WASHINGTON – They caused the Boston Celtics to call a timeout.

This happened with 7:06 left in the first quarter of the Washington Wizards' opening game against Boston. After 8 quick points from Jordan Poole to start the game, Washington led 15-12.

The Celtics then quietly went on an 86-58 run over the next two quarters.

But for Boston to be able to regroup on the back of a string of really good Wizards games, no matter when it happened during the Celtics' 122-102 loss on Thursday, is a good night for Washington, especially against the reigning NBA champions. Without a supercomputer, you couldn't currently measure the distance between Boston and Washington.

The Celtics are aiming for Banner 19; If all goes well, Washington is embarking on an epic tanking job designed to give the Wizards the best possible chance of landing a player in next year's draft who could one day be like Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Meanwhile, Washington will look to develop its three rookies from this year's draft: Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.

This is the mission for 2024-25: Lose and grow with some dignity.

Washington's good five minutes early in the game, followed by 24 not-so-good minutes in the second and third quarters… each is a teachable moment in a season like this.

“Definitely a little bit of both,” coach Brian Keefe said.

“There were some positives in the game that you could see: our size, our athleticism, how we can defend when we're really committed. Bilal (Coulibaly), Alex show their length. And then when we play with the tempo and share the ball, we were pretty good. But then we will also have to learn lessons. And I think we need to use all of these moments to teach and coach. We have another opportunity on Saturday, but tomorrow is another day where we can get better (in training). We’re looking forward to that.”

Marvin Bagley III scored 8 points in just 9:37 minutes on the court. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

The plus points: Poole made 6 of 11 3s and scored 26 points. Coulibaly had six rebounds, six assists – and, perhaps most importantly, eight free throws. Sarr had a few blocks and a few more contests. George has the length and footwork to potentially be a solid wing defender.

The negatives? Oh man.

Sarr was 1 of 7 from the floor and appeared completely lost with the ball in his hands up front. He was caught twice by Jrue Holiday late in the shot clock, with the veteran guard tricking him into two fouls. Each of Washington's starters had a crimson negative plus-minus; In contrast, Boston's Derrick White scored a plus-33 in 29 minutes. The Celtics wore Washington's offense down to a fine pulp, even though they were only semi-interested most of the night and even though they made “only” 17 3s after being on the clock Tuesday in a game against the New York Knicks set the NBA record for 3s with 29.

The mission this season, such as it is, will be tough for the Wizards' veterans like Poole, Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert. Each of them is in the process of reaching some of their prime this season. Playing it on a team built to lose makes leadership more difficult, and the difficult conversations players have to have with each other throughout a season all the more difficult. Poole is only 25 years old. He will have to measure success here very differently, even if he is on the ball full time and starts this season.

“I think I'm just trying to focus on the things that we can gradually get better at,” Poole said. “How we are when we get into groups. How relaxed we are when other teams go on the run. How relaxed we are when we have to figure out how to organize ourselves. Just stay together and don't get lost in recordings or messed up reports because something like that will happen. And just try to find ways to stay together continuously. I think it's a really good challenge, especially for young people playing their first game. We’re going up against the defending champions.”

Jonas Valančiūnas, Washington's big free agent signing this summer is…how should I put this?

He's just too competent.

He's a smart, top notch vet. He gives the Wizards a true low-post option when they can't get out and run. At 32, he's still a monster of a human being, throwing around his 265 pounds to great effect. He rebounds offensively, he draws fouls, he provides great screens for his defenders and wingers. Poole was able to enjoy JV's dribble handoffs. The Celtics had to give him a one-two punch in the third quarter.

And if he's still on the roster after the trade deadline, the Wizards' front office has made huge mistakes. He will have any number of suitors that Washington will need to make a deal with in order to obtain more picks and/or young prospects who have more opportunities in more drafts.

Meanwhile, lawyers, politicians and construction delays will mark the next step in the Wizards' evolution.

A proposed deal was announced Monday that requires approval from the D.C. City Council and will formally provide $515 million from the District over the next three years for major renovations to Capital One Arena. The goal would be to modernize the building. Importantly, the Wizards will not be able to house their practice facility, as they had originally hoped, on the Gallery Place property they are purchasing from the city as part of the deal. But the team says unequivocally that a new practice facility is being built in DC

On Monday, there were, as usual, questions about whether taxpayers are footing the bill for owner Ted Leonsis. Personally, I can't talk in the way I have over the last few months about how Leonsis's now-failed arena deal with Virginia was an affront to DC and that the city had to do whatever it had to do , after getting a mulligan, resume talks with him about keeping the Wizards and Capitals in town, then complain about the price required to do so.

Technically, under the terms of the proposed deal, the city will purchase Capital One Arena from Leonsis' Monumental Sports for $87.5 million and then lease it to the team during the 25-year term of the plan – what is known in the industry as “ “Sale-leaseback” deal. But if the entire $515 million is put into modernizing the building, the business side of the Leonsis empire won't have to pay taxes.

When asked Monday whether he had to “defend” the deal to D.C. taxpayers, he expressed outrage.

“I shouldn’t have to defend it,” Leonsis said. “All the money goes to the building and not to paying taxes. Isn’t that the right thing strategically?”

He noted that the Nationals, Ravens and Orioles have all received grants from their communities in recent years to upgrade their stadiums under similar agreements.

I asked Leonsis whether the Capital One project will be similar to the “makeover” of Madison Square Garden, the renovation plan for the home stadium of the Knicks and Rangers over a very similar three-summer period that was completed on time in 2013 at a cost of $1 billion dollars. This project was entirely developed by Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. financed. (On the other hand, MSG has enjoyed an exemption from New York City's property taxes since 1982, which, according to an independent study in 2023, has saved the company…nearly $1 billion.)

Ideally, a new Capital One will not only host events like a possible NCAA Women's Final Four in the future, but also serve as a “portal,” as one person involved in the discussions put it Monday, to an improved downtown.

“There will be much clearer signs of change,” Leonsis said. “That was more important than just a paint job. If you look at Philadelphia, where $400 million was spent (on improvements to the Wells Fargo Center), I would say the investment is not as ecumenical in terms of, “What are we doing for the players, what are we doing for.” the employees, what are we doing?” “What are we doing for the fans, what are we doing for the city?” This is going to be a really, really big transformation. From the outside it will look different, from the inside it will look and feel different, the parking lots will be different, the entrances will be different. This is the key to making things new. And we want players to come from other teams. I don't want them to casually train in front of the elevator because there's no room in the guest locker room.

If everything goes according to plan, the “new” Capital One should be ready for use by the 2027/28 season. And that's exactly when, if everything goes according to plan, the “new” Wizards should have a young and promising core ready to re-enter the NBA after so long in the wilderness. The only way that can happen in the long run is if there are more short-term nights like Thursday, a step into what is sure to be a lost season again, a necessary punishment for so many decades of striving for mediocrity rather than excellence.

(Photo by Alex Sarr: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)