RSS Wizards Team Notes

Wizards possibly down two centers vs. Toronto

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The Washington Wizards have listed Alex Sarr (left big toe soreness) as questionable for Friday’s game against the Toronto Raptors. Sarr missed Wednesday’s 120-109 loss with the same injury.

Additionally, Marvin Bagley III (right hip contusion) is listed as doubtful. Bagley briefly left Wednesday’s game but later returned.

The Wizards have listed Alex Sarr (left big toe soreness) as questionable for Friday’s game against Toronto.

Marvin Bagley III (right hip contusion) is listed as doubtful.

That possibly leaves Tristan Vukcevic as the team’s lone healthy big. Not ideal. pic.twitter.com/JtHsmKlOrf

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) November 20, 2025
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If Sarr and Bagley miss Friday’s game, Tristan Vukcevic would be Washington’s lone big man. The 7-footer has flashed offensive potential in sporadic minutes this season but has also struggled on the defensive end. Vukcevic scored seven points on 2-for-8 shooting and was a -24 in 20 minutes against the Timberwolves.

Anthony Gill, Washington’s veteran power forward, is also an option in the frontcourt. Brian Keefe has experimented with Gill as a small-ball five in recent years.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash.../wizards-possibly-down-two-centers-vs-toronto
 
Wizards vs. Raptors final score: Washington battered by superior Toronto team, 140-110

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Just last year, a Toronto Raptors versus Washington Wizards match-up would have been a battle of two rebuilding teams at the bottom of the NBA standings.

Not anymore after a 140-110 loss.

The Raptors are one of the hottest teams right now in the NBA. They have won 10 out of their last 11 games now.

On the other hand the Wizards have lost 13 in a row now. The Wizards are arguably THE worst team in the league.

This was was never close. The Wizards, as usual, struggle to put the basket inside the hoop. But they also struggle mightily in preventing the opponent from doing the same.

The first quarter ended 20-31 with the Wizards never really showing any resistance or fight. The Raptors played much of their bench in the second quarter, but then in the third quarter blew the game completely open.

Listen to this: the Wizards allowed 48 (forty eight) points in the third quarter. That is absurd and just shows of lack of energy/motivation/fight or whatever you want to call it. It is plain embarrassing to come out of the locker room with such low energy.

Or perhaps it is a coaching issue?

At any rate, the fourth quarter was complete and utter garbage time.

CJ McCollum stunk the floor the least with 20 points, to lead the Wizards. He is probably thinking about his next team. Tre Johnson had 14 and 3-from-5 from deep in 19 minutes.

For the Raptors, everyone had a night. Four players had over 23 points… They made 14-of-29 from deep and had 39 free throws…

The Wizards remain win-less in NBA Cup play.

The Wizards next face the Bulls in Chicago tomorrow on a back-to-back.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ton-battered-by-superior-toronto-team-140-110
 
Preview: Wizards look to stop losing streak in second night of back-to-back in Chicago

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The Washington Wizards just had their 13th consecutive loss last night in Canada.

They sit at the bottom of the NBA, at 1-14, with 13 of those L all in a row. They have not won in a MONTH.

Tonight they face the Chicago Bulls, who are enjoying a solid start to their season compared to previous years. The Bulls are 8-6, and 5-1 at home.

Game Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: United Center, Chicago

How to watch: LeaguePass

Injury Report​


Wizards: Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Alex Sarr (Out)

Bulls: Coby White, Zach Collins (Out)

Pregame notes​


Defense, please? — The Wizards are defending poorly on the perimeter. Last night they allowed 14-29 from downtown to the Raptors.

They also defend poorly in the paint, allowing 39 free throws last night.

It’s OK not to have a lot of talent, and to struggle with scoring. But defense is about effort, organization, and coaching. And being so consistently bad on that end, raises questions about these factors.

Flashback: The Wizards beat the Bulls on opening week some years ago…

The Beal Era… Or the Beal & Kuzma Era? Nostalgia. Well, some years ago, Beal hit a game-winning shot with about 8 seconds left in regulation to give the Wizards the win against the Bulls. Enjoy!
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ak-in-second-night-of-back-to-back-in-chicago
 
Wizards at Bulls final score: Washington loses 14th straight game, 121-120

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The Washington Wizards lost to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, 121-120. They now fall to 1-15 while the Bulls improve to 9-7.

Washington was looking real good in this game. They were leading 70-64 in the first half, shot 51.1 percent from the field while the Bulls shot under 41 percent themselves. The Wizards looked like they were in position to win, and everyone in that arena knew that the Wizards wanted to win more than the Bulls regardless of the outcome.

However, the Wizards still managed to give this one away. The Bulls were able to take a 5 point lead late in the fourth quarter even though Washington also led by 8 points themselves early in the fourth quarter after a Tristan Vukcevic score.

That said, Bilal Coulibaly was able to get the Wizards a 120-119 lead with just 37.1 seconds left in the game after a layup but Tre Jones got fouled on the next possession to drain the game winning free throws. The Wizards had a chance to sneak off with a win when there were just 1.7 seconds left, but they committed a turnover.

For Washington, Corey Kispert and Cam Whitmore led with 20 points each. For the Bulls, Nikola Vukcevic led with 28 points and 12 rebounds.

The Wizards’ next game is on Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...shington-wizards-chicago-bulls-nba-game-recap
 
2026 NBA Draft Preview: Koa Peat

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If the Washington Wizards end up with one of the first three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, they will almost certainly walk away with one of Darryn Peterson, the do-it-all freshman guard from Kansas, AJ Dybantsa, the elite scoring freshman wing from BYU, or Cameron Boozer, the skilled, versatile and physically dominant freshman forward from Duke. While Wizards fans do not want to imagine a world in which they fall outside the top three and miss out on one of these supposed “can’t-miss” prospects, there is a very real chance the ping pong balls once again do not bounce the Wizards’ way.

Here are the Wizards’ lottery odds if they end the regular season with the worst record in the NBA, which they are on pace to do: 1: 14.0%, 2: 13.4%, 3: 12.7%, 4: 12.0%, 5: 47.9%.

While he is a step down from the Peterson, Dybantsa Boozer trio, one very intriguing player who would almost certainly be available at the four or five slot is Arizona freshman forward Koa Peat.

Koa Peat, 6’8” freshman forward from Arizona​

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Koa Peat went into this season as a somewhat polarizing draft prospect. The 6’8”, 235 pound Peat’s physical tools and finishing ability are undeniable, but there were, and still are legitimate concerns about his outside shooting. While he has not displayed a consistent three pointer yet this season, he has arguably been the best player on an Arizona team that has wins over Florida, UCLA and UConn and is looking like a legitimate national championship contender.

Through five games, Peat is averaging 16.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game while shooting 53.7% from the field. In his first game of the season against Florida, the reigning national champs, Peat scored 30 points against what many consider to be the best frontcourt in the country and put Arizona on his back in a 93-87 victory. That performance alone changed the way talent evaluators view Peat’s NBA future.

Arizona freshmen Koa Peat was unreal vs the defending National Champs in Florida:

30 points
7rebounds
5 assists
3 steals
1 block
11/18 FG

Absolutely dominated Florida on both ends was quite unbelievable to watch in real time. pic.twitter.com/YlnX802oDt

— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) November 4, 2025
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What is most impressive about Peat’s game is that even as a freshman at the beginning of his collegiate career he is able to consistently score against the best competition in ways beyond just overpowering players physically. He has an especially effective turnaround jumper he uses about 10 to 15 feet from the hoop. Because his opponents have to respect that turnaround so much, Peat is able to use his advanced post moves and footwork to get easy baskets when a defender over-commits trying to stop his turnarounds.

While the three point shot is not really a part of Peat’s game, there is no reason to believe that is something that can not be developed. He is an elite mid-range scorer and is shooting 71.9% from the free throw line at a high volume. That is a clear indication that his shooting form is not broken, and that he should be able to extend his range. Even if he does not end up being the type of guy who makes multiple threes a game, Peat should be able to develop into at least a somewhat respectable three point shooter.

On the defensive end, Peat is strong enough to hold his own against centers and quick enough to stay on the perimeter against wings and guards. His defensive counting stats will likely never wow anyone, but he has already shown that he is an asset on that end of the floor. Peat should have no problems as an NBA defender.

A high-ceiling NBA comparison for Peat would be Orlando Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. If everything goes right, like Banchero, Peat has the ability to be a high-volume scorer at the forward position and contribute to winning basketball.

Peat is at his best with the ball in his hands, but he has shown at Arizona that he can play alongside other scorers, often deferring to the Wildcats’ leading scorer and point guard Jaden Bradley. That is very promising towards his NBA future. College stars who are the sole focal point of their offenses often have a difficult time transitioning to the NBA where they have to learn a new role and share the court with other supremely talented players.

Imagining a potential fit for Peat on the Wizards is easy. He would slide right in at the four and act as a perfect frontcourt complement to Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr. Especially with the way Sarr has improved his three point shooting, Peat would be able to fill the more traditional role of a center on offense while still being able to guard smaller players on the defensive end. Arizona is one of the weaker three point shooting teams in the country right now, and Peat has still been able to get his buckets. Putting him on a team like the Wizards where there would be four shooters around him could unlock another level to his game.

Recent mock drafts have Peat in the 5-8 range. I am a bit higher on Peat than others, and believe that if he continues to impress on an elite Arizona team then his stock will continue to rise. He is firmly in the mix as one of the top players in the tier below the Peterson-Dybantsa-Boozer trio. Looking back to the 2023 NBA Draft, Peat would have been considered for the first overall pick.

Peat would not be “Plan A” for the Wizards. Or “Plan B.” Or even “Plan C.” But this is as deep of a draft class the NBA has seen. There is still loads of talent after the first three picks. Peat would be a perfect fit alongside this young Wizards core and is showing through five games the impact he can have.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/nba-draft/66365/2026-nba-draft-preview-koa-peat
 
WNBA Draft Lottery 2026: Mystics receive No. 4 pick

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The Washington Mystics received the No. 4 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft on Sunday. Washington forward Kiki Iriafen represented the Mystics. The Dallas Wings received the No. 1 pick, the second consecutive season they won the honor.

Washington has the No. 4 pick for the second consecutive year. However, the Mystics also had the No. 6 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and traded that pick to the Chicago Sky for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, which they used to select Sonia Citron with. Washington then used the No. 4 pick to draft Iriafen.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/mystics/66380/wnba-draft-lottery-2026-mystics-receive-no-4-pick
 
Should the NBA Draft take into account a team’s cumulative two-year record instead of just one?

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As Washington Wizards fans, we will be thinking more about the NBA Draft and the lottery than games at times. When the Wizards are on track to tie (and break) a franchise record losing streak, I can’t exactly blame ourselves for that. And with the Mystics likely using the same strategy as the Wizards for the foreseeable future, yesterday’s WNBA Draft Lottery got me thinking.

Yesterday, the WNBA had its draft lottery with the Washington Mystics getting the No. 4 pick. The Mystics had the fourth-best chance of getting the top pick, so ending up with the No. 4 pick wasn’t a surprise.

Now here is the surprise. The Connecticut Sun had the league’s worst record in 2025 but they made the 2024 WNBA semifinals. Because the WNBA Draft Lottery takes into account a team’s record over the last TWO years instead of the last ONE year, the Sun had a 39-45 record over two seasons and also the lowest chance of getting the top pick. The Dallas Wings received the top pick for the 2026 Draft and had the league’s worst two-year record with a combined 19-65. They had the highest chance of getting the top pick anyway and came out ahead.

Why does the WNBA take into account a team’s two-year record instead of one year? It was indirectly in response to the way the 2013 WNBA Draft lottery results came about. The Mystics had the worst record in the 2012 season with a 5-29 record and a near lock to get one of the Big Three franchise player-level talents for 2013: Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne or Skylar Diggins. Washington ended up with the No. 4 pick, which they used to draft Tayler Hill. The Phoenix Mercury won the lottery that year and were tanking despite their franchise player, Diana Taurasi, playing in the Olympics but playing very sparingly for Phoenix that season. The Chicago Sky took Delle Donne and the team now known as the Dallas Wings took Diggins.

The move set the Mystics back. And while their rebuild resulted in a 2019 championship, they had to make the most out of low draft picks and make savvy trades like trading for Delle Donne in 2017. Finally, that championship roster was also unsustainable in the long run because the Las Vegas Aces dynasty wasn’t at peak form yet, and other superstars suffered season-ending injuries around the time the Mystics were at their best.

At any rate, the team with the highest odds of winning the draft lottery cannot fall lower than No. 3, something Washington couldn’t take advantage of in the 2013 lottery.

As you all know, the Mystics aren’t the only team for Monumental Basketball. The Washington Wizards are also in the club and are rebuilding through the draft. They are in their worst two-year stretch in franchise history based on wins and losses. But the NBA Draft Lottery rules only take into account the record of the previous season, not the previous two like the WNBA.

So I just wanted to ask you all that question. Do you think the NBA Draft Lottery should be modified to take into account a non-playoff team’s two-year cumulative record instead of one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/nba-draft/66404/should-the-nba-draft-two-year-cumulative-record-rule
 
Wizards vs. Hawks preview: Washington hosts Atlanta on Tuesday

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Game Info​


When: Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Injury Report​

Hawks​

  • Luke Kennard (Hip) — Questionable
  • Kristaps Porzingis (Rest) — Questionable
  • N’Faly Dante (Knee) — Out
  • Trae Young (Knee) — Out

Wizards​

  • Marvin Bagley III (Hip) — Questionable
  • AJ Johnson (Ankle) — Questionable
  • Tre Johnson (Hip) — Questionable
  • Khris Middleton (Knee) — Questionable

Pregame notes​


The Wizards come back home after a disappointing loss in Chicago that featured the team giving up another double digit lead. Maybe this is the growing pains of a developing team or maybe it’s all part of the larger plan to acquire talent through the draft. Either way, there were moments where it looked like the Wizards were ready to pull off one of the bigger upsets of the season. The game ultimately came down to a turnover on the Wizards’ last possession that would have given them a chance at a game-winning shot.

  • The matchup with the Hawks will be the Wizards’ third NBA Cup game. So far the team is 0-10 all-time in these games. They also have an active 14-game losing streak this season. Who says they’re not consistent?
  • The Hawks come into this game a bit banged up, but still playing solid basketball. If the Wizards intend to win this game, it won’t be easy.
  • Washington seems direction-less — A bunch of teams are evaluating their coaches based on performance. For the Wizards the standard has been particularly low in the Leonsis era. The Pelicans recently fired Willie Green for underperforming. But, for the Wizards losing 14 in a row and not showing effort or organization on defense is excusable. #SoWizards
  • Can the Wizards finally get their first NBA cup win? Can they break both their NBA Cup and overall losing streak?

Flashback: Wizards and Hawks epic playoff moment​


One of the greatest moment in Wizards’ banking:
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ington-wizards-atlanta-hawks-nba-game-preview
 
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen named to USA Basketball training camp

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On Monday, USA Basketball announced their roster of 18 players who will be in training camp from Dec. 12 to Dec. 14 at Duke University. Two Washington Mystics players, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, were named to the roster.

The training camp is intended to be a period for the women’s national team staff to prepare for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. The team’s head coach is Duke women’s basketball head coach Kara Lawson, who is also a former Mystics player herself.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/inte...iriafen-named-to-usa-basketball-training-camp
 
Wizards vs. Hawks final score: Washington ends losing streak with 132-113 win

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The Washington Wizards snapped their 14-game losing streak with a 132-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena. It marked the team’s first win since Oct. 24 and first home win since April 2.

It was also the Wizards’ first Emirates NBA Cup win (they were previously 0-10).

Washington opened on an 11-2 run and never trailed. The team shot 57.1 percent from the field and led by as many as 33 points as it cruised to its second victory of the season.

CJ McCollum led all scorers with a season-high 46 points on an efficient 17-25 FG. The veteran guard made 10 of his 13 3-pointers and added five rebounds to an impressive showing.

Alex Sarr added 27 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 11-15 FG. Sarr shot just two triples and made one — another positive step in his development and improved shot diet. The 20-year-old protected the paint as well, tallying two blocks and two steals while finishing as a +30.

All five of Washington’s starters were a +19 or better as they dominated Atlanta’s starting unit, which featured former Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis.

The Wizards improved to 2-15. Their next game is on Friday against the Indiana Pacers on the road. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.ET. See you then.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...shington-wizards-atlanta-hawks-nba-game-recap
 
Wizards Blow Out Hawks to Snap Two Losing Streaks

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The Wizards opened the game hitting seemingly every shot to take a 45-23 lead at the end of the first quarter. They grew the advantage to as much as 33 in the third quarter before letting the Atlanta Hawks trim the final margin to a semi-respectable 19. This must be what it’s like to watch Oklahoma City Thunder games.

With the victory, the Wizards snapped two losing streaks — the 14-game skid this season, and the 10 consecutive NBA Cup defeats dating back to the beginning of the in-season tournament. Now, every team in the NBA has at least one Cup win.

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Veteran guard CJ McCollum couldn’t miss early, and couldn’t miss much later either. He knocked down 17-25 from the floor, including a torrid 10-13 from three. No, that’s not a new career high in threes for McCollum. He made 11 on Dec. 30, 2022 against the Philadelphia 76ers. McCollum finished the game with 46 points.

Alex Sarr, who’s been having a good season, played another stellar game — 27 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. He put in considerable offseason work on his game. He has an array of moves to set defenders, pivot on his left shoulder, and put up a righty hook. When defenders think they’re ready for it, he counters comfortably with a fading jumper. His footwork often was off last season. This season, he’s smooth — even nimble.

Thoughts & Observations​

  • One of my favorite things from this game was the Khris Middleton, Alex Sarr pick-and-roll action. Middleton is not reputed to be a quality setup man, but he made the right pass repeatedly when Sarr rolled, and the duo produced easy buckets. Better defensive units will game plan for this, which is okay — at least then the Wizards would be forcing the opposition to adjust, and then the Wizards can counter.
  • Middleton tied his career high with 12 assists.
  • Corey Kispert had an excellent shooting night (6-11 from the floor, 4-8 from deep) before leaving the game with a right thumb injury.
  • Every opposition broadcast team raves about Bub Carrington’s three-point shooting this season. None mention his two-point shooting. Against the Hawks, Carrington made such considerations unnecessary, hitting 2-3 from two and 2-3 from three. He also produced six assists in just 22 minutes.
  • Bilal Coulibaly disappeared from the offense aside from a couple first quarter dunks. He got a pair of three-point attempts blocked. He did a good job defensively on Atlanta star Jalen Johnson, who had one of his worst games of the season.
  • The Hawks broadcast team seemed a bit puzzled by Brian Keefe leaving starters in the game until the final three minutes. It was clear that Keefe wanted to make sure the win was secure beyond any possible doubt before pulling the main guys.
  • In classic, tell me you’re doing no preparation for these games without telling me you’re doing no preparation for these games, Dominique Wilkins said (repeatedly) that Kispert was missing threes because he was shooting too quickly. If you’ve watched Wizards games since Kispert arrived, you’d know that the lightning quick release — often of the no-dip variety — is a staple of Kispert’s game.
  • Speaking of Kispert, by hitting 4-8 from deep last night, he boosted his three-point percentage for the season to 40.3%. The last time he surpassed 40% from deep for the season was 2022-23 — his second year in the league.

Four Factors​


Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

  • eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
  • OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
  • TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
  • FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORSHAWKSWIZARDSLGAVG
eFG%53.2%68.5%54.3%
OREB%31.8%16.7%26.4%
TOV%17.6%11.8%13.1%
FTM/FGA0.1260.2020.224
PACE102100.3
ORTG111129115.7

Stats & Metrics​


PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is 115.1. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 114, the league — on average — would produced 22.8 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -2.8.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
CJ McCollum377815732.0%10.438619
Alex Sarr388013722.0%3.819730
Corey Kispert245214421.9%3.328623
Khris Middleton316612920.7%1.915734
Justin Champagnie17371517.9%1.0155-7
Bub Carrington224712220.7%0.61144
Bilal Coulibaly347311313.5%-0.25029
Tristan Vukcevic102210324.3%-0.789-11
Cam Whitmore102103.9%-0.9151
Malaki Branham9183222.2%-3.3-121-12
Sharife Cooper350.0%0.0-122-5
Will Riley35014.7%-0.9-154-5
Jamir Watkins36013.6%-0.9-161-5
HAWKSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Zaccharie Risacher306312916.9%1.4143-11
Kristaps Porzingis224615127.7%4.5165-4
Dyson Daniels326811019.4%-0.894-23
Onyeka Okongwu204212928.5%1.6132-22
Vit Krejci143013721.7%1.4147-11
Mouhamed Gueye183811018.3%-0.4771
Luke Kennard153210926.8%-0.645-3
Keaton Wallace1429919.0%-0.6114
Nickeil Alexander-Walker32698114.7%-3.6-6-20
Jalen Johnson30646824.7%-7.6-20-20
Asa Newell7141018.4%-0.21057
Jacob Toppin71410210.0%-0.2187
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...rds-blow-out-hawks-to-snap-two-losing-streaks
 
Kispert Will Miss Several Weeks With Fractured Thumb

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The Washington Wizards announced that Corey Kispert suffered a fractured thumb during Tuesday’s blowout win over the Atlanta Hawks. This news was first reported by The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.

The team said Kispert will not need surgery, and that the injury typically takes three weeks to heal.

Kispert started the past two games as the team sat veteran Khris Middleton on the second night of a back-to-back, and then Kyshawn George missed a game with an illness.

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He’d been having something of a bounce back shooting season — his three point percentage is 40.3% this year. That’s his best mark since shooting 42.4% in 2022-23, his second season in the league. The thumb injury is to his shooting hand.

While his individual production has been relatively modest, the team has been better on both ends when he’s been on the floor this season. That’s not the same as “good” — they’ve been -6.0 per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor vs. -19.0 when he’s off.

Kispert joins rookie Tre Johnson and possibly Marvin Bagley III on the team’s injury report. Johnson is dealing with a strained hip flexor. The team has not set a timetable for his return. Bagley sustained a hip contusion, and initial reports indicated he would miss multiple games.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...-will-miss-several-weeks-with-fractured-thumb
 
Wizards at Pacers Preview: Washington Goes to Indiana for Last NBA Cup Group Game

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Game Info

When: Friday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, LeaguePass

Injury Report​


Wizards: Kyshawn George – Questionable (Illness), Marvin Bagley III – Questionable (Hip), Tre Johnson – Out (Hip), Corey Kispert – Out (Thumb)

Pacers: Johnny Furphy – Out (Ankle), Quenton Jackson – Out (Hamstring), Aaron Nesmith – Out (Knee), Obi Toppin – Out (Foot)

Pregame notes​


Wizards were able to break their 14-game losing streak on Tuesday as well as win their first-ever NBA Cup game. There is some momentum after a very convincing victory over division foe, Atlanta Hawks.

Up next is the Indiana Pacers, who are going through their own struggles. The Pacers are the only team in the NBA and the Eastern Conference with a worse record than the Washington Wizards. A lot of this is in part due to the lost of Tyrese Haliburton, due to injury, and Myles Turner, due to free agency.

With all of this in mind, it is rare that we can say the Wizards have a good chance to win this game, but even more so to start a winning streak. The victory over the Hawks was a solid foundation for building a winning formula: efficient shooting combined with solid defense that includes forcing turnovers. If the Wizards are able to combine these two elements, they have a chance to be in many games. The question will be with such a young team, can they be consistent? Friday night’s game will tell us if they are indeed trending that way or not.

The Wizards and Pacers have both been eliminated from qualifying for the NBA Cup tournament, so this game will not have any barring on helping either team in the NBA Cup.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...n-goes-to-indiana-for-last-nba-cup-group-game
 
Alex Sarr is getting more love at the national level

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The Washington Wizards may be in the midst of another season in the tank, but the long-term rebuilding plan is finally starting to show signs of bearing fruit.

Alex Sarr began his NBA life as the maligned second overall pick in a weak draft class before putting together a solid, if unspectacular, rookie season. Now in his second year, Sarr has emerged as the Wizards’ best player and the team’s lone representative in league-wide conversations.

It is impossible to watch every game all the time, and I believe one of the best resources for keeping up with the NBA is The Ringer’s monthly ranking of the top 100 players in the league (I have not been paid by them to say this, though I am happy to send my resume over to the kind folks over at The Ringer…). Sarr finally entered the top 100 this month, debuting at number 86.

Sarr is the Wizards’ lone representative on the list, and his 86th-place ranking puts him in the neighborhood of players like Kristaps Porzingis, De’Andre Hunter and Lu Dort. That Sarr even cracked the list at all shows that people are paying attention to his rise and are not getting caught up in his early-career reputation.

His jump from his first to his second season tells me that Sarr’s development is real and that he will be a cornerstone piece for the Wizards going forward. He’s the team’s leading scorer at 18.7 points per game, and his outside shot has improved to 35.4%, meaning it has to be at least respected by defenders, if not quite feared.

Sarr leads the Wizards in rebounding at 8.5 per game, though I would still consider rebounding one of the weaknesses of his game. A seven-foot starting center needs to be a genuine glass cleaner, especially in the absence of any particularly compelling forwards, as is the Wizards’ case. To be fair to Sarr (kind of?), the Wizards’ league-worst defense means there are fewer boards to go around, since opposing players face little resistance making their shots.

In conclusion, while I don’t believe Sarr is a future “best player on a championship team” type of player, I think he is an important foundational piece for a team that one day aspires to play competitive basketball, and it is refreshing to see him finally getting his flowers in the national conversation.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...x-sarr-washington-wizards-ringer-nba-rankings
 
Wizards at Pacers Recap: Wizards lose big in Indiana, 119-86

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Wizards drop an ugly one in Indiana.

Watching the NBA Playoffs last year, it was clear that Indiana Pacers’ offensive identity centers around playing with pace, and moving the ball to the open shooters. This allows them to get many players involve offensively, and tonight was no different.

For the night, the Pacers put six players in double figures, while racking up 27 assists.

This game really got ugly in the 3rd quarter. The Wizards struggled with their defensive rotations all night. The constant cutting and ball movement put the Wizards’ defense in rotation often. The Pacers also thrived on live ball turnovers which allows them to get in transition and start their offensive flow. For the night, Pacers got 21 points off of the Wizards’ 16 turnovers.

Wizards also were cold for much of the night, scoring under 90 points and shooting sub-40 percent. This is not a recipe for winning.

Pacers outscored the Wizards 30 -21 in the 3rd quarter to extend their 12-point halftime lead to 21-points.

On the bright side, Alex Sarr had a strong game. He had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. There were times where the team was looking to him for baskets, as he was the most consistent performer on that end.

Wizards drop this one 119-86 and lose the last NBA Cup Qualifier Game of the season. Washington will be back in action on Monday, at home, as they go to face the Milwaukee Bucks at home in Washington, DC.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...cers-recap-wizards-lose-big-in-indiana-119-86
 
Wizards announce their additional regular season games

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On Saturday, the Washington Wizards announced that they will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. Then on Sunday, Dec. 14, they will play the Indiana Pacers on the road at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 3 p.m. ET.

The games fill in the schedule for the Wizards after their conclusion of games in the pool stage of the NBA Cup. Each team plays these games against other teams that did not advance in the competition.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/latest-news/66523/washington-wizards-additional-regular-season-games
 
Red Panda Outshines Wizards in Another Forgettable Night

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The Washington Wizards went to Indianapolis and got vanquished by the defending Eastern Conference Champion Indiana Pacers, 119-86.

Okay, that leaves a few details out, but I was feeling inspired by forcing myself to go the distance with the Monumental broadcast.

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Okay, that last part isn’t exactly true. I cut over the Pacers broadcast a few times, and…well…let me just say I don’t think it’s asking too much for the analyst to pay attention to what’s happening on the court. I hereby officially advance the Monumental broadcast from 30th to 29th in my rankings.

So, yeah I know the Pacers entered the night with a 2-16 record and the league’s worst winning percentage. Yes, worst as in, even worse than Washington’s, hard as that is to believe. Yes, I know the Pacers were missing their best player.

And the Wizards got beat so bad, the most entertaining part of the evening was Red Panda at halftime.

I should probably write about basketball now. The Wizards were in touch through the first 18 minutes of the first half. The Pacers opened a 12-point lead at the half. Things avalanched from there.

I wanted to write something positive about the team’s defense, and they did have 10-12 good defensive possessions (out of 97 total). But it’s tough to get too excited when they gave up a 122 offensive rating to the league’s 29th ranked offense. That efficiency was +15 relative to the Pacers’ average this season, and +7 relative to league average.

In plain language, Washington’s defense was poor.

If you want to hear someone praise the Wizards defense, check out the Monumental broadcast with about four minutes remaining in the third quarter. Drew Gooden became abruptly ebullient about the Wizards defense “being on a string” for a possession and saying how much he loved it.

I would have called his praise “inexplicable,” except that a few minutes previous, Gooden performed genuine analysis of the poor job Wizards defenders were doing on Paschal Siakam. That analysis included correctly criticizing Bilal Coulibaly for ball watching.

Thoughts & Observations​

  • Alex Sarr played a subpar game by his standards this season and was the only Wizards player to post an above average PPA.
  • Sarr’s offensive rating (individual points produced per possession x 100) was an abysmal 103 — more than 12 points below league average. Not only was that the best mark for any Wizards player last night, he was also the only Wizards player to crack 100.
  • Man did the Wizards blow out when they let Jay Huff leave. Boy did I blow it when I was fine with his departure.
  • It was fun to see Taelon Peter get a few minutes. I hadn’t heard of Peter before the Pacers drafted him in the second round. When I ran the 23-year-old guard, who last attended Liberty, through my stat-based draft prospect analysis tool (YODA), he had a late first round grade.
  • Indiana’s NBA Cup floor looked great. Thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Four Factors​


Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

  • eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
  • OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
  • TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
  • FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORSWIZARDSPACERSLGAVG
eFG%44.0%59.2%54.3%
OREB%20.0%24.4%26.5%
TOV%17.5%11.3%13.1%
FTM/FGA0.1570.1090.223
PACE97100.2
ORTG88122115.6

Stats & Metrics​


PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is 115.1. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 114, the league — on average — would produced 22.8 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -2.8.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Alex Sarr336610331.2%-2.6108-14
CJ McCollum30609217.4%-2.557-20
Khris Middleton26529625.4%-2.657-11
Bub Carrington27549115.6%-2.053-23
Will Riley10209821.3%-0.791-6
Cam Whitmore16329725.3%-1.533-26
Justin Champagnie112303.4%-0.936-2
Bilal Coulibaly31628020.0%-4.5-2-17
Tristan Vukcevic15318424.9%-2.4-15-19
Kyshawn George27548214.3%-2.6-14-14
Malaki Branham71405.6%-0.9-40-6
Sharife Cooper37011.4%-0.9-131-3
AJ Johnson612015.3%-2.1-149-4
PACERSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
T.J. McConnell193916025.6%4.440612
Pascal Siakam265412131.2%0.928632
Jay Huff224416118.6%3.72886
Ben Sheppard295914712.5%2.317524
Bennedict Mathurin346911024.3%-1.013129
Isaiah Jackson183715015.0%1.919223
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl26537814.8%-3.08514
Garrison Mathews224410217.5%-1.0769
Jarace Walker23479222.3%-2.5444
Tony Bradley81618418.7%2.02624
Taelon Peter61215413.0%0.61774
RayJ Dennis6123615.2%-1.4-624
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...utshines-wizards-in-another-forgettable-night
 
Wizards vs Bucks Preview: Pencil this one in as a loss, boys

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The Washington Wizards are hosting the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night. Check out the preview below:

Game info​


When: 7 p.m EST on Monday, Dec. 1

Where: Capital One Arena in Washington DC

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

Injuries​


Wizards: Corey Kispert (thumb) and Tre Johnson (hip) are both OUT.

Bucks: Taurean Prince (neck) is OUT.

Game notes and more​

  • The Bucks finally have Giannis Antetokounmpo back in action. In his absence they lost seven straight games and dropped out of the play-in in the dreadful Eastern Conference. Their 9-12 record is a touch misleading, as most of the losses came in Giannis’ absence, and he is a bona fide MVP candidate playing the best ball of his career.
  • Former Wizard (briefly) Ryan Rollins has emerged as the Bucks’ second-best player, and he would be my pick for the league’s Most Improved Player award if the season ended today. Rollins is averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game as a solid defensive guard who can take some pressure off of Giannis with the Bucks’ otherwise dreadful roster.
  • The Wizards are in an all-out free-fall, and they’ve lost 15 of their last 16 games. They are a legitimate threat to lose 70 games this season and will hopefully finally see the lottery gods smile upon them in a loaded 2026 draft class.
  • Alex Sarr is pretty good! Check out my recent analysis of his emergence this season.
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Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ashington-wizards-milwaukee-bucks-nba-preview
 
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