Inside The Wizards

Wizards Backcourt Shines in Loss to Spurs

Young paring flashes sign of greatness in Washington Wizards loss to San Antonio Spurs
Owen Jury|
Dec 18, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) looks to pass against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Dec 18, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) looks to pass against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards dropped their 22nd game of the season, falling 113–124 at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. This marked their second loss to the Spurs in three days, but expectations were low considering the stacked injury report that Washington entered the game with.

Although the loss itself was less than ideal, there are still multiple positive takeaways for the Wizards. For one, just staying competitive with San Antonio is a win in itself, considering Washington was without six rotation players and three starters.

However, the biggest win of the night was the stellar backcourt play of second-year guard Bub Carrington and rookie Tre Johnson. Carrington has picked things up over the past couple of weeks, looking like the player he was touted to be coming into the season.

This marked Carrington’s second 20+ point game of the season — both of which have come in the last 10 days. Over that stretch, he also hasn’t had a single-digit scoring performance, shooting 40% from three in the process.

Carrington has clearly found his groove in recent weeks, which is very encouraging considering the start to the 2025–26 season he had. Fans were ready to give up on him, but he wasn’t ready to give up on himself, propelling him to the best stretch of basketball in his young career.

Washington Wizard
Dec 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) prepares to shoot as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Johnson, on the other hand, is still working his way back into playing shape, operating under a minutes restriction following his recovery from a recent hip injury.

Although he’s just a rookie, Johnson’s talent is undeniable. His ability to score from all three levels is something the Wizards haven’t had in a while, adding a much-needed scoring layer to an otherwise dormant offense.

Johnson has had some kinks to work through while finding his groove within the dense Washington backcourt, but his 19-point, seven-rebound outburst off the bench may be a sign of what’s to come. Many fans in D.C. were left disappointed when the team didn’t receive a top pick in last year’s class, considering the talent at the top. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find any fan unhappy with Johnson and his early-season performance.

Fans in the District have a lot to be excited about. Between the emergence of young talent and the encouraging play of their rookies, the Wizards look fairly well set up for the future. They may still be one piece away, but if the lottery swings in Washington’s favor, the rebuild that once looked everlasting may finally be nearing its end.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Owen Jury
OWEN JURY

Owen Jury is currently a writer for Sports Illustrated. Jury is a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying journalism. At Missouri, he covers men’s golf and basketball for a student-run publication called The Maneater. Jury is still figuring out what his end goal is, but he is definitely excited about his future in journalism.

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