By Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports)
The Washington Wizards lost to the Boston Celtics 132-122 on Sunday afternoon in their season finale. Here are three things that stood out about the game...
Last game
The Wizards' 2023-24 season is officially over as they lost to the Celtics on the road in their regular season finale on Sunday afternoon.
Washington will be tied for the best odds to receive the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft lottery at 14%. The lottery is set for May 12 in Chicago, Ill.
Washington played this game with an extensive injury list that included rookie big man Tristan Vukcevic (right ankle sprain), who ended his season with five consecutive games of double-figure scoring. Jordan Poole (non-COVID illness) also missed his second straight game to end the year.
Poole still appeared in 78 games this season after playing in all 82 last year. The only Wizards player to log more games than him this season was Corey Kispert who got to No. 80 on Sunday.
Without Poole and usual starting point guard Tyus Jones, Jared Butler filled in admirably with 22 points, seven assists, a steal and a block. Patrick Baldwin Jr. also stepped up with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals in one of the best games of his young career.
Geno was cooking
In addition to Butler and Baldwin Jr., Eugene Omoruyi was on an absolute tear in the final game of the season. He had seven points in the first quarter, 15 by halftime and ended the day with 26 point for a new career-high. Omoruyi shot 11-for-17 from the field, 4-for-6 from three and also had five assists. He did it all in 23 minutes of work.
What a way to end the season on a high note. Omoruyi joined the organization last July on a two-way contract and performed so well the Wizards converted him to an NBA deal in March. Omoruyi ended up playing in 43 games for the Wizards and saved his very best for the last game of the season.
Champagnie was a standout
Justin Champagnie also went out on a positive with nine points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 21 minutes. His seven rebounds were a reminder he is uniquely good at cleaning the glass. Champagnie, a 6-foot-6 wing, averaged 11.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Pittsburgh before making the NBA leap.
Champagnie also contributed a series of highlight reel passes in this one. He threaded the needle with a kick-ahead bounce pass to Butler for an open layup in transition. Very soon after that, he found Baldwin Jr. for an easy dunk on the fastbreak with a two-handed bounce pass he had to reach around a Celtics defender to make. It was perfectly placed and timed. Champagnie can impact the game in various ways and he showed that on Sunday.