News Wizards Team Notes

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards vs. Hawks final score: Washington blown out, 131-116

The Washington Wizards lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 131-116 on Saturday night. The Wizards fall to 3-19 while the Hawks improve to 14-11.

Washington was outmatched in this game though they made things interesting the third quarter, going on a 38-27 run in that period.

CJ McCollum led the Wizards with 28 points and had a 7-of-12 performance from the three point line. For the Jalen Johnson, he scored 30 points.

The Wizards won’t be back on the court until Friday, Dec. 12 when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers. See you then.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...awks-final-score-washington-blown-out-131-116

 

[Washington Wizards]

Shakira Austin and the USA win FIBA 3×3 Women’s AmeriCup

Last weekend, the USA Basketball women’s 3×3 team won the Gold Medal in the 2025 FIBA 3×3 Women’s AmeriCup played in Mexico. The Americans went 5-0 en route to their gold medal.

The USA Women are the 2025 @FIBA3x3 AmeriCup Champions!

#3x3WNT x #3x3AmeriCup pic.twitter.com/k8Ir7zi5jS

— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) December 1, 2025

The Americans’ pool play games were on Nov. 28 where the Americans made easy work out of Brazil and Jamaica. On Nov. 30, the Americans played their best games yet by beating Argentina 22-4 in the quarterfinals and then the Dominican Republic 21-5 in the semifinals. Their one tough game was in the championship match against Canada which was decided 21-19.

Austin averaged 5.8 points per game (keep in mind that each shot inside the three-point line is worth ONE point), tied with Naz Hillmon.

The next FIBA 3X3 World Cup will be from June 1-7, 2026 in Warsaw Poland. The Americans did not medal in last year’s World Cup, losing to Mongolia in the quarterfinals with a younger squad. The Netherlands won the Gold Medal and will look to defend it in 2026.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/inte...stin-and-the-usa-win-fiba-3x3-womens-americup

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards Get Drubbed by Boston’s Backups in a 45-Point Debacle

So, I’m on the road and failed to pack anything to read. The best options where I’m saying are a book about The Actors Studio by James Lipton, the first chapter of which was surprisingly dull, and a memoir(?) by Chelsea Handler, which is not funny, interesting, or insightful. Spending the evening reading either would have been a better use of time than watching the Wizards get annihilated by the Boston Celtics.

The Wizards never led in this one, but the first half wasn’t awful in the sense that Washington’s offense was efficient and the score was close. They trailed by just six at halftime.

Let this one sink in: In the first half, the Wizards defensive rating (points allowed per possession x 100) was an abysmal 137.5. Not a typo. League average is 115.8. In the second half, their defensive rating was 163.3.

It would be tempting at this point to talk about Washington’s abundant injuries (Alex Sarr, Corey Kispert, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson all missed the game). Except Boston was missing Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. We’ll generously call that even.

It would als0 be tempting to talk about how this is a rebuilding team that doesn’t want to win games this year. Except “rebuilding” and “getting stomped by 45 points on your home floor by what amounts to the other team’s second unit” are not synonyms.

Part of rebuilding is establishing a foundation for future success. There are certain basics that should (at least in my opinion) be part of that foundation:

• Running back on defense
• Picking up the ball handler in transition
• Matching up with a nearby offensive player whether he’s your man or not
• Setting and using screens properly

These things are somewhat on the coach, but as was clear from the sideline reporting (and the sideline mics), Brian Keefe and the coaching staff were sharing some helpful tips on some of these very subjects throughout the game.

Which reminds me of something a good friend and former work colleague would say to me when someone would tell us we should have gotten the word out about an event they’d missed, which we’d promoted repeatedly over a period of months: “You can’t read for them, Kevin.”

Thoughts & Observations​

• Jamir Watkins got his first NBA start. I wouldn’t say it went well — he had almost no offensive impact (1 field goal attempt and a 4.6% usage rate), and the defense was horrific when he was out there. I wouldn’t say the defensive failures were particularly on him.
• Early in the broadcast, Drew Gooden praised Marvin Bagley III’s board work and said it would be important because Boston was the eighth in offensive rebounding. There were two things wrong with this. First, by offensive rebounding percentage (more meaningful than per game stats), Boston is sixth in offensive rebounding. Second, Bagley is a superb offensive rebounder and a below average defensive rebounder for a big. In other words, the kind of rebounding Bagley does well would not help against what Boston does well.
• While it was nice to give that start to Watkins, the team should go back to Champagnie as a starter, at least until Sarr or Coulibaly returns.
• I think Kyshawn George has the potential to be very good, but he’s gotta cut down on the dumb turnovers and relentless hacking. Last night: 4 turnovers, 4 fouls.
• Let this sink in: league average turnover rate is 13.1% this season. George’s turnover rate last night: 38.6%.
• Someone send me a good book to read!

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 FACTORS	CELTICS	WIZARDS	LGAVG
eFG%	64.6%	47.6%	54.4%
OREB%	37.5%	27.9%	26.3%
TOV%	9.0%	18.0%	13.0%
FTM/FGA	0.182	0.250	0.221
PACE	100	100.1
ORTG	146	101	115.8

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.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Kyshawn George	28	59	119	17.5%	0.3	79	-30
CJ McCollum	31	64	110	28.9%	-1.1	72	-22
Khris Middleton	25	52	118	23.6%	0.2	85	-19
Justin Champagnie	15	32	119	23.1%	0.3	140	-1
Tristan Vukcevic	11	24	162	25.1%	2.8	159	-9
Jamir Watkins	18	38	224	4.6%	1.9	76	-30
Bub Carrington	28	57	79	16.3%	-3.5	-7	-18
Will Riley	27	55	92	17.4%	-2.3	-7	-39
Marvin Bagley III	26	53	61	17.8%	-5.2	-30	-19
Cam Whitmore	18	38	48	23.1%	-5.9	-49	-20
Malaki Branham	8	17	100	22.6%	-0.6	16	-9
Anthony Gill	5	10	54	28.1%	-1.7	-65	-9

CELTICS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Derrick White	29	60	146	32.5%	5.9	355	17
Jordan Walsh	30	62	223	15.3%	10.1	319	20
Payton Pritchard	32	67	120	29.0%	0.9	202	27
Neemias Queta	21	44	160	22.8%	4.5	262	29
Hugo Gonzalez	18	37	186	18.1%	4.7	306	23
Baylor Scheierman	25	52	154	7.8%	1.6	187	42
Anfernee Simons	25	53	129	22.0%	1.6	174	34
Josh Minott	22	46	139	16.4%	1.7	172	2
Sam Hauser	21	43	128	11.7%	0.6	119	4
Luka Garza	8	17	171	20.0%	1.9	281	9
Ron Harper Jr.	5	10	26	24.2%	-2.1	-31	9
Xavier Tillman Sr.	5	10	0	9.8%	-1.1	-213	9

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...bbed-by-bostons-backups-in-a-45-point-debacle

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards reassign AJ Johnson to G League

The Washington Wizards have assigned guard AJ Johnson to the Capital City Go-Go, the team announced Tuesday

The Washington Wizards have assigned G AJ Johnson to the @CapitalCityGoGo.

— Wizards PR (@WizPRStats) December 9, 2025

Johnson, 21, has appeared in just 10 of Washington’s 22 games this season and played less than 10 minutes in each of those contests.

This marks Johnson’s second stint with the Go-Go in as many weeks. The sophomore guard averaged 19.5 points and 3.5 rebounds across two games last week, including a 22-point effort on 7-13 FG last Friday.

The Wizards have done something similar with fellow youngster Will Riley, who recently completed his second stint with the Go-Go. Johnson will see increased playing time in the G League as he continues to develop his game.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/washington-wizards-news/66701/wizards-reassign-aj-johnson-to-g-league

 

[Washington Wizards]

The WNBA players are still dug in on their demands in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement

It is December 2025, but WNBA fans aren’t sure if there will be a 2026 WNBA season. And let’s be honest. For the first time in league history, it is possible that there could be a league work stoppage — and perhaps … even a league where there the WNBA’s future could be uncertain.

If you are wondering whether the league and the WNBPA Players’ Union are closer to a Collective Bargaining Agreement than before, the answer is uncertain at best. And hell no at worst. Today, Cat Ariail, Swish Appeal’s site manager wrote a great analysis piece on the players’ union staying strong on their demands from the WNBA for a fair piece of revenue sharing, not just more pay. They also still demand team provided housing, among other things.

The WNBA has reportedly wanted a longer season, training camp to start in March when rookies from colleges don’t show up until mid April at earliest, probably as an attempt to lower the incentive for players to play in one basketball league (America or otherwise) or another. Historically, the WNBA has allowed players to play overseas or in other leagues during the winter. But the league doesn’t appear to be so kind to that anymore.

Players still want their flexibility to play overseas if they choose. And they appear to be willing to leave the WNBA if they choose. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham recently said on a podcast that she would be open to quitting the league altogether if her new offseason league, Project B, which is a 5×5 league consisting of six 11-woman teams that will play in several two week tournaments in Latin America, Asia and Europe. Players could be paid $2 million each, though details are murky. That is higher than any offer the WNBA has offered so far.

I have reservations on how all of these startup women’s basketball leagues will survive for differing reasons. But they all point to the assertion that the WNBA, even given its rapid rise in the 2020s, is not giving a fair enough deal for players. And unlike the NBA, players have multiple options to play —and we didn’t get to the EuroLeague Women, Chinese and Australian teams yet.

I think it’s important to make sure that the WNBA offers a fair deal for players and their pay. But I also believe that it’s fair for the WNBA to demand that players are loyal to the WNBA in return for the increase in pay. If the WNBA is truly the best women’s professional basketball league in the world, it must pay the market rate to players. Even if that results in short term losses.

If not, the international leagues (as well as plenty of my ramblings on this topic) will win out.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/myst...ands-in-a-new-collective-bargaining-agreement

 

[Washington Wizards]

2026 NBA Draft Preview – Kingston Flemings

It is rare to see a player’s NBA draft profile skyrocket as quickly as Kingston Flemings has this season. He really was not on my radar as an NBA Draft pick, let alone a potential high-lottery pick heading into the season, but his early-season production has forced him into the conversation as one of this classes top prospects. If he continues to improve and play this well, he could be in consideration for the Wizards if they fall out of the top three.

Especially if the Wizards identify point guard as the position they would like to target in the 2026 NBA Draft, Fleming is a very intriguing option.

Here is everything Wizards fans need to know about Flemings, and whether or not you should buy into the hype about his hot start with Houston.

Kingston Flemings, 6’4” freshman guard from Houston​

Heading into the season, Houston, who was a shot away from winning last year’s NCAA Tournament, was expected to be one of the best teams in college basketball. The hype was deserves, with the Cougars’ only loss so far coming against a ranked Tennessee team. They are looking like legitimate contenders. Upperclassmen Jojo Tugler, Milos Uzan and Emmanuel Sharp have been great, but freshman guard Kingston Flemings has come out of nowhere to be Houston’s most important player. He was the least-heralded of Houston’s three five-star freshmen, and is not only outperforming fellow first-years Chris Cenac and Isiah Harwell, but is shooting up draft boards at a truly unprecedented rate.

Flemings, a true do-it-all playmaker, has the look and frame of an elite NBA point guard at 6’4”. Through nine games, Flemings is averaging 15.9 points, 5.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 turnovers while shooting 56.0% from three. Flemings recently had his best game of the season in Houston’s 82-67 victory over Florida State where he dominated on both ends of the floor, scoring 21 points, dishing out five assists and collecting a career-high eight steals while shooting 8-13 from the field and 3-4 from three.

21 points, 5 assists, 8 steals for Houston freshman Kingston Flemings in a win over FSU on an NBA floor. The 18-year-old point guard continues to show off impressive pace, instincts, and toughness. Biggest #NBADraft stock riser through one month of ball. pic.twitter.com/Q61crz4Po4

— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) December 7, 2025

At first glance, there really do not seem to be any glaring weaknesses to Flemings’ game. He is an NBA-caliber athlete, has a great jump shot, is an advanced playmaker well-beyond his age, is a high-effort defender with a plus defensive IQ that allows him to get in passing lanes and is the floor general for a Final Four contender. But, this is a small sample size. While he was a five-star recruit, no one predicted that Flemings would be playing this well and that he would be such an important player for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston team.

Sampson spoke glowingly of Flemings’ work ethic and character after his standout performance against Florida State (via Paper City Magazine’s Chris Baldwin).

“Kingston is getting better because of the way he practices. He is a great, great, great, great young man, so his character allows him to be coached.”

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on freshman Kingston Flemings who racked up 8 steals (2nd most in UH history) + 14 deflections vs Florida State: "Kingston's getting better because of the way he practices. He's a great, great, great young man. His character allows him to be coached." pic.twitter.com/hhU3SdgLvY

— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) December 7, 2025

Based on Sampson’s comments and the way Flemings has exceeded expectations, it is a reasonable expectation to believe that he will continue to improve at the next level and unlock even more aspects to his game.

Despite all of Flemings’ early-season dominance, I do have some very real concerns about the small sample size of his success. While he did earn a starting spot and was a five-star recruit, I could not find a single preseason mock draft that included him in the first round (if it’s out there please let me know). The stats are great. He passes the eye test. His team is winning. But I want to see Flemings sustain this once Big 12 play starts and there is a bit more tape on him before feeling confident about using a potential top-five pick on him.

As the Wizards’ season has gone on, I think it is clear that their biggest need is at point guard. Bub Carrington is not progressing the way many thought he would after his impressive rookie season last year. If it makes sense based on where they are picking in the draft, the WIzards should absolutely prioritize a point guard. Those options would likely be Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who would be the obvious choice if he is available, Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. or Flemings.

Flemings’ athleticism, shiftiness and playmaking has led to some comparisons to De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Knight. I do not think he has the same raw speed as Fox, but their play styles are very similar. In regards to Knight, Flemings should have a much higher ceiling, especially on the defensive end. Another player with a similar type of game to Flemings is George Hill. Hill was known throughout his career as a very steady, all-around point guard. Flemings has a similar amount of versatility and well-roundedness, but with more athleticism and scoring firepower.

The hype right now for Flemings is deserved. If he continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, he would be a very intriguing option if the Wizards end up with the No. 4 or No. 5 pick in the draft.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/nba-draft/66708/2026-nba-draft-preview-kingston-flemings

 

[Washington Wizards]

Keefe switches stance on Whitmore benching

During his weekly Wednesday appearance on The Sports Junkies, Washington Wizards coach Brian Keefe lightened his stance of Cam Whitmore’s benching.

“We were looking at different rotations. We hadn’t played well in the games before that. We wanted to try something new,” Keefe said. “[Whitmore] didn’t do anything wrong himself, but he’s learning our system … We wanted to give some other guys a chance.”

Wizards head coach Brian Keefe on why Cam Whitmore didn't play against Atlanta:

We were looking at different rotations. We hadn't played well in the games before that; we wanted to try something new. He didn't do anything wrong himself, but he's learning our system….cont

— Ben Strober (@strobersports) December 10, 2025

Whitmore was the lone Wizard to not play in last Friday’s 131-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The 21-year-old forward was listed as questionable pregame with an illness before being upgraded to available.

Keefe took a different, harsher stance last Friday when asked why Whitmore didn’t play.

“We have certain standards that we have for our team,” Keefe said. “[Whitmore] has to live up to those on the better. And he’ll have a chance here, but that’s gonna be up to him when that time comes.”

Brian Keefe on Friday: Cam Whitmore was benched for not meeting the team’s standards.

Brian Keefe on @JunksRadio this morning: Cam Whitmore didn’t play because “we wanted to try something new. He didn't do anything wrong himself. We wanted to get others involved.”

Interesting.

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) December 10, 2025

Keefe’s answers suggest differing reasons for why Whitmore was benched. Keefe’s response on Friday insinuates he took issue with something regarding Whitmore’s recent performance — Whitmore shot 4-22 FG and was a -38 over the prior two games — while his comments on Wednesday explicitly state Whitmore “didn’t do anything wrong himself.”

It is an interesting change in tone from Keefe, who is trying to establish some sort of culture in Washington despite a 3-19 record this season and a 29-114 overall record as head coach of the Wizards.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...23/keefe-switches-stance-on-whitmore-benching

 

[Washington Wizards]

Will the Wizards be historically bad based on their record?

I get it. This week has been quiet because of the ongoing NBA Cup elimination round games, so the Wizards have been on a de-facto break to get their legs fresh before Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the meantime, Washington is 3-19 so far this season. As Kevin Broom wrote earlier today, the team has no intention of competing for anything more than a high draft pick. Fair enough. But how bad will Washington be in terms of objective numbers? Wins and losses?

The worst NBA team by win percentage was the 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) who went 7-59 in a lockout-shortened season. They won just 10.6 percent of their games. But most NBA seasons are 82 games long. The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers hold that record with a 9-73 record in the regular season and an 11 percent win percentage. They remain the only NBA team to win less than 10 games in a regular season. The Sixers nearly repeated that with a 10-72 campaign in the 2015-16 season during their “Trust the Process” years.

It’s early, but could the Wizards “make a run” for a sub-10 win season? I never thought the Wizards could be … that bad. But at the same time, Kevin’s piece earlier today shows that under the right conditions, it’s certainly possible.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/quality-shots/66740/washington-wizards-historically-bad-possibility

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards vs. Cavaliers preview: Washington hosts Cleveland on Friday night

The Washington Wizards play the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night. Here is the preview:

Game info​

When: Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

Injuries​

Wizards: Sharife Cooper, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Corey Kispert are out. Khris Middleton is day-to-day.

Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen, Tyrese Proctor, Sam Merrill, Max Strus and Larry Nance, Jr. were all out in Cleveland’s last game.

What to watch for​

The Wizards are back in action after nearly a week off. They are on a three-game losing streak, but also won two of their last four games. They will face off against a Cavs team that also hasn’t played since Dec. 6 where they lost 99-94 to the Golden State Warriors. If the Wizards can sneak a win here, that’s because they have fresh legs and the Cavaliers are still in a midseason slumber. We’ll see what happens!

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...-wizards-cleveland-cavaliers-nba-game-preview

 

[Washington Wizards]

Tre Johnson set to return from injury

Washington Wizards rookie Tre Johnson is off the team’s injury report and expected to make his return to the lineup on Friday.

Tre Johnson is not listed on the Wizards’ injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. Cleveland, indicating his return from a hip injury.

Alex Sarr (adductor), Bilal Coulibaly (oblique), Corey Kispert (thumb), and Khris Middleton (knee) are out. Malaki Branham is questionable. pic.twitter.com/u1lsbqC2Z9

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) December 11, 2025

Johnson had missed the team’s last seven games with a right hip flexor strain. The team said he had been dealing with the injury since college and reaggravated it in Washington’s 140-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 21.

The rookie guard is averaging 11.5 points per game on 39.5% 3pt.

Alex Sarr (right adductor strain) will miss his fifth straight game. Bilal Coulibaly (oblique strain), Corey Kispert (thumb fracture) and Khris Middleton (knee soreness) are out for Friday’s game vs. Cleveland. Malaki Branham (thumb sprain) is questionable.

The Wizards face the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. at Capital One Arena.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/washington-wizards-news/66763/tre-johnson-set-to-return-from-injury

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards Give Up 15-Point 4th Quarter Lead, Lose to Cavaliers, 130-124

The Washington Wizards played one of their better games of the season, but it wasn’t quite enough. They dropped to 3-20 with a 130-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Wizards trailed by two at the half, and opened the second with a 24-6. They dominated the period, outscoring the Cavaliers 40-23 and taking a 15-point lead.

Unfortunately for the Wizards, there were still 12 minutes to play. Cleveland outscored Washington 12-2 in the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter, and poured in 45 points in final period to secure the win in the final minutes.

Donovan Mitchell was everything you’d expect of one of the league’s elite players. He dumped 48 on the Wizards, hitting 17-31 from the floor and 8-15 from deep. He scored 24 on just 15 shots in the fourth quarter. With Bilal Coulibaly sidelined, the Wizards had no one to defend Mitchell.

While the Wizards played pretty well for much of the game, it was in many ways a classic #SoWizards loss — and I’m not talking about giving up a double-digit lead to start the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers shot poorly — just 15-53 from three-point range and still had a 126 offensive rating (points scored per possession x 100). That 28.3% three-point shooting was boosted by a couple late makes.

Even with Cleveland firing blanks, the game was a dog fight. That’s because of some of Washington’s usual flaws — they allowed 15 offensive rebounds, had 17 turnovers (10 more than the Cavaliers), and committed 27 fouls that resulted in 36 Cleveland free throw attempts. The Cavs made 33.

The turnover differential was costly. Cleveland scored 26 points off Wizards miscues to Washington’s 13.

The Wizards tried to limit Cleveland’s ability to score inside and had some success in the first half, allowing just 20 points in the paint. Their pack-the-lane strategy contributed to the Cavaliers launching 53 threes. The Cavs had more success inside in the second half and finished the game outscoring Washington inside, 50-36.

Thoughts & Observations​

• This was Bub Carrington’s best glory stats line of the season — 27 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists. His overall performance graded out to an above average 132 PPA. The score was a bit lower than might be expected because he played 42 minutes and his overall efficiency was good but not great. Still, it was one of his better games of the season.
• In close games, the Wizards seem to want CJ McCollum and Middleton to dominate the offense. Middleton was out, so the burden fell on McCollum. I’m unconvinced this is a good strategy for the purpose of securing a win or helping youngsters learn to be good NBA players.
• Jamir Watkins had the best game of his young career — 15 points on 7 field goal attempts, 3-4 from three-point range, 8 rebounds, an assist and 2 blocks.
• Tre Johnson returned to action after missing a couple weeks with a hip injury. He did not play well, but it was good to see him back out there.
• The Wizards were -16 in 15 minutes with Tristan Vukcevic on the floor.
• Cavs big man Nae’Qwan Tomlin took the second half center minutes instead of former Wizards great Thomas Bryant. Tomlin fouled out in just 10 minutes.
• It seems like a trade built around Corey Kispert for Craig Porter Jr. might help both teams.
• The Cavaliers’ fourth quarter offensive rating: 155.
• No action tonight for Cam Whitmore. Interesting.

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 FACTORS	CAVALIERS	WIZARDS	LGAVG
eFG%	50.0%	58.1%	54.5%
OREB%	28.8%	26.7%	26.2%
TOV%	6.8%	15.6%	13.0%
FTM/FGA	0.340	0.302	0.219
PACE	103	100.0
ORTG	126	123	115.8

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.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Bub Carrington	41	89	120	24.1%	0.8	132	7
Jamir Watkins	29	63	166	12.4%	3.9	156	-6
Marvin Bagley III	33	71	136	17.1%	2.5	134	12
CJ McCollum	37	79	121	26.8%	1.0	116	-1
Kyshawn George	26	56	127	19.8%	1.2	95	-2
Will Riley	23	50	140	13.7%	1.7	80	-3
Tristan Vukcevic	15	32	117	39.1%	0.2	86	-16
Justin Champagnie	18	38	101	8.9%	-0.5	42	0
Tre Johnson	17	36	55	18.9%	-4.1	-79	-11

CAVALIERS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Donovan Mitchell	35	75	136	38.3%	5.7	302	9
Evan Mobley	36	78	134	24.3%	3.5	140	0
Craig Porter Jr.	11	23	177	18.9%	2.7	421	6
Jaylon Tyson	31	66	189	10.8%	5.2	126	-10
Lonzo Ball	24	52	102	11.5%	-0.8	117	26
Darius Garland	35	76	98	24.8%	-3.3	50	-5
De’Andre Hunter	27	58	105	20.8%	-1.3	53	-17
Dean Wade	23	49	125	6.3%	0.3	60	11
Thomas Bryant	8	16	106	12.0%	-0.2	31	3
Nae’Qwan Tomlin	10	22	62	9.0%	-1.0	-125	-3

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...nt-4th-quarter-lead-lose-to-cavaliers-130-124

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards at Pacers preview: Washington goes on the road for Sunday matinee

The Washington Wizards play the Indiana Pacers tomorrow afternoon. Here is the preview:

Game info​

When: Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network

Injuries​

Wizards: Sharife Cooper, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Corey Kispert are out. Khris Middleton is day-to-day.

Pacers: Ben Sheppard, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin and Tyrese Haliburton are out.

What to watch for​

The Wizards should have won yesterday. But sometimes, “So Wizards” happens, right?

Indiana is coming off a 115-105 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, falling to 6-19. The Wizards played the Pacers just over two weeks ago and lost 119-86 on Nov. 28. Maybe things will change next time since Indy is struggling after losing Tyrese Haliburton for the year.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ngton-wizards-indiana-pacers-nba-game-preview

 

[Washington Wizards]

WNBA expansion draft expected to allow teams to protect five players

There is no set date for the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft when the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire start filling their rosters. Last year, teams were allowed to protect six players from the Golden State Valkyries. But Kevin Pelton of ESPN wrote earlier this week that WNBA teams are expected to protect only five players when the next expansion draft comes out.

Many WNBA players are expected to change teams in free agency as salaries are likely to increase, possibly by multiple times. In effect, that means that the league is set for a major realignment where every team is theoretically rebuilding.

Earlier this month, we had a post on which six players the Washington Mystics would protect in an expansion draft, assuming last year’s rules. If only five players can be protected, who would Washington protect?

Pelton predicts that Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, Shakira Austin and Jacy Sheldon would be protected given a five player limit. I agree with him on the first four players because Citron, Iriafen, Amoore and Austin represent the young core that Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Mystics General Manager Jamila Wideman are keen on developing. However, I’m not convinced that Sheldon would be protected. Pelton noted that Emily Engstler could also be a protected player. I’d still lean toward protecting Sug Sutton.

Let us know your thoughts below.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/myst...pected-to-allow-teams-to-protect-five-players

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards at Pacers gamethread

The Washington Wizards play the Indiana Pacers at 3 p.m. tonight. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network. Enjoy the game!

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/washington-wizards-gamethreads/66787/wizards-at-pacers-gamethread

 

[Washington Wizards]

The Wizards Defend, Rebound, and Win

The Wizards went to Indiana with a defensive plan — pack the paint, double and triple Pascal Siakam every time he tried to attack, and dare the Pacers to shoot. And it worked! Washington outscored the Pacers in the paint, 50-38.

The Wizards led by 11 at the half, 15 at the end of three, and 19 at the end of the game. It was Washington’s fourth win in 24 games.

It was a physical, chippy contest and for once, the Wizards won on the boards overall (56-41), and on the offensive glass (17-11).

The Wizards did not shoot well in this one, but the Pacers couldn’t hit anything — 25.6% from three-point range and an effective field goal percentage of just 42.9%. Indiana has been awful this season with Tyrese Haliburton out with the Achilles tear, Myles Turner playing for Milwaukee, and much of the roster either injured or working their way back from injury.

This was the Pacers’ sixth worst shooting night of the season, and the best defensive performance by the Wizards this season. Their previous best defensive eFG% 46.9% in a Nov. 10 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Looping back to my lead paragraph, what impressed me last night was Washington’s execution of their defensive game plan. They sagged in the lane — on many possessions, all five defenders had a foot in the paint — showed up in driving lanes, and then did an admirable job of sprinting at shooters and rotating when the Pacers drove a closeout. It was a good plan that was well executed.

While the forgoing is 100% true, it’s also good to keep in mind this particular plan may not work quite as well with better shooting opponents. Indiana this season ranks 29th in three-point shooting. If you’re going to dare someone to shoot, it’d be this squad. Still, good plan, good execution is an exciting development for this group.

And by the way, Siakam — the primary target of Washington’s defense — had just 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. He shot 4-12 from the floor and got just three free throws.

Thoughts & Observations​

• A few days ago, I suggested the Wizards de-emphasize playing fast. Last night, was their slowest-paced game of the season — just 91 possessions. It was also their best defensive game of the year.
• It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the Wizards did a better job on the boards on a night they gave major minutes (finally!) to Justin Champagnie (3 offensive and 11 defensive boards), and Marvin Bagley III (9 offensive rebounds! and 5 defensive rebounds).
• Washington’s offense was efficient (119 offensive rating — points scored per possession x 100) because of offensive rebounding and limiting turnovers.
• While their 19 assists tied for their third lowest total of the season, it was good to see Kyshawn George with 9 and Bub Carrington with 5.
• Tre Johnson can shoot! He hit 3-4 from three, including one on-the-move fading shot that made me think of Reggie Miller.
• Bagley was impressive — 23 points on 14 shots, 14 rebounds, solid defense with lots of communication. He’s bounced around a bit, but he has talent.
• Justin Champagnie is feasting on the extended playing time. To me, it’s a no-brainer — even when the team is fully healthy, he should be a fixture in the starting lineup until he either demonstrates he shouldn’t be there, or someone can win the job from him.

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 FACTORS	WIZARDS	PACERS	LGAVG
eFG%	51.7%	42.9%	54.5%
OREB%	36.2%	22.0%	26.2%
TOV%	12.1%	8.8%	13.0%
FTM/FGA	0.180	0.202	0.219
PACE	91	100.0
ORTG	119	98	115.9

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.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Marvin Bagley III	32	61	138	29.8%	4.0	233	11
Justin Champagnie	33	62	120	15.5%	0.4	175	23
Tre Johnson	16	30	193	22.1%	5.1	366	9
Bub Carrington	36	69	111	15.3%	-0.5	89	12
CJ McCollum	34	65	109	21.8%	-0.9	84	10
Kyshawn George	36	68	98	20.9%	-2.6	56	13
Will Riley	23	43	133	18.9%	1.4	77	14
Jamir Watkins	15	27	114	6.8%	0.0	-38	-5
Tristan Vukcevic	16	30	64	26.2%	-4.2	-140	8

PACERS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Jay Huff	25	47	138	14.8%	1.5	177	-21
Isaiah Jackson	23	44	117	21.0%	0.1	161	2
Garrison Mathews	19	35	145	15.1%	1.5	120	7
Bennedict Mathurin	32	60	121	20.8%	0.6	52	-21
Johnny Furphy	13	26	123	13.7%	0.2	96	-5
Pascal Siakam	29	54	92	24.0%	-3.1	42	-12
Jarace Walker	22	42	83	27.0%	-3.7	34	0
T.J. McConnell	15	29	70	29.3%	-4.0	2	-1
Andrew Nembhard	30	57	78	22.7%	-5.0	-14	-26
Ethan Thompson	24	45	71	10.0%	-2.0	-39	-15
Quenton Jackson	8	15	31	21.3%	-2.7	-155	-3

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...ysis/66800/the-wizards-defend-rebound-and-win

 

[Washington Wizards]

The WNBA players are asking for double the revenue sharing the league is willing to give, according to report

WNBA Collective Bargaining Negotiations are ongoing, with the league now willing to enter into a revenue sharing model with the WNBPA players’ union, but only about 15 percent. It was unclear exactly how much revenue the players wanted. But a report by Ben Pickman of The Athletic indicated that players wanted at least 30 percent of revenue. Therefore, the players want double the revenue that the owners are willing to give based on the most recent reports.

I have not been in the mindset that the league was destined for a work stoppage. The players were going to get a big pay raise, and they are getting it — one way or another. Interestingly, the players are willing to take 30 percent of the revenue, which means the league is still getting the clear majority. However, also keep in mind that WNBA player salaries have historically been pegged to set pay increases instead of tied to the overall revenue.

I’m not an expert on what exact expenses will make a WNBA team profitable or not from an accounting lens. There are a number of different ways to do it. For example, the Washington Mystics are part of Monumental Basketball so they share facilities with the Washington Wizards by design and they share the same boss. An independent group owns other teams like the Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces.

What do you think are fair salaries and/or revenue sharing models for WNBA players? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/myst...ning-agreement-update-revenue-sharing-dispute

 

[Washington Wizards]

2026 NBA Draft Preview – Late first round options

The biggest 2026 NBA Draft storyline for the Washington Wizards has understandably been about who they will take with their own first round pick. The Wizards currently have the worst record in the NBA and are on track to have a 14% chance at the first overall pick and a 40.1% chance at getting a top-three pick.

But, the Wizards have another first round pick. Last February, they acquired the least favorable first round selection of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets from the Philadelphia 76ers, along with Reggie Jackson in exchange for Jared Butler and four second round picks. With the Thunder once again on track to have the best record in the NBA, it looks like it will end up coming at the end of the first round.

Every year, there are always a few gems available where it looks like the Wizards will be picking. From the 2025 Draft, Danny Wolf, the No. 27 pick, has been looking great after being called up from the G-League for the Brooklyn Nets. Hugo Gonzalez, the No. 28 pick, has been playing meaningful minutes for the fourth-place Boston Celtics. Sion James, the No. 33 pick, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, the No. 34 pick, have both been starting for the Charlotte Hornets.

Here a few of my favorite under-the-radar players the Wizards could be targeting with that likely late first round selection:

Dash Daniels, 6’5” Guard from Australia​

Dash Daniels has a lot of similarities to his brother, 2025 Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Teamer, Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels. Like Dyson, Dash has great position size, should be able to play the two or the three in the NBA and is already showing signs of being an elite defender. Playing a limited role for second-place Melbourne United in Australia’s NBL as a part of the Next Stars program that has produced players like Alex Sarr, Josh Giddey and Lamelo Ball, Daniels is averaging 5.8 points and shooting a promising 36.0% from three, albeit on relatively low volume. During an NBA preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Daniels played 27 minutes and had 11 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Daniels will turn 18 on Thursday. He projects to be one of the youngest players in the 2026 NBA Draft. Most mock drafts have him as a late first round/early second round pick. A player at his age with legitimate professional experience and elite three-and-D potential would be perfect for a Wizards team looking to transition out of a rebuild. His offensive game is still raw, but no player in this range is without flaws. Daniels would be a very solid selection.

17-year-old Dash Daniels vs the Pelicans pic.twitter.com/1eNiy6KZKC

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) October 3, 2025

Tahaad Pettiford, 6’1” Sophomore Guard from Auburn​

Many were surprised when Tahaad Pettiford withdrew from last year’s NBA Draft after attending the combine. Last year as Auburn’s sixth man, Pettiford averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 36.6% from three. This season, in a much larger, starting role, his scoring numbers have gone up, but his efficiency has gone down. As Auburn’s starting point guard, Pettiford is averaging 16.1 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 38.7% from the field and 32.9% from three.

At 6’1”, 170 pounds, Pettiford just does not have the physical tools necessary to defend at a high level in the NBA. But, that does not mean he can not be an effective player. Despite his size, the left-handed Pettiford has shown no issues in creating his own shot and scoring at will against SEC defenses. He could thrive as a microwave scorer off the bench, the same role he had last season for Auburn. Some easy NBA comparisons for Pettiford include Lou Williams, Payton Pritchard, Jeff Teague and Brandon Jennings.

Tahaad Pettiford TOOK OVER against St. John's

Pettiford finished with a career-high 27 points in a huge bounce back win for Auburn pic.twitter.com/0cn6cFRVHi

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 27, 2025

Magoon Gwath, 7’0” Sophomore Forward from San Diego State​

Magoon Gwath earned a bit of NBA draft buzz after a standout freshman season with San Diego State last year where he averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and a Mountain West-leading 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 37.8% from three. He was also Mountain West freshman of the Year and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. Gwath underwent offseason knee surgery and missed the first two games of the season, and has looked a bit inconsistent this season in his return but has still shown some very promising flashes.

Most mock drafts I have found do not feature Gwath. I am definitely higher on him than most. When I watch him, I see a little bit of Chet Holmgren (this may be a stretch, I know). At San Diego State, Gwath primarily plays alongside another big and has become an elite weak-side shot blocker, similarly to how Holmgren operates with the Thunder next to Isaiah Hartenstein. He would fit perfectly in that role on the Wizards alongside Alex Sarr, and the two of them would form a truly elite defensive pairing. Yes, Gwath is raw. Yes, Gwath needs to put on more strength. Yes, there is a chance he ends up like Bol Bol and is out of the league in a few years. But, at just 20 years old, Gwath still has a lot of time to develop and his combination of shot blocking and three point shooting can not be ignored. The Wizards timeline gives them the ability to take risks on high-upside players, and there are few with as much upside as Gwath.

Magoon Gwath, San Diego St 7-0 C, 20 y/o
-No other NCAA player on record with 14.5% BLK and 17 3PTM in a season
-Optimizes every inch of height/length defensively protecting rim and guarding post. Low foul rate
-Intriguing catch-shoot stroke, 17-45 3PT (38%)
-Post option when… pic.twitter.com/PLt7GuYVkH

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) October 3, 2025

K.J. Lewis, 6’4” Junior Guard from Georgetown​

Local college basketball fans should be very aware of K.J. Lewis, the Arizona transfer who has been the best player on a surprisingly competitive Georgetown team. After playing mostly as a reserve for his first two collegiate seasons with Arizona, Lewis has shown that he can handle a much larger role. An elite defender and rebounder at the guard position, Lewis is averaging 15.6 points, 3.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game for the Hoyas. The biggest knock on Lewis is his shooting. While he has improved, this season he is shooting 30.0% from three on 3.0 attempts per game, a bit lower than most pro-ready two guards.

If Lewis is able to improve his shooting numbers, he should be able to turn himself into a legitimate first round prospect. But if not, he could still be worth a shot late in the first round or early in the second. His defensive and rebounding instincts can not be taught and should translate seamlessly to the NBA. Georgetown is a fun team, and could make a run in a relatively weak Big East this season. It would be well worth a visit to Capital One Arena to see Lewis and the Hoyas.

KJ Lewis looked awesome against UNC until Georgetown got ran off the floor. His defense remains his elite skill but he's also such a fun slasher, connective passer, and rebounder. Shot still needs work but every time I think I'm out, he pulls me back in. pic.twitter.com/n3zXr6nfUm

— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) December 9, 2025

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/nba-draft/66816/2026-nba-draft-preview-late-first-round-options

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards at Pacers final score: Washington blows out Indiana in 108-89 win

The Washington Wizards won against the Indiana Pacers, 108-89, on Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Washington improves to 4-20, while Indiana falls to 6-20.

The Wizards nor the Pacers shot particularly well in this game. However, the Pacers shot just 36.9 percent from the field, and 25.6 percent from three while the Wizards host 46.1 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three. Washington also outrebounded Indiana, 56-41 in the contest.

Marvin Bagley III led the Wizards with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Justin Chmpagnie added 13 points and 14 rebounds of his own. Kyshawn George had a near double with 9 points and 9 assists.

For the Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin led with 15 points.

The Wizards’ next game is on Thursday when they host the San Antonio Spurs. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...hington-wizards-indiana-pacers-nba-game-recap

 

[Washington Wizards]

Should NBA players be allowed to play in other professional leagues?

The last month and a half has been interesting if you are into professional labor contract negotiations. The WNBA and the WNBPA players’ union are negotiating their upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement. The WNBA has agreed to give the players a clear revenue split, though both sides remain far apart.

But there are still other things that WNBA players get to do that NBA players can’t (or don’t). Some of you have noted that WNBA players may be overplaying their hands with these negotiations because of the uncertainty of future revenue increases. However, many WNBA players, including superstars, play in other leagues during the winter. Some players are on European, Australian or Chinese teams. Others are in American-based leagues where the players also have an ownership interest. NBA players, on the other hand, play exclusively to the NBA. The WNBA is looking to have players be exclusive to the league as well.

So, I have an open question for you all. Should NBA players be allowed to play for other leagues (NOT international teams) in the summer offseason, including those in which they have an ownership interest? I don’t expect to see NBA players in European leagues, but I could see players in a 3X3 startup, among other things. NBA players are also often in pro-am leagues. Still, let me know your thoughts on this one.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/comm...allowed-to-play-in-other-professional-leagues

 

[Washington Wizards]

Wizards at Spurs preview: Washington takes on Wemby in San Antonio

The Washington Wizards face off against a dark-horse Western Conference contender on Thursday night when they pay a visit to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

Game info​

When: Thursday, Dec. 18th at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Frost Bank Center, Houston, Texas

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Corey Kispert (thumb) and Khris Middleton (knee) are out, while Malaki Branham (thumb) is questionable. Bilal Coulibaly (oblique) and Alex Sarr (thigh) are both set to return.

The Spurs have a clean bill of health.

What to watch for​

Washington has a chance to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, following its 108-89 victory Sunday over the Indiana Pacers. But doing so would be a tall task against one of the hottest teams in the league. After slowly fending off the injury bug, San Antonio has gone 10-3 over their last 13 games.

The Wizards take on the Spurs at an interesting time, with San Antonio coming fresh off its NBA Cup title game loss to the New York Knicks.

The status of Victor Wembanyama, however, remains unclear. The French phenom was in tears following Tuesday’s NBA Cup final with the news that his grandmother had passed away earlier in the day. There’s no word yet on whether Wemby would need some time off for personal reasons.

Both of his countrymen, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, are set to return after missing multiple weeks of action.

Source: https://www.bulletsforever.com/wash...view-washington-takes-on-wemby-in-san-antonio