Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore Patrick McDermott/GettyImages

Wizards Offense Takes Another Step Back in Loss

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Lane Mills | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Despite their relatively painful start through four games this season, the Washington Wizards offense stood out as a bright spot, even in the team’s three losses to that point.

Worsening at an Alarming Rate

The team’s strongest performance in this regard actually came in a defeat, when the Wizards scored a piercing 134 against a Philadelphia 76ers team that put on a clinic in the fourth quarter and overtime to bury Washington’s hopes. Even then, the team had something to hang their pointy hats on despite the 1-3 tally that technically defined them.

Now 1-5, though only two games later, the Wizards look entirely different and significantly less promising all the same. It’s early in the year and trends can absolutely come and go for a roster, but after Washington’s latest loss, there are undoubtedly more questions than answers.

In a home bout with the Orlando Magic — one that, while not necessarily an expected win, was seen as at least competitive for the home team — Washington mustered just 94 points in what was easily their worst scoring performance of the short season. In their previous match (a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road), the Wizards' 108 points were a season-low, marking the now second game in a row in which the team has lowered their overall bar.

Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

If the Wizards want to win games, they'll have to find a way to restore their only real sense of identity as a cohesive unit up to now.

Patience is a Virtue

Both one of Washington's greatest offensive flaws, as well as their biggest potential fix, is the team's shaky field goal percentage; the negative, losing side of this statistic is portrayed perfectly in the aforementioned loss to Orlando.

On a hefty 98 total shot attempts, the Wizards managed to net just 39 of them (39.8%) and, from long range specifically, the team went an even worse 9/27 (33.3%). While Orlando made only three more triples and shot the same percentage from distance, their overall field goal clip came in at a much more reliable 51.1% number.

Sometimes, that discrepancy makes all the difference. It's certainly the sort of number, at least on Washington's end, that will make consistent wins hard to come by.

The Wizards aren't expected to be a competing playoff team this year, but given their updated roster and perceived growth of young talent, 1-5 is undoubtedly a disappointment to this point. All that can be said in the way of optimism is that the season is still quite young; and, for better or worse, the team is too.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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