The One Good Thing Going Right for the Wizards

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WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 25: Corey Kispert #24 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena on November 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

With a 7-24 record, the Washington Wizards have the second-worst record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, and would be stone cold last were it not for the freefalling Indiana Pacers. Their record is also the second-worst in the entire NBA, and although they have the second-youngest team in the league and are very deliberately planning for the future rather than the “now”, the “now” is perhaps a little bit too bad. Especially defensively.

On the unglamorous end of the floor, the Wizards are the worst team in the league. Their defensive rating – that is to say, how many points they give up per 100 possessions – stands at a league-worst 121.9, as-near-as-is 17 points behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in first place, and with only the Utah Jazz (121.3) anywhere close to them. The Wizards do quite a lot wrong on the defensive end, sporting the worst defensive rebounding percentage in the league and forcing the fewest opponent turnovers, while also giving up an endless amount of wide-open three-pointers through poor defensive rotations and lazy closeouts.

There is, however, one area they are good at. It is not much, but the stats at NBA.com show that despite their poor overall defensive construction, the Wizards do in fact lead the league in one thing – defending isolation possessions.

Wizards Guard The Guards Well…

NBA.com’s detailed tracking statistics show that although the Wizards face 7.4 isolation possessions per game – an entirely average amount – they defend them better than anyone else does. They yield only a 0.72 points per possession average on those plays, a full 0.07 more than the Phoenix Suns in second place – and fully 0.4 ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, whose 1.12 PPP defensive average ranks last in the league.

Although the inability to force turnovers that plagues their overall defensive scheme still applies here, Washington nevertheless gives up only 29.7% shooting in this isolations, by far the best mark in the league. The NBA as a whole has gone away from isolation possessions – especially when compared to itself at the start of the 21st century and the Steve Francis/Stephon Marbury era – precisely because of their fundamental inefficiency. But when playing against the Wizards, it seems isolation possessions are particularly inefficient.

This speaks to the fact that, despite their deficiencies, the Wizards do have some good defensive personnel. There is however a lot to improve on in order for that personnel to be effective.

…But That Is About It

In the paint, an improved Alex Sarr protects the rim, and on the perimeter, a much-improved Kyshawn George does his best to cover the ground opened up by all the lost shooters. Bilal Coulibaly has disruptive length and the right instincts, while Justin Champagnie can defend two through four while holding his own if caught on a switch.

The backcourt, though, is leaky, and despite being able to stay in front for individual possessions, the overall rotations in the pick-and-roll scheme are poor. Poor transition defense – not helped by poor offense going the other way that leads to so many live ball turnovers – exacerbates the problem, and as the losses pile up, the risk becomes that heads will start to drop. This is supposed to be a season of development; losses need to be productive.

It is not all doom and gloom though. In this one particular sphere, in defending against an increasingly outmoded style of basketball that mathematics has long since discouraged anyway, the Wizards are considerably better than the Thunder. Strike up the band.

Mark Deeks I am continuously intrigued by the esoterica and minutiae of all the aspects of building a basketball team. I want to understand how to build the best basketball teams possible. No, I don’t know why, either. More about Mark Deeks