Wizards Claim the Bottom Spot as NBA Season Ends with Historic Tanking Night
The final week of the NBA regular season brought a dramatic close to the Tank Watch, marked by an unprecedented series of blowouts. Last Friday, a total of nine games featured teams either tanking or vying for playoff spots, resulting in seven matchups decided by 30 or more points. The average margin of victory was an astounding 24.4 points, setting a record for the largest differential on a night with at least eight games. Key results included: Indiana Pacers fell to the Charlotte Hornets by 21. Brooklyn Nets suffered a 34-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Chicago Bulls lost by 40 to the New York Knicks. Utah Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets by 34. Memphis Grizzlies faced a 32-point defeat against the Toronto Raptors. Among tanking teams, the most competitive games featured the Dallas Mavericks losing to the Orlando Magic by 11, and Sacramento Kings edging out the New Orleans Pelicans by four. As a result of these performances, the NBA Tank Rankings saw the Washington Wizards (17-61) reclaiming the top spot as the worst team, having lost six straight. The Indiana Pacers (18-60) and Utah Jazz (21-58) followed, with the Jazz tied with the Kings for the worst record in the Western Conference. In the wake of these results, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to intensify discussions on anti-tanking measures, as teams scramble to avoid the pitfalls of the bottom rankings. The landscape of tanking is poised for significant changes in the upcoming season, heralding a new era of competition. Upcoming key matchups include: Bulls at Wizards on Thursday, 7 PM ET Pacers at Nets on Thursday, 7:30 PM ET As the season wraps up, the Tank Watch continues to scrutinize the evolving strategies of teams navigating the delicate balance of winning and losing.
Source: CBS Sports - 2026-04-07