Root FOR: Jordan Poole playmaking
Since reclaiming a role in the Wizards starting lineup in March, Jordan Poole has been given the keys to the offense and has not backed down from the challenge. The 24-year-old guard has seen a major uptick in efficiency as a scorer but has also shown his stripes as someone willing to set the table for others.
In Poole's first 64 games of the season, including during Wes Unseld Jr.'s tenure and his time coming off the bench under interim coach Brian Keefe, the Wizards guard averaged just 3.8 assists per game. Since rejoining the starting five as the team's premier point guard, Poole has averaged 6.8 assists per game, tying his career high in assists in a win over the Toronto Raptors and then breaking that record with 13 assists roughly a week later.
Root AGAINST: Losing a 64th game
On Friday, the Wizards dropped a game to the Portland Trail Blazers by a score of 108-102, their 63rd loss of the year. The total tied the franchise's record for most losses in a single season, joining the 2000-01 and 2008-09 teams among the worst Wizards teams in history.
Unlike the teams before them, the 2023-24 Wizards reached 63 losses before the season's final game, meaning they will have to win out to stave off breaking the record. With games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics lined up for this team, a 64th loss seems almost inevitable. Washington will aim for the upset to avoid making the wrong kind of history.