Every now and then, Alex Sarr gives Washington Wizards fans a glimpse of his huge potential. On Tuesday night at Capital One Arena, he showed just how special he can be. The rookie, who was picked No. 2 in the 2024 draft, hit a career-high four three-pointers (out of five attempts) and scored 20 points, tying his best performance so far. Unfortunately, the Wizards still lost 127-108 to the Chicago Bulls, marking their 12th straight defeat.
The loss was mostly due to a rough second quarter, where the Wizards got outscored by 22 points. Washington (now 2-14) struggled with their shooting, hitting just 36.4% of their shots, and they turned the ball over seven times in that period. The Bulls (8-11) were led by Coby White, who scored 21 points. Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 23 points.
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said the game was decided in that one bad quarter.
Despite the loss, there was hope in the young players. Sarr, who also grabbed seven rebounds, had another strong showing after his solid performance on Sunday with 17 points and 14 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers. While his hot shooting may not last, the Wizards believe he’s on the right track. Before Tuesday’s game, Sarr was shooting just 20% from three-point range, despite taking a lot of shots. The team thinks these game reps will help him improve over time, and there’s already been some progress.
Malcolm Brogdon, a veteran, noticed that Sarr was rushing his three-point shots earlier in the season. He told the rookie to slow down and take his time. “If you’re going to pop, don’t rush,” Brogdon said. “He’s starting to slow down and really find his touch.”
Next up, the Wizards face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. The Clippers are on a hot streak, winning five of their last six games, and they’ll have an extra day of rest. Brogdon, who’s in his ninth season, knows back-to-back games are tough. But he’s got a recovery routine that helps him stay ready. After the game, he eats his meal, spends 30 minutes in the sauna, and hydrates a lot. He knows mental strength is just as important as physical rest. “You know you’re going to be tired, but you have to convince yourself that you’re fresh,” Brogdon said.
Meanwhile, Jordan Poole missed his second straight game due to a sore left hip flexor. It’s not a serious injury, but Poole had to sit out to recover. He worked on his shooting before the game but just wasn’t ready to play. Keefe praised Poole for pushing through injuries in the past, saying, “This guy plays through a lot of pain. It’s pretty impressive what he did last year. But sometimes you just can’t go.”
Lastly, former Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. was back in Washington, but this time he was on the Bulls’ side as an assistant coach. Unseld was let go last season and later moved to a front-office role. It was the first time he faced his old team, and many of the Wizards staff were happy to see him. “Unbelievable man,” said Anthony Gill, a player who worked with Unseld during his time as coach. “And to see him on the sideline again… it makes my heart happy.”
So, even though the Wizards took another tough loss, there are bright spots with young players like Sarr showing their potential. It’s all part of the rebuilding process, and the future still looks promising.