The Washington Wizards were comprehensively defeated by the Portland Trail Blazers, falling to a 34-point loss after trailing by as many as 39.
The game remained relatively close into the second quarter, but the Wizards never truly looked competitive. Portland capitalised on open looks, extending their lead significantly.
Three-Point Struggles for Washington
The Wizards struggled from beyond the arc. At one point in the second quarter, Washington had only made one of their first nine three-point attempts, while Portland had missed their first ten. The Wizards ended up shooting 4-13 (30.7%) from three-point range for the remainder of the game, while the Trail Blazers shot 12-26 (46.2%).
‘Tank Towers’ Unable to Contain Portland
The Wizards started JuJu Reese and Tristan Vukcevic, but the lineup struggled against Portland’s size and athleticism. Washington also struggled to contain opposing ball handlers.
Defensive rotations were missed, and there was over-helping and ball-watching. The team also faces talent deficits, even when at full strength.
Individual Performances in a Difficult Game
It was a difficult game for almost everyone on the Wizards’ roster. Will Riley was perhaps the closest to playing well, but was only okay.
Leaky Black had what was probably his best game as a pro, with eight rebounds in 22 minutes, but his defense was not impressive.
Looking Ahead
The Wizards face the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night and then return home to play the Philadelphia 76ers later in the week. There are only eight games remaining in the season.