Late in the season, with the Washington Wizards having little to compete for but lottery positioning, Alex Sarr has become the focal point of the offense.
In the ugliest loss in franchise history, Thursday’s 162-109 defeat against the Indiana Pacers, the No. 2 pick led the Wizards in shot attempts for the seventh time in eight games. He scored a team-high 22 points and shot 8 for 15 from the field.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points for the Pacers, who improved to 43-30. The Wizards’ 162 points allowed and 53-point margin of defeat both were franchise worsts. Indiana shot a blistering 64.1 percent from the field and 57.4 percent (27 for 47) from beyond the arc at Capital One Arena.
“You should be upset. You shouldn’t be happy, but it’s always about what you do going forward,” Coach Brian Keefe said. “Unfortunately, losses like this happen. You don’t want them to. No one’s happy about it. … It’s how you go forward. It’s always how you respond.”
With the dismal loss, the Wizards (16-57) are a half-game behind Utah (16-58) for the worst record in the NBA and pole position in May’s lottery following the Jazz’s 121-110 loss Thursday to the Houston Rockets. While the bottom three teams in the league all receive equal odds at the top four picks, the worst team can drop only as far as the fifth selection. The second-worst team can drop to sixth, and third worst can fall to seventh.
Sarr’s growth — in role and efficacy — marks a slim but potentially pivotal silver lining. The 20-year-old struggled offensively to start his NBA career but has taken off in recent weeks.
Thursday was his sixth game in March with at least 20 points. He had just three such games entering the month.
Keefe said the Wizards hadn’t expanded the center’s role intentionally, pointing to Sarr’s increased comfort as a factor for the increased usage. The assertiveness allows the Wizards to evaluate his prospects as an offensive centerpiece and thrusts him firmly into the mix for rookie of the year.
Sarr looked like the favorite for the award after a strong December when he was named rookie of the month. But he struggled in January and missed most of February with a left ankle sprain. March has been his best month — Sarr is averaging 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
“I think it’s a nice accomplishment. But at the same time I think there’s way more than just getting [an] individual award,” Sarr said. “… I’m going to be part of this team hopefully for a lot of years to come. And what we’re building right now is more important than [individual awards].”
Sarr’s main competition for the award probably is San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (drafted No. 4) and Atlanta Hawks wing Zaccharie Risacher (drafted No. 1). The trio’s stats are similar, but Sarr has been less efficient — even in March, he has just a 48.9 effective field goal percentage (which factors in the added value of three-pointers).
Castle is averaging 14.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists with a 47.6 effective field goal percentage. He, too, has had a strong March, entering Thursday averaging 19.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists with a 52.2 effective field goal percentage.
Risacher is averaging 12.2 points and 3.7 rebounds. He has been the most efficient of the trio, with a 52.5 effective field goal percentage.
“Not at all,” Sarr said when asked whether he and Risacher, Frenchmen and friends, had exchanged trash talk. “… He had a solid season, too. Just happy for him, and hopefully we can play together in [the] national team.”
If Sarr wins, he would be the fifth player in Washington franchise history and the first since Wes Unseld was honored in 1968-69; Unseld also was the league MVP that season.
While Sarr will not match those heights, his recent play demonstrates tangible growth and has created an intriguing race in the season’s final days.
Here’s what else to know about the Wizards’ loss:
Khris Middleton (right knee soreness) and Anthony Gill (left hip soreness) both exited Thursday’s loss early and were ruled out because of injuries. Middleton played 14 minutes, scoring eight points. Gill played just 3:25 and scored two points.
Middleton had been sore for a few days and will have an MRI exam Friday, Keefe said after the game.
Kyshawn George missed his second straight game with a left ankle sprain suffered during Monday’s loss to Toronto. He had an MRI, Keefe said before Thursday’s game. The coach said George is still in the beginning stages of his recovery and said he did not know whether the forward would return by the end of the regular season.
