Kyle Kuzma on losing to the Grizzlies, who had 13/18 players on the injury report: “We disrespected the game. We disrespected ourselves.” (via @JoshuaBRobbins)
The Memphis Grizzlies were short-handed on Tuesday night but that didn't stop them from defeating the worst team in the NBA: the Washington Wizards. And after the 109-97 loss, Kyle Kuzma of the Wizards was quite frank about his team's performance.
“We disrespected the game,” Kuzma said. “We disrespected ourselves.”
He wasn't the only Washington star who was shaking his head after the loss.
“Unacceptable from top to bottom,” Tyus Jones added. “Just our effort, our attention to detail from the start just wasn’t where it needs to be, wasn’t where it has been the last couple of games.”
Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, Derrick Rose, and other Memphis players weren't on the court because of injuries, making the Grizzlies one of the most short-staffed teams in the league. But even then they were able to move past the Wizards, who now have an 11-54 record.
It was undoubtably a tough loss but it was made even more painful because it followed two back-to-back victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat. After that brief string of success, the Wizards were back to their old bad habits.
As the Wizards head toward the end of their season, a lot of questions swirl around them. What will the team look like next season? Which stars will remain and which will be traded away? Most importantly, what are the chances of the Wizards being even remotely better next year?
Kyle Kuzma on losing to the Grizzlies, who had 13/18 players on the injury report: “We disrespected the game. We disrespected ourselves.” (via @JoshuaBRobbins)