Everybody knew where the ball was going. The fans stood on the edge of their seats, staring at the low post. You could see Washington’s defenders inching towards the paint, awaiting the inevitable. And yet, there was no answer.
The Wizards earned a place on the wrong side of history Tuesday night, as Bam Adebayo delivered the second-highest scoring game in NBA history against them.
Adebayo finished with a startling 83 points, breaking Kobe Bryant’s previous record.
Adebayo’s performance will get most of the attention, a tremendous feat. But the accomplishment draws more attention to the Wizards’ greatest flaw this season: their interior defense.
Washington ranks 27th in the league in points in the paint allowed, giving up a whopping 53.7 per game. It’s an issue that continues to haunt them, and one they must figure out as they work towards contention next season.
In order to find a path to relevancy, the Wizards must navigate their defensive woes.
Alex Sarr must be better as an on-ball defender
Looking at the box score, you would think it was a fantastic night for Alex Sarr. The big man finished with 28 points on 12-19 shooting from the floor, a spectacular night on offense.
However, the other end of the floor was more of a challenge for the young star in his second game back from injury. Adebayo attacked him often, utilizing his bigger frame to post up Sarr when given the opportunity.
Sarr’s thin figure and lack of defensive instincts have been a problem for Washington all season, despite his improvements on offense this season.
The player ranks in the 7th percentile in Defensive Daily Plus-Minus per NBA stat website DataballR, due to his tendencies to foul at a high rate, and struggle to rebound.
Sarr would likely be better off playing alongside a more stout defensive big man, one who could help against players with Adebayo’s size. But the player’s inconsistent offensive skillset limits who can share the floor with him.
These concerns are part of the reason why the Wizards traded for Anthony Davis. The former all-star gives them a big with ability to protect the rim, and provides a scoring boost.
Davis carries his fair share of concerns as well though, given his complex injury history. Washington will need Sarr to continue to put on bulk, in order to grow into a stronger defensive player in 2026.
The fouls are adding up for Washington
Sarr wasn’t the only defensive issue that led to Adebayo’s big night. The Heat player shot 43 free throws over the course of Tuesday’s game, the NBA Record for most in a game.
A large part of Adebayo’s ability to get to the line was Washington’s undisciplined physicality on defense. The star was often double or triple-teamed late in the game by the Wizards guards, and found ways to maneuver his way into free throw opportunities.
This isn’t just a one-night occurrence for Washington. The team ranks 27th in free throw rate allowed, giving up big nights at the line pretty consistently.
Washington’s young players must improve their ability to trap without fouling, even on ultra-physical scorers like Adebayo. The aggressiveness of rising stars like Will Riley and Tre Johnson is encouraging, but must be applied more diligently.
The Wizards will face multiple other key stars over the next few games, from the Pistons’ Jalen Duren, to the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren. It’ll be a great opportunity for Washington to get more live reps against talented big men, learning how to be physical against them without fouling.
Adebayo’s performance may end up a blessing in disguise
While Washington’s performance was one they’d probably like to forget, it may end up being beneficial for the team.
With the Brooklyn Nets winning last night, and the Wizards losing tonight, the team now surges ahead of the Nets in the NBA draft picture by half of a game.
Even in the midst of one of the more shameful moments in Wizards history, the future remains bright, as long as they can improve on the defensive side.