Washington’s third week of NBA action is complete. Across four games, the Wizards finished with a disgraceful 0–4 record, bringing their total across the season to 2–9. Washington is off to one of its worst starts in history, giving up an average of 123.2 points per game, the third worst in the league. Here’s what happened this week in Wizards basketball:

Hornets

Washington started the week off on Nov. 10 by facing the Charlotte Hornets (3–7) for the second time this season. The game marked the Wizards’ second in-season tournament and their first at home. Washington commanded most of the game — shooting over 54.7% from the field through the first three quarters compared to the 42.5% shooting percentage of the Hornets — which allowed the team to lead 97-88 going into the fourth quarter.  After having a 93.2 percent chance of victory with seven minutes and 23 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN, Washington capitulated and lost 124–117. 

The Wizards’ embarrassing loss came from their lack of rebounding, which prevented them from gaining possession in key moments of the game. The Hornets out-rebounded Washington 67 to 36, along with 32 second-chance points. Washington also lacked offensive support from their stars as Kyle Kuzma put up a season-low of 17 points while shooting 7–17 from the field.

Nets

Washington’s next contest on the road was on Nov. 12 against the Brooklyn Nets (6–5). Washington again fell behind in terms of rebounds 66-42 en route to their 102–94 loss. The Wizards gave up many second-chance points throughout the game, giving up 21 to the Nets’ seven. Unlike the Wizards’ previous game, their opposition dominated the game, leading by 17 towards the end of the second half. It wasn’t all bad for Washington, as rookie guard Bilal Coulibaly had the best game of his young career. Coulibaly put up 20 points on 8/12 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Raptors

The Wizards’ second game of their road trip was on Nov. 13 against the Toronto Raptors (5–6). Washington lost 111-107 in an embarrassing fashion, mimicking the weak opener against the Hornets. This time, Washington would give up a 21–1 run to the Raptors, allowing them to complete a 23-point fourth-quarter comeback. With just one minute and seven seconds left in the game, the Wizards had an 84.9% chance of winning, and for the second time across the week, Washington blew another lead. 

The Wizards were unable to capitalize on the Raptors’ poor three-point shooting numbers, shooting just 20% from the arc throughout the contest. In addition, the Wizards defense allowed Pascal Siakam to record a double-double with 39 points and 11 rebounds. Kuzma arguably had his best game of the season, putting up 34 points on 14/25 shooting. 

Mavericks

The Wizards’ final game of week four was on Nov. 15 against the Dallas Mavericks (9–3), where they found themselves outmatched. The Wizards gave up 130 points and only managed to put up 117. Washington had their last lead in the first quarter with nine minutes and 48 seconds remaining, proving they lost control early and could not catch up to the Mavs.

Washington again failed to take advantage of their opponent’s flaws, as the Mavs only shot 58.6% from the free-throw line. Dallas’ top scorers in the blowout were guards Luka Doncic and Tim Hardway Jr, with 26 and 31 points respectively. Kuzma again led the scoring for Washington with 22 points on a mediocre 6/18 from the field.

Week Four Preview

The fourth week of Wizards basketball begins with the third in-season tournament game as Washington takes on the New York Knicks for the first time this season in D.C. New York boasts the statistically best defense in the NBA with 105.2 points per game average, the league-lowest. Following that, Washington’s next contest is against the Eastern Conference powerhouse Milwaukee Bucks, who have played below expectations and currently sit in 4th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Wizards will wrap up their fourth week with a road contest again against the Hornets, marking the third time they have faced off this season. The Wizards have a tough week ahead of them, hindering their chances of improving their poor 2–9 record.