"Late in the second quarter of the Wizards' recent game against the Kings, the team knew what exactly what was coming. Zach LaVine slowly dribbled the ball up, the game's leading scorer ready to attack. Washington knew exactly what to expect: Lavine had hit two straight 3-pointers, and a midrange fadeaway on the last three possessions. They knew exactly how to stop it: force the ball out of LaVine's hands, by pressuring the combo guard. And yet, they were helpless to do so."
"LaVine finished with 35 points in the game, despite the Wizards coming away with the win. But the Wizards' inability to find any answers defensively against yet another top guard, a key theme throughout the season. Washington ranks just 29th in the league in overall +/- against guards, a big challenge for a defense which ranks 29th in defensive rating. Nights like the one against Doncic have become a common phenomenon, with less touted guards like Russell Westbrook and Shaedon Sharpe similarly having their way."
The Wizards repeatedly fail to contain elite and high-scoring guards, allowing opponents to exploit perimeter creation and midrange scoring while still securing occasional wins. Washington ranks 29th in overall +/- against guards and 29th in defensive rating, continuing a multi-season defensive slide after ranking 28th the previous two seasons. Bilal Coulibaly was drafted as a defensive-first guard with comparisons to Jrue Holiday and Mikal Bridges, but his lighter frame has allowed larger guards and wings to get to the basket despite his long wingspan. According to NBArpm, opponents take shots at the rim 2.4% more often when Coulibaly is on the floor. The team may consider deadline moves to address guard defensive deficiencies.
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