The NBA preseason usually carries little weight in terms of how a team’s next season will go. But Friday’s game between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards probably didn’t instill confidence in either team’s fan base.
The Wizards hosted the Raptors at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. for the teams’ second postseason clash against each other in five days.
Despite the familiarity with one another, the game did not start off smoothly. The two teams committed an embarrassing 19 turnovers over the first 12 minutes of action. The squads combined for more fouls (18) than made field goals (12) in the opening quarter. There was even an air-balled free throw in the mix.
Raptors & Wizards combined for 19 turnovers, 18 fouls & 12 made field goals in the first quarter.
Preseason basketball!!
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) October 11, 2024
A carrying violation, an air-balled free throw, multiple travels and 13 combined turnovers in less than 7 minutes. Raptors-Wizards preseason basketball, baby!
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 11, 2024
Several fans clowned the contest on X, calling the game some of the worst basketball they’ve ever witnessed.
is this wizards raptors game the worst basketball game ever?
— Egg (@Egg_SSB) October 12, 2024
Watching the Wizards vs Raptors and this might genuinely be the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen in my life
— Notorious Nino🦍 (@elninomich) October 11, 2024
The game also got an even bigger audience than it otherwise might have. The contest surprisingly got bumped up to NBA TV after the originally scheduled Timberwolves-76ers game experienced technical difficulties. But some fans still preferred the janky stream over the poor play from the Wizards and Raptors.
Anyone got a stream link to raptors broadcast? This wizards one is one of the worst I’ve ever watched
— ReubenJRD (@ReubenJRD) October 11, 2024
i think id rather watch this on loop than having to sit through a whole quarter of "wizards raptors" (rj and iq out) https://t.co/fFgadpfoBl
— NYK🦁 (@brunsonation) October 11, 2024
Several Eastern Conference teams have made huge upgrades heading into the 2024-25 season. But the Raptors and Wizards are likely to be among the squads chasing for lottery balls.
