In previous years, Bradley Beal could point to one game in the long slog of an 82-game NBA season that sparked a turnaround for the Washington Wizards. The Wizards, after all, had made a habit of getting off to slow starts, only to hit their stride around the middle of the season.
Washington, which entered the season with a goal of 50 wins, limped into Tuesday’s finale against the Boston Celtics with 49 losses.
After firing longtime general manager Ernie Grunfeld last week, owner Ted Leonsis admitted this season was his “biggest miss” in terms of setting goals.