with the team's medical staff over the diagnosis (but don't mention that to head coach Randy Wittman).

It's a huge loss for the Wizards, who will hand over starting duties to Ramon Sessions and ask a great deal more from Bradley Beal as an offensive initiator once again. Sessions is great at driving the lane and getting fouled but is a poor shooter and an abhorrent defender, while Beal is still developing his off-dribble game.

A terrific two-way player and a master of creating open corner threes for teammates, the Wizards have gone 10-40 without Wall in his career. During the regular season, they were 12.2 points per-100 possessions worse when he hit the bench, a margin they can ill-afford to give up against a Hawks team that will eventually start knocking down the shots they've uncharacteristically been missing in the playoffs.

In 79 regular season games, Wall averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 10 assists and he found an extra gear in five playoff games, averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 12.6 assists.