With 14 straight losses, the Washington Wizards are formally midway to tying the NBA single-season report set by the Detroit Pistons final season. And with video games arising in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, it gained’t be a shock to see the streak proceed at the very least one other week.
The two-16 Wizards are setting the usual for this yr’s crop of tankers, placing far between their lead for the most effective No. 1 decide odds with a no-win November. Solely a handful of groups are conserving near Washington’s tempo.
The Wizards completed the month of November 0-14 after their loss to the Bucks on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/ks11pQxm0W
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 1, 2024
5 groups are inside three video games of the Wizards. And since the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans have been enjoying short-handed, they’ll possible pattern the other way quickly, leaving simply the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets as Washington’s most probably competitors for the decide.
These three groups are separating themselves as the highest tankers … or tank toppers? I don’t know. Let’s transfer on.
Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper
Ethan Miller/Getty Photographs
The newest updates on Cooper Flagg.
Nov. 26 (vs 1 Kansas): 13 pts (5/9 fg), 1/1 3-pt fg, 5 reb, 3 ast, 4 to
Nov. 29 (vs Seattle U): 9 pts (2/7 fg), 0-2 (3-pt fg), 9 reb, 7 ast, 3 to
It wasn’t the most effective week when it comes to scoring for Flagg, who had extra factors in opposition to Arizona two weeks in the past than he did in opposition to Kansas and Seattle mixed. However as we all know with the gifted freshman, he impacts the sport in some ways.
Flagg turned the quickest participant in Duke historical past to succeed in 100 factors, 50 rebounds and 20 assists in his profession, based on StatMamba, doing so in his sixth sport, in opposition to Kansas. His seven assists a couple of days later in opposition to Seattle had been a profession excessive.
Cooper Flagg is the quickest participant in Duke historical past to report:
100+ PTS
50+ REB
20+ AST pic.twitter.com/EuP3LQcYTl— StatMamba (@StatMamba) November 27, 2024
Flagg’s 5-of-9 efficiency in opposition to Kansas was truly the primary time he completed a sport above 50% capturing. Although you’d actually like to see him put up extra pictures, it was sufficient to assist Duke push the No. 1 Jayhawks to the brink of defeat.
Finally, the Blue Devils fell after their remaining two possessions ended on touches by Kon Knueppel, who turned the ball over on the primary with an opportunity to take the lead and missed the potential game-tying three-pointer on the final. Knueppel was 4-of-14 capturing for the sport, together with 0-for-8 on threes, making Flagg’s lack of touches in these spots all of the extra irritating.
HIS NAME IS COOPER FLAGG! 🫡
My goodness what a dunk!
📺 @DukeMBB x ESPN pic.twitter.com/XrA7Ey7lSt
— ACC Males’s Basketball (@accmbb) November 27, 2024
https://twitter.com/cjzero/standing/1861626305940218186
Hopefully, Duke has seen sufficient to know their generational prospect wants to the touch the ball in these closing seconds the subsequent time the sport is on the road.
Tank Rating
Patrick Smith/Getty Photographs
1. Washington Wizards (2-16)
What can we are saying concerning the Wizards that hasn’t been stated already? They’re actually terrible. The final time they gained a sport was in October. The most effective they’ll hope for now’s that flipping the calendar doesn’t destroy all of the shedding.
2. Utah Jazz (4-16)
Utah is settling in because the worst workforce out West, as their present four-game shedding streak is their third streak of at the very least 4 video games this season.
3. New Orleans Pelicans (4-17)
The Pelicans are getting more healthy, however they aren’t getting higher. Trey Murphy III, CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray are all again within the lineup, however they’ll’t appear to snap a eight-game skid. Till we get a return date for Zion Williamson, we’ll must assume they’ll be a tank rating mainstay.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (4-14)
So, get this. The 76ers’ win over the Pistons on Saturday is the one win any of those 5 groups had all final week. That’s proper, these groups mixed to go 1-16 final week. Out of the blue, the Sixers really feel like frauds round right here.
5. Charlotte Hornets (6-14)
Technically, the 6-15 Raptors nonetheless have a worse report than Charlotte, however the Hornets take the fifth and remaining spot due to how onerous they’re trending down. Whereas the Raptors are 4-3 of their final seven video games, the Hornets are 1-7 of their final eight and using a five-game shedding streak.
Christopher Creveling-Imagn Photographs
The most effective second in a tanking effort.
I imply, it doesn’t get any higher than calling a timeout to wave off your workforce’s game-winning basket does it? As a result of that’s what Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy did Sunday night time, and whereas his gamers didn’t appear to understand it, the entrance workplace in all probability didn’t thoughts his contribution to the tank.
Trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by a single level, the Jazz acquired a cease on LeBron James with 11 seconds left within the sport and instantly pushed the ball down the ground for a possible game-winning bucket. Collin Sexton discovered an angle to the basket and hit a layup off the glass just for the refs to wave the basket off. Hardy beat the shot try with a timeout he referred to as with simply two seconds left on the clock.
WOOOOOOOW, Will Hardy calls a timeout, proper as Sexton scores a bucket for the Jazz to present them the lead with 1 second left.
Sexton face says all of it. pic.twitter.com/vfPkGUeQpG
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) December 2, 2024
You in all probability put this collectively by now, however Utah misplaced the sport.
In all seriousness, that’s a horrible resolution by Hardy. You both name that timeout earlier or don’t name it in any respect.
The Week Forward
Cooper Flagg video games
Wednesday vs. No. 4 Auburn
Sunday at Louisville
NBA video games (to keep away from)
Monday: Nets at Bulls
Tuesday: 76ers at Hornets
Friday: Jazz at Path Blazers
Sunday: 76ers at Bulls
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