Blazers Let One Slip in D.C. as Wizards Snap Losing Streak
The Portland Trail Blazers had a golden opportunity to stop the bleeding Tuesday night in Washington. Instead, they let a winnable game get away, falling 115-111 to a Wizards team that had dropped nine straight. For Portland, it’s their third consecutive loss, and this one might sting the most.
Turnovers and missed free throws were the culprits-again. The Blazers coughed the ball up 20 times and left 10 points at the line, hitting just 13-of-23 free throws. That’s a tough combo to overcome, especially on the road, and it proved costly against a Wizards squad that, on paper, looked ripe for the taking.
Sharpe Shines, But Can’t Save the Day
Shaedon Sharpe was the brightest spot for Portland, pouring in 31 points on an efficient 11-of-20 from the field, including 5-of-8 from deep. He was the go-to guy down the stretch, delivering a clutch three-pointer and a driving dunk in the final minute to keep the Blazers within striking distance.
But with the game on the line and Portland down two, Sharpe’s mid-range fadeaway with 10 seconds left came up short. The Blazers couldn’t grab the rebound, and Khris Middleton iced it at the other end with a pair of free throws.
It was a strong performance from the second-year guard, but in the end, his late-game heroics weren’t quite enough.
Avdija Returns, But Not at Full Force
Deni Avdija returned to action after missing two games with a back issue and had an up-and-down night. He came out hot, knocking down his first two threes and scoring nine points in the first quarter. But over the course of the game, he didn’t quite look like his usual self.
Avdija finished with 17 points and 12 boards, but also turned it over six times and struggled at the line, going just 2-for-6. Head coach Tiago Splitter appeared to be managing his minutes carefully-Avdija logged nearly 31 minutes but sat for a long stretch in the fourth before checking back in with 4:30 to go. He drilled a three right after re-entering to give Portland a four-point lead, but faded in the final minutes as the Blazers couldn’t hold on.
Sloppy Start, Again
Portland’s first-half woes continued. After setting season lows in first-quarter scoring in back-to-back games, they did slightly better in D.C.-but not by much. The Blazers committed 13 turnovers and hit just 4-of-12 free throws in the first half, allowing the Wizards to pile up 18 fast break points and take a seven-point lead into the break.
It’s been a troubling trend for Portland. Slow starts are putting them in holes they can’t always climb out of, especially when the offense isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Supporting Cast Comes Up Short
With Avdija not fully in rhythm, Portland needed someone else to step up alongside Sharpe. Toumani Camara answered the call early, scoring 16 points and hitting four of his six threes. But he managed just two points in the fourth quarter.
Jrue Holiday had a rough night, going 2-for-14 from the field and finishing with five points. Caleb Love and Jerami Grant each added six, but the Blazers lacked that secondary scoring punch late.
Meanwhile, Washington got contributions across the board. Alex Sarr led the way with 29 points, albeit on 11-of-29 shooting.
Middleton added 19, including the clutch free throws. Rookie Tre Johnson chipped in 18, while Kyshawn George (19 points) and Bub Carrington (11 points) made big plays down the stretch to help the Wizards seal the win.
Cleaning the Glass, But Not the Scoreboard
If there was one area where the Blazers dominated, it was on the boards. Portland outrebounded Washington 85-54-an eye-popping margin.
Donovan Clingan was a force, grabbing a franchise-record 13 offensive rebounds and finishing with 20 total to go with 14 points. The rookie big man was relentless in the paint, giving the Blazers second-chance opportunities all night.
Yang Hansen also chipped in on the glass, tying his career high with five rebounds in just under 12 minutes of play. He was a +11 in his minutes, the best mark on the team.
A Missed Opportunity
This was the one the Blazers needed on this road trip. Boston and New York are tough places to steal wins, but Washington?
The Wizards had dropped nine straight and are clearly in rebuild mode after trading CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert for an injured Trae Young earlier this month. Young hasn’t suited up yet, and the Wizards had been reeling.
But the Blazers didn’t capitalize. They let Washington hang around early, gave up too many easy transition buckets, and couldn’t close it out late. It’s the kind of loss that can linger.
Now, Portland heads to New York looking to avoid an 0-3 road trip. If they want to turn this around, it starts with taking care of the ball and hitting their free throws-two basics that continue to haunt them.