Capture the Flagg: The Wizards are separating themselves after completing a no-win November
With 14 straight losses, the Washington Wizards are officially halfway to tying the NBA single-season record set by the Detroit Pistons last season. And with games coming up against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, it won’t be a surprise to see the streak continue at least another week.
The 2-16 Wizards are setting the standard for this year’s crop of tankers, putting some distance between their lead for the best No. 1 pick odds with a no-win November. Only a handful of teams are keeping close to Washington’s pace.
The Wizards finished 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
Five teams are within three games of the Wizards. And because the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans have been playing short-handed, they’ll likely trend the opposite direction soon, leaving just the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets as Washington’s most likely competition for the pick.
Those three teams are separating themselves as the top tankers … or tank toppers? I don’t know. Let’s move on.
Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The latest 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 best week in terms of scoring for Flagg, who had more points against Arizona two weeks ago than he did against Kansas and Seattle combined. But as we know with the talented freshman, he impacts the game in many ways.
Flagg became the fastest player in Duke history to reach 100 points, 50 rebounds and 20 assists in his career, according to StatMamba, doing so in his sixth game, against Kansas. His seven assists a few days later against Seattle were a career high.
Cooper Flagg is the fastest player in Duke history to record:
100+ PTS
50+ REB
20+ AST pic.twitter.com/EuP3LQcYTl— StatMamba (@StatMamba) November 27, 2024
Flagg’s 5-of-9 performance against Kansas was actually the first time he finished a game above 50% shooting. Though you’d certainly love to see him put up more shots, it was enough to help Duke push the No. 1 Jayhawks to the brink of defeat.
Ultimately, the Blue Devils fell after their final two possessions ended on touches by Kon Knueppel, who turned the ball over on the first with a chance to take the lead and missed the potential game-tying three-pointer on the last. Knueppel was 4-of-14 shooting for the game, including 0-for-8 on threes, making Flagg’s lack of touches in those spots all the more frustrating.
HIS NAME IS COOPER FLAGG!
My goodness what a dunk!
@DukeMBB x ESPN pic.twitter.com/XrA7Ey7lSt
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) November 27, 2024
https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1861626305940218186
Hopefully, Duke has seen enough to know their generational prospect needs to touch the ball in those closing seconds the next time the game is on the line.
Tank Ranking
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
1. Washington Wizards (2-16)
What can we say about the Wizards that hasn’t been said already? They’re truly awful. The last time they won a game was in October. The best they can hope for now is that flipping the calendar doesn’t ruin all the losing.
2. Utah Jazz (4-16)
Utah is settling in as the worst team out West, as their current four-game losing streak is their third streak of at least four games this season.
3. New Orleans Pelicans (4-17)
The Pelicans are getting healthier, but they aren’t getting better. Trey Murphy III, CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray are all back in the lineup, but they can’t seem to snap a eight-game skid. Until we get a return date for Zion Williamson, we’ll have to assume they’ll be a tank ranking mainstay.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (4-14)
So, get this. The 76ers’ win over the Pistons on Saturday is the only win any of these five teams had all last week. That’s right, these teams combined to go 1-16 last week. Suddenly, the Sixers feel like frauds around here.
5. Charlotte Hornets (6-14)
Technically, the 6-15 Raptors still have a worse record than Charlotte, but the Hornets take the fifth and final spot because of how hard they’re trending down. While the Raptors are 4-3 in their last seven games, the Hornets are 1-7 in their last eight and riding a five-game losing streak.
Most Fan[tank]stic Moment
Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
The best moment in a tanking effort.
I mean, it doesn’t get any better than calling a timeout to wave off your team’s game-winning basket does it? Because that’s what Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy did Sunday night, and while his players didn’t seem to appreciate it, the front office probably didn’t mind his contribution to the tank.
Trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by a single point, the Jazz got a stop on LeBron James with 11 seconds left in the game and immediately pushed the ball down the floor for a potential game-winning bucket. Collin Sexton found an angle to the basket and hit a layup off the glass only for the refs to wave the basket off. Hardy beat the shot attempt with a timeout he called with just two seconds left on the clock.
WOOOOOOOW, Will Hardy calls a timeout, right as Sexton scores a bucket for the Jazz to give them the lead with 1 second left.
Sexton face says it all. pic.twitter.com/vfPkGUeQpG
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) December 2, 2024
You probably put this together by now, but Utah lost the game.
In all seriousness, that’s a terrible decision by Hardy. You either call that timeout earlier or don’t call it at all.
The Week Ahead
Cooper Flagg games
Wednesday vs. No. 4 Auburn
Sunday at Louisville
NBA games (to avoid)
Monday: Nets at Bulls
Tuesday: 76ers at Hornets
Friday: Jazz at Trail Blazers
Sunday: 76ers at Bulls