The Washington Wizards haven't done a whole lot of winning this season, and that makes one or two possession losses to teams like the New Orleans Pelicans harder to swallow, which is what this game was before two final free throws expanded the final margin to seven.
Falling 133-126 to the Pelicans on Wednesday the Wizards are now 9-45 while losing 22 of 28 contests on the road.
As bad as that sounds, Washington has just three home wins this season.
One way to soften the blow is to have standout individual performances that show glimpses of a bright future potentially waiting just over the horizon.
Performances like the one forward Deni Avdija turned in on Wednesday when he dropped 43 points to lead all scorers while outpacing New Orleans forward Zion Williamson by seven.
Avidja's personal dominance didn't stop there as he also led the Wizards in rebounds (15) while guard Tyus Jones led the way in assists (15) and guard Jordan Poole flashed some defense with three steals.
Williamson also led his team in scoring and rebounds (6) but also in assists (8) in what was the Pelicans' 33rd win of the season and 16th at home.
Trading away center Daniel Gafford was expected to leave Washington short-handed in paint presence and that shone through on Wednesday as the team was out-scored near the rim by 30 points (74-44).
Despite the loss, however, the Wizards topped their opponent in second-chance points, total rebounds, and fast-break points.
The biggest lead Washington held in the loss was six points while the largest deficit was 20.
With 21 seconds remaining in the contest, Poole hit a three-point shot that trimmed the New Orleans lead to three before a pair of free throws sandwiched a missed layup attempt by guard Corey Kispert to end the night.
You can follow David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
Keep up with all Washington Wizards news on the SI.com Washington Wizards team page
More must-reads: