The Washington Wizards are a confusing team to figure out this season.
On Saturday, they survived a thriller against the Denver Nuggets, where Nikola Jokic scored a career-high 56 points. On Sunday, they lost to an injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies team, where Ja Morant and Desmond Bane sat out. Jordan Poole scored 39 points, connected on a career-high nine three-pointers and even showed off a new celebration to the fans.
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Unfortunately, against Memphis, he only scored nine points. If this team is going to take some steps forward, it must find a way to build consistency and make winning basketball plays.
Here are some positive takeaways from the last two games.
Justin Champagnie
Over the last two, Champagnie started both games, the first time he started in two straight in his NBA career.
He averaged 18.5 points over those games, scoring a career-high 23 points against Denver. He also averaged eight rebounds (3.5 offensive) and shot 50% from behind the arc. A small forward who crashed the boards is crucial in building a winning culture for the Wiz.
When asked after the Grizzlies’ game, Coach Brian Keefe talked about Champagnie’s play over the last two games. Champagnie is only 23 years old and still growing as a player. He can grow with this young team and become a foundational rotation piece.
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Bilal Coulibaly
Coulibaly broke out of his shooting slump after not scoring double-digits since Nov. 24. He talked about his play following the Grizzlies’ game.
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He looked more aggressive and confident on offense, which he showed earlier in the season. His development is vital for this team on both ends of the basketball court. He brings a unique two-way skill to this young team where he can defend the opposing team’s best player and get a bucket on the other end. He must keep up his aggressive play on both sides.
Marvin Bagley III
Bagley has been in and out of the Wizards’ lineup for most of the season.
Against the Dallas Mavericks, he scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 24 minutes. Against Denver, he played 15 minutes but didn’t score. But against Memphis, he notched 24 minutes again and produced, scoring a season-high 20 points, grabbing seven boards and blocking three shots.
The uncertainty of not knowing if you will play is difficult for a player to adjust to, but Bagley explained his mentality about staying ready when his number is called.
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Wizards Avoid Franchise Record for a Losing Streak
Before beating the Nuggets, Washington lost 16 straight. The last time they had a streak that long was last season (2023-24) and the 2009-10 seasons. But the last time the team lost that many games in a row, they landed a top pick in the next draft:
So if the plan is to tank for a top pick, the team is on the right path. There is a lot of debate about who will be the top picks, but this upcoming draft can be a game-changer for a Wizards team desperately looking for young stars.
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