The Washington Wizards will find wins difficult to come by during the 2023-24 season after they gutted their team in preparation for a rebuild. Thus, whenever there's an opportunity for the Wizards to take home a victory, they must seize it. However, on Friday night, during the second game of their NBA In-Season Tournament journey against the Charlotte Hornets, the Wizards blew a fourth quarter lead en route to a 124-117 defeat, causing much heartbreak for a team that's not lacking in reasons to be dejected.
One of the many factors that fueled the Wizards' defeat on Friday night was their inability to contain the defensive boards. All night long, Kyle Kuzma and Daniel Gafford looked like high-schoolers against the much-improved Hornets big man Mark Williams, who hauled in an eye-popping 15 offensive rebounds. As a team, the Hornets finished with 25 offensive rebounds, proving as their great equalizer despite the Wizards' 24-point advantage in the three-point department.
After the game, Kuzma acknowledged that the Hornets, particularly Williams, simply outplayed and outworked the Wizards, owing to their lack of intensity on the glass which proved to be their undoing. Williams finished with a monster 21-point, 20-rebound double-double, making life hell for the Wizards' bigs all night long.
“I think they just wanted it more than us tonight. They played much harder than us. … Mark Williams did a phenomenal job all night being on the boards and kicking our butt,” Kuzma said in his postgame presser, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
While it's still early on in the season, Kyle Kuzma recognized the importance of this game and what it could have done for the Wizards' confidence. After all, they were coming off a spirited victory against the Hornets on Wednesday, a game in which they held them to a mere 11 offensive boards. But now, all Kuzma and company can do is look forward to their Sunday night game against the Brooklyn Nets with the intention of bouncing back.
“It's incredibly disappointing honestly. I think this was a game that we needed. I thought it was a must-win game. […] Bitter taste, we all have to be better,” Kuzma added, via Hoop District.
Kyle Kuzma understandably frustrated
"It's incredibly disappointing honestly. I think this was a game that we needed. I thought it was a must-win game. … Bitter taste, we all have to be better." pic.twitter.com/ERTnDLIXMl
— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) November 11, 2023
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