No sugarcoating: this is the worst game the Washington Wizards have played in years. Forget the Bam Adebayo 83-point game; forget the countless blowouts last season; this loss triumphs them all. The Wizards went to Oklahoma City to face a heavily injured Thunder team, where the game should have been competitive.
Instead, the majority of the team looked lifeless, letting the injury-riddled Thunder do whatever they wanted. Still, some players showed out and had a good game, but that doesn’t matter when you get blown out like this on the road. Here are the studs and duds from what can go down as the worst loss of the season already.
Dud: Tre Johnson
After a bounce-back game against the Atlanta Hawks, Tre Johnson once again disappeared. He finished with only four points while missing 13 of his 15 shots in the loss.
As mentioned many times already, if Johnson cannot score, what will make him stand out on the court? He desperately needs to improve his defense and playmaking so he can still make an impact on these off-shooting nights. We will see if he can do that in the future.
Stud: Alex Sarr
Alex Sarr was one of the few players ready to go from the jump. Sarr ended his night with 15 points and 14 rebounds, although the three-pointer was not there.
What was most impressive about Sarr, though, was the tenacity on the boards. He was being physical on the defensive glass, boxing out his man every time a shot went up. It just comes down to his teammates helping grab the boards, since Sarr cannot do it all himself down low.
Dud: Trae Young
This was an emotional week for Trae Young, returning to Atlanta, then going back home to Oklahoma. He didn’t show up in either game, especially in this loss.
The max-contract point guard put up four points, three assists, and some bad shooting splits. This was the worst week of the season for Young, as even his facilitating was missing for the squad. Fans have to hope this isn’t a recurring issue and that it’s just a brief slump.
Stud: Bub Carrington
Despite what some fans may think, Bub Carrington has been one of the Wizards’ best and most consistent players this season. He ended his performance with nine points, perfect from distance, and six boards.
The only area Carrington needs to improve is his facilitation. The team still needs a good backup point guard, and Carrington is poised to take the position. He looks poised to secure that role and a long-term future in the DMV.
Dud: Deandre Ayton
Now and then, you know you are getting these kinds of games from Ayton, and he ended up being unplayable. Ayton only finished with two points and one board.
Ayton did not play the entire second half either. Overall, the worst possible game he could have had. In the future, he needs to be better, or it puts the Wizards in a bind at center when injuries occur.
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