![\"Alondes](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/72fa25492461436e2575fb3e53b380e9.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\nThe Wizards returned from the All-Star break with disastrous back-to-back wins in a t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate against the Indiana Pacers. In the one last night, the Wizards rallied from a 15-point second quarter deficit to win by 13.<\/p>\n
In the NBA\u2019s 2026 race for the bottom, Washington has fallen to fifth behind the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana, and the Brooklyn Nets. The Utah Jazz \u2014 an annual leader in tanking shenanigans \u2014 is lurking.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alondes Williams poured in points during the team\u2019s win over the Indiana Pacers. | NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n
I sympathize with Wizards head coach Brian Keefe and general manager Will Dawkins. Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George sat. They traded away productive to semi-productive veterans for Anthony Davis and Trae Young \u2014 neither of whom has played even a second for the Wizards.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Justin Champagnie, who produces when he plays, departed last night\u2019s game after just 11 minutes with a sore knee.<\/p>\n
Keefe is left with no choice but to play kids, and what\u2019s making The Tank a bit of a challenge is that some of those kids are playing pretty well \u2014 at least when going up against a Pacers team missing virtually every useful NBA player in the organization.<\/p>\n
Kids playing pretty well, even against what amounts to a G League squad, isn\u2019t bad. The Wizards need to lose enough to keep that first round pick, so things could get downright debaculous in the near future. Just to be clear, I want Dawkins to know that I can help. I have enough vacation time to become the NBA\u2019s oldest ever rookie on a 10-day contract. Maybe two.<\/p>\n
I mean, yeah my body might not hold up for more than a game or two (if that), but I will brick lots of threes, be easy pickings on defense, and consistently fail to get back on defense.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Also, if Anthony Gill serves as the team dad, I can (briefly) be the team\u2019s granddad.<\/p>\n
Thoughts & Observations<\/p>\n
Full disclosure: I was on work travel and did not watch either of these games, so these observations are strictly from the numbers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Amazing to think that the Wizards had a 61.1% effective field goal percentage, and the Pacers clocked in at 57.8% and the teams combined for a slightly subpar offensive night. Both teams committed loads of turnovers. Neither got to the free throw line or gathered offensive rebounds.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
If the teams had combined for an average night offensively, they would have totaled 252 points. They tallied 249. Not a huge difference, but again \u2014 amazing considering the high shooting percentages from the floor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Even more amazing: the Wizards shot 61.1% from the floor (eFG%) while also hitting just 6-29 \u2014 20.7% \u2014 from three-point range. That\u2019s because they hit 74.2% on twos. Yowza.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Washington\u2019s ability to get inside was determinant \u2014 they outscored the Pacers 78-46 in the paint.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Kudos to Alondes Williams for having a great game halfway through a 10-day contract \u2014 25 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists in 30 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
More kudos to Kadary Richmond, also on a 10-day contract, for producing 6 steals in 31 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Even more kudos to Sharife Cooper \u2014 on a two-way contract \u2014 for notching 18 points and 5 assists in 27 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Yet more kudos to Keefe for giving 55% of the game\u2019s minutes to guys on two-way contracts and 10-day contracts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Four Factors<\/p>\n
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball \u2014 shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).<\/p>\n
The four factors are measured by:<\/p>\n
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
TOV% (turnover percentage \u2014 turnovers divided by possessions)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
FTM\/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
FOUR FACTORS<\/p>\n
PACERS<\/p>\n
WIZARDS<\/p>\n
LGAVG<\/p>\n<\/tr>\n
eFG%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
57.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
61.1%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
54.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
OREB%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
19.1%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
24.4%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
26.1%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOV%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
19.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
15.6%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
12.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FTM\/FGA<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
0.156<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
0.158<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
0.208<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PACE<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
109<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
99.4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ORTG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
108<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
120<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
115.4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stats & Metrics<\/p>\n
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).<\/p>\n