5 things that went wrong for the Washington Wizards in the 2020-21 NBA season

#3 Washington Wizards didn't take care of the ball well

Russell Westbrook steps out of bounds during a playoff game.

Turnovers literally wrecked the Washington Wizards this season. They rarely had any game with single-digit turnovers. and most of their games were with 15+ or even 20+ turnovers.

The Wizards were ranked 21st in the league in turnovers, and the eight teams below them were all lottery teams, except LA Lakers. Russell Westbrook turned the ball over a lot, and a lack of chemistry and connection between Wizards players was a huge factor.

Westbrook stepped out of bounds during crunch time of playoff games, which arguably cost Wizards victories.

2020-21 Wizards Player Evaluations: Russell Westbrook’s addition helped Washington make the playoffs. But can he keep his turnovers down next year?#DCABOVEALL https://t.co/XzGLDAAgtf

— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) July 7, 2021

They had incredible runs and scoring stretches in games but turned the ball over, which killed their momentum.

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#4 Terrible defense cost them games

Arguably the most important point of them all, in an era of volume scoring and three-point shooting, having no defense is certainly going to lead to a team's doom.

The Washington Wizards were atrocious defensively in the 2020-21 NBA season. They were ranked last in the league in points allowed and were 19th in defensive rating. They allowed the second-most field goals, and their opponents shot way better when playing against them.

The Washington Wizards absolutely have no defense.And it irritates the heck out of me.

— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) May 30, 2021

The Wizards had no rim protection and were ranked 28th in blocked shots. They were also subpar in defending the three-point line, as they were ranked 19th in perimeter defense.

Their defense was so bad that even Ben Simmons, who collapsed offensively in the semifinals, was dominating the first-round series games without Joel Embiid on the floor.

Thus, the Washington Wizards' priority this off-season should be to get defensive-minded players.

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#5 They faced the 1st seed in the East in the NBA playoffs

Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards

After everything they faced and the uphill battle they endured, the Washington Wizards made it to the NBA playoffs as the eighth seed.

Their season was doomed, though, as they went up against arguably the best team in the Eastern Conference without three-point shooting and defense. The Philadelphia 76ers are excellent in both those categories as they managed a gentleman's sweep of the Wizards.

The odds of an eighth seed winning the series against the first seed have been historically low, as only five teams have ever done it in NBA history.

The Washington Wizards have now built a strong foundation for next season, though. They have a ready roster capable of competing at a high level. So a few tweaks and additions in their lineup could see them start next season excellently from the get-go.