Neto's emergence speaks to Wizards' overall ceiling as a team originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Not long after the Wizards signed point guard Raul Neto in free agency last fall, general manager Tommy Sheppard mentioned in a press conference how Neto showed up well in defensive adjusted plus-minus, an advanced stat that suggested he was one of the best defensive point guards in the league. Neto, however, was a backup in each of those years, which invited some easy skepticism.
If he compiled those numbers against fellow second- and third-string guards, it's only so impressive. It's not like he was defending top scorers like Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets, right?
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
Well, that's the guy he got a big-time stop against on Thursday night in the final minute of the Wizards' win in Denver. Washington has now won six of their last seven and Neto's performance against the Nuggets is a big reason why.
Neto had 15 points, four assists and a career-high five steals against Denver. But he also did many things that didn't show up in the box score, like his suffocating defense on Murray late in the fourth quarter.
The Wizards were up 112-110 and Neto picked up Murray at halfcourt. Murray had 34 points and at the time was 6-for-10 from three-point range.
Neto walled him off first to the right, then to the left as he ran stride-for-stride over a Nikola Jokic screen at the three-point line. He forced Murray to pass the ball to Jokic, who dribbled a few times and then threw it back.
Murray would get a three-point attempt off, but Neto was there to contest it and help force the miss.
"He accepted the challenge tonight guarding Murray," Bradley Beal said of Neto.
Beal mentioned Neto's grit, while Russell Westbrook called him the "X-factor" in the Wizards' win. Beal also said he thought Neto has found a good role on the Wizards, with more "freedom" to make plays than he had on his previous teams.
Download and subscribe to the Wizards Talk podcast
Neto seemed to agree.
"I think I’m in a good spot. I found a team that allows me to do {be a leader} and I feel comfortable doing that," he said.
Head coach Scott Brooks said he has followed Neto's NBA career for years before he joined the Wizards. As a former backup point guard himself, Brooks has admired Neto's toughness and edge.
"That’s what I love about him. He’s a scrappy dude that just plays hard," Brooks said.
Brooks also noted how Neto was playing in part because Ish Smith is out due to injury. Normally, Smith would get a good share of the backup minutes. And now that Westbrook is playing more often, including in back-to-backs, it's fair to wonder how much Neto would be playing if Smith were not out with a quadriceps injury.
But therein lies a positive for the Wizards, as Neto stepping into a larger role and performing well demonstrates their depth. He is technically their third point guard, yet he popped off for 15 points against a playoff team and got a key stop on one of the league's most gifted young scorers.
As the Wizards continue to raise their level this season, now having won eight of 13 games, they are continuing to display signs of being a good team, one that not only could make the playoffs but potentially do some damage once they get there.
They are playing good defense, beating good teams (like the Nuggets) and showing off their depth.
