Anthony Davis didn’t sugarcoat what’s gone wrong for Washington during this four-game skid. After the Wizards fell 122-111 to Detroit on Monday, the veteran defender pointed straight at the full menu of problems that have dragged the team down.
When asked what was wrong with Washington’s defense, Davis was blunt.
“Everything,” he said. “We’re not rebounding.
We’re giving up open 3s. We’re fouling.
We’re not guarding the ball. So, it’s everything.
Transition. It’s everything right now.”
That kind of answer fits what the Wizards have been showing on the floor. Against the Pistons, Washington gave up 28 free throws and allowed five different Detroit players to score at least 12 points. It was another rough night in a stretch that has seen the Wizards lose four straight and slide down the Eastern Conference standings.
The early-season shine is fading fast. Washington opened with optimism, but the defense that looked sharp through the first seven games has slipped badly.
The Wizards had the eighth-best defensive rating in the league over that opening stretch. Since then, the numbers have drifted toward the middle of the pack, with Washington allowing 113.9 points per 100 possessions, which ranks 16th in the NBA.
The recent losses have all followed a similar script. Washington has given up at least 114 points in each of the four defeats, while the Hawks, Thunder and Pistons have all taken advantage of the breakdowns. Those opponents have shot 48.4 percent from the field during the skid and have averaged more than 13 rebounds per game.
The offense has not helped matters either. Washington’s attack has been one of the league’s worst so far, sitting with the third-worst offensive rating in the NBA. But if the Wizards were going to lean on defense as their identity, Davis’ side of the floor has not come close to holding up its end.
In Other News...
Pistons May Have Found A Needed Answer While Jalen Duren Sits
With Jalen Duren sidelined, the Pistons turned to a different look against the Wizards and got exactly the kind of response they needed. John Collins drew the start at center for the first time this season, and the move came after Detroit had dropped two straight, so there was a little more urgency behind the decision than a simple lineup tweak.
Collins rewarded the coaching staff with a strong all-around showing, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a dominant win. The performance gives Detroit a potentially useful short-term answer in the middle while Duren is out, and it leaves the Pistons with something to consider if they want to keep that look going. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Found A New Spark That Could Become A Serious Problem
JB Bickerstaffs latest lineup tweak gave the Pistons a different look and, for a night, a needed jolt. By moving Daniss Jenkins into the starting group and sending Paul Reed to the bench, with John Collins sliding in at center, Detroit played with more pace and found enough offense to come away with a win. It was the kind of adjustment that can change the feel of a game quickly, especially for a team still trying to sort out what its best version looks like.
The tradeoff, though, was obvious once the ball started going the other way. The smaller setup left Detroit exposed inside, and Anthony Davis took full advantage, piling up 44 points while controlling the glass. For the Pistons, the question now is whether the boost in tempo is worth the defensive risk, because the new look may have created a spark even as it opened the door to a problem that could linger. [Read more 🡒]
Ebuka Okorie Is Giving Pistons Fans A Real Rotation Debate
Ebuka Okorie did not need long to make a case for himself against the Wizards. In just under six minutes, the rookie scored five points and flashed the kind of touch that can catch a coachs eye, finishing through contact on an and-one layup and adding a floater that hinted at more than emergency minutes down the road. For a Pistons team always weighing development against immediate stability, those brief stretches can matter more than the box score suggests.
The problem for Okorie is that the path to a real role is crowded, with Daniss Jenkins holding the backup point guard spot and limiting the rookies chances to get consistent run. Detroit seems content to use Okorie in blowout situations for now, giving him experience without forcing the issue in tighter games. Still, every small burst like this keeps the conversation alive about whether the Pistons should find a larger place for him sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]