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Studs and Duds From Wizards Preseason Loss to Raptors

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Studs and Duds From Wizards Preseason Loss to Raptors


The Washington Wizards dropped their first preseason matchup to the Toronto Raptors 113-112. The squad made a remarkable comeback in the fourth quarter, giving themselves a chance to win it with 4.2 seconds remaining. Will Riley got the ball and drove to the rim, drawing the foul. He hit both his free throws to give Washington the lead with less than a second remaining. Then, Olivier Sarr hit a game-winning alley-oop layup to win the game for Toronto.

It was an unfortunate way for the game to end, but there was a ton of great information to take away. From rookie debuts to returning players shaking off the rust, here are the studs and duds from the loss.

Alex Sarr was cleared to play just days before the first preseason game, so it was expected he would have some rust. However, Sarr was arguably the best player for the Wizards in this loss. The starting center recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and even knocked down a three-pointer in his 17 minutes of action.

It was only a small sample size, but he took the leap. A big concern was his efficiency, and Sarr was living inside the paint in this game. Definitely, he was a wall, not allowing anything inside the paint. Overall, Sarr looked great, and if he keeps up these performances, he will find his way on these lists plenty of times during the season.

This was a horrible season debut for Bub Carrington; there is no other way to put it. Carrington was a -38 on the night and did not make a single shot from the field. His only points came from the free throw line, as he recorded four points, two assists, and one rebound. The point guard also had four turnovers in 23 minutes of play.

The only thing Carrington looked decent at was defense. He had a nice block at the beginning of the game and was decent out on the perimeter. However, that is not enough to overlook what was just a horrible offensive outing.

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In his first game as a member of the Wizards, CJ McCollum was on fire offensively. The veteran guard finished his debut with 19 points on five for nine shooting from distance, five rebounds, and two assists. He was the offensive threat that kept the Wizards in the game during the first half.

Other than offense, there is nothing to highlight for McCollum. He needs to get around 25 points a night, and this game shows he can actually average close to 30 points. If McCollum played in the fourth quarter, the Wizards could have easily won this game.

Although Tristan Vukcevic said he was trying to be like Nikola Jokic after playing with him in EuroBasket, he was far from being one of the best players in the world. Just like Carrington, it was a hideous game for the Serbian. Vukcevic finished his night with nine points after hitting all five of his free throws and four rebounds.

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The point total is very deceiving, as he was actually generating negative points for the Wizards, finishing with a -30. He had four turnovers and caused multiple turnovers as his spacing was deplorable. He seemed to have zero feel on offense and looked confused like a lost puppy. It is not too far-fetched to say Marvin Bagley should get more playing time than Vukcevic.

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





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HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD

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HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD


DE Dawuane Smoot, LB Foyesade Oluokun, TE Brenton Strange, S Eric Murray, and S Antonio Johnson  speak with the media after practice on Thursday ahead of the Wild Card Matchup vs. Bills.

0:00 – 2:28 – DE Dawuane Smoot

2:29 – 6:24 – LB Foyesade Oluokun

6:25 – 9:25 – TE Brenton Strange

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9:26 – 11:32 – S Eric Murray

11:33 – 13:46 – S Antonio Johnson



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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack


DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.

Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a U.S. intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.

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Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics


The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.

The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”

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A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”

Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.

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The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.

“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.

Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”

“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.

The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.

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Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.

The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.

American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”

The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”

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CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.

The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.



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