‘Worst loss in pro sports’: NBA loses it at ‘pathetic’ Washington Wizards choke

Basketball fans went into meltdown after the Washington Wizards let a huge lead slip in one of the worst collapses the NBA has ever seen.

The Washington Wizards gave up a 35-point lead to lose to the LA Clippers.

The NBA has been stunned after the Washington Wizards collapsed in one of the worst midgame capitulations the league has ever seen.

Playing at home on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers (AEDT), the Wizards were looking to bounce back after a demoralising 29-point loss to the Boston Celtics earlier in the week.

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The Wizards started well and opened up a huge 35-point lead late in the second quarter, before going into halftime well in front with the score 66-36.

Then they seemingly forgot how to play basketball, as the Clippers piled on a mammoth 80 points in the second half to take the game down to the wire.

Trailing by six points with 10 seconds remaining, unheralded Clipper Luke Kennard nailed a long three-pointer and followed it up with a four-point play that had every NBA fan’s jaw firmly on the floor.

Needing another three-pointer to tie the game, Kennard threw up an off-balance shot from beyond the arc that rattled in with 1.9 seconds remaining.

Luke Kennard’s three-pointer sealed an insane comeback for the LA Clippers over the Washington Wizards.

But disaster truly struck for the Wizards when it was deemed Bradley Beal had needlessly fouled Kennard, giving him a free throw attempt to win the game for the Clippers.

Kennard made the shot, sealing an insane 116-115 comeback win that sent the basketball world into meltdown.

LUKE KENNARD GAME WINNER AFTER CLIPPERS WERE DOWN BY 35 😱

(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/CwtnAzkmnx

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 26, 2022

It was a night to forget for the Wizards, who became just the second team in NBA history to lose after leading by 30+ points at halftime — after the Denver Nuggets back in 1996.

The Wizards were only one point short of equalling the all-time record of 36 points for the biggest lead ever conceded in the NBA.

Unsurprisingly, it was the biggest comeback in LA Clippers franchise history.

Wizards fans couldn’t believe their eyes, and it was summed up best by one supporter in the arena who filmed his hilarious reaction to the final seconds of the game.

“If they make a three I’m going to cry,” he said.

“There’s no way, there’s no way in the world.

“Ain’t no f***ing way,” he said at the sight of Kennard’s three-pointer going in.

“What the f***? What the f*** bro?”.

This Wizards fan was HEATED after they blew a 35-point lead to the Clippers 😭

(via @yourpapiRey) pic.twitter.com/mKu32yo5iq

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 26, 2022

Viewers were in a state of shock at the Wizards’ shocking second-half choke.

Aussie NBA podcaster Leigh Ellis tweeted: “There is no way the Wizards lost that game. No way.”

Journalist Aaron Rupar said: “The Washington Wizards just blew a 35-point lead in what was easily the worst loss I’ve seen in pro sports. My goodness.”

they’re called the washington wizards because of the way they can make large leads disappear

— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) January 26, 2022

Veteran NBA reporter David Aldridge, who covers the Wizards, called the loss “the most pathetic performance I’ve seen in almost 40 years of being around and covering this basketball team.”

NBC’s Chris Miller said the Wizards were “shell-shocked” after the game.

“This was stunning. Is this rock bottom? Is this what rock bottom looks like? Because I have never seen anything like this.

“Best of times up 35, worst of times, blowing a 35-point lead. I’ve never seen anything like this. An absolute collapse.”

Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said there was no excuse for how his team shut up shop in the second half.

“We stopped playing,” he said.

“We felt we had the win in the bag and we just stopped playing how we played to get the 35-point lead.

“These are things that just can’t happen.”

Wizards fans completely lost their marbles and are already calling for franchise star Beal, who has had an underwhelming season, to be traded after he committed the game-deciding foul.