The NBA Playoffs are quickly approaching, and as of now Washington is projected to compete in them. The Wizards, at 25-33, are currently seated 10th in the eastern conference, which is the lowest spot for playoff eligibility. They’re just two games back from the 9-seeded Pacers. This means that the next two games the Wizards play, the Thunder on April 23rd and the Cavaliers on April 25th, are crucial. While the Thunder have a poor record at 20-39, they still have some major threats on both ends of the court. One player to watch for is rookie standout, Théo Maldeon, who sparked a big lead against Washington when they previously played on Monday night. However, it seems that the Wizards should have no problem keeping up with the Thunder’s offensive output after Beal and company went bucket-for-bucket on Wednesday night against Stephen Curry and the Warriors. The duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal have brought the Wizards out of the grave in recent weeks. Hopefully they can stay full-steam ahead into the postseason.

With just 10 games left in the regular season, the Capitals need to secure their spot at the top of the eastern conference going into the playoffs. Currently the Capitals are in first place with 62 points, but right on their tail is the Islanders, a team with an almost identical record. The competing teams will face off on April 22nd, 24th and 27th. It is crucial that the Capitals win at least two of the three games in the series to secure a first place spot in the standings, especially after losing to the Bruins on Sunday night. The Capitals need to be prepared for the Islanders’ tough defensive personnel. Players like Nick Leddy and Brook Nelson need to be at the fulcrum of Washington’s game plan.

Former Washington Football Team Quarterback Alex Smith announced his retirement on Monday. Shortly after, another Washington-alum, Jordan Reed, announced his as well. Reed had been suffering from concussion related injuries that prevented him from continuing his career in the NFL. Another important storyline to watch for is the NFL draft on Thursday. Whether they are prioritizing their offensive line, getting a linebacker, or potentially another receiver is unclear. They currently hold the 19th pick in the first round, which leaves them in a bit of a conundrum. They could roll the dice and trade up for a young quarterback. One signal-caller that they could have their eye on is Trey Lance out of North Dakota State. Lance is a boom/bust prospect who will take patience to develop. This makes Washington an attractive destination, as there is a current placeholder at starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. Lance can wait behind Fitz on the depth chart for as long as the coaching staff deems necessary, until he’s ready to play.

The Nationals at 7-9 are currently ranked last in their division, and after losing their two best players to injury — Stephen Strasburg and Juan Soto — moving up in the standings right now is unlikely. However there has been some good luck at Nationals Park recently. I got a chance to speak with a Senior at Centreville High School who has become somewhat famous on the interent this week. Now known as “the Waffle House Nats fan” for his signature mask, Ethan Peterson has had his run with the media. Ethan was caught by the cameras after missing a homerun ball. However, he redeemed himself shortly after by catching the next one. Ethan has been going to games since 2013 and said this was the first time he had ever caught a homerun as well as been recognized by the media. Since Monday’s game against the Cardinals, both the Washington Post and Waffle House have reached out to Ethan. As for upcoming games, the Nationals will play the Mets in a series, that will be crucial to their place in the standings.