The 2008-09 Washington Wizards faced a challenging NBA season, finishing with a disappointing 19-63 record. This performance placed them last in the Southeast Division and tied for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Injuries played a significant role in their struggles, with star guard Gilbert Arenas limited to just two games due to knee issues, and other key players like Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson also missing substantial time.
Despite the adversity, there were some bright spots, including the emergence of Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, who both averaged over 20 points per game. The team underwent coaching changes mid-season, with Eddie Jordan being replaced by interim coach Ed Tapscott. The Wizards’ struggles led to a roster overhaul in the following offseason, as they aimed to rebuild and return to playoff contention. Overall, the season was marked by injuries, instability, and underperformance on the court.
- Regular Season Record: 19-63
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Washington Wizards Roster and Stats for 2008-09 Season
POINTS
Antawn Jamison
22.2
REBOUNDS
Antawn Jamison
8.9
ASSISTS
Gilbert Arenas
10.0
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Antawn Jamison | 81 | 22.2 | 8.9 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 35.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Caron Butler | 67 | 20.8 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 31.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gilbert Arenas | 2 | 13.0 | 4.5 | 10.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 28.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nick Young | 82 | 10.9 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 34.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Andray Blatche | 71 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 23.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brendan Haywood | 6 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike James | 53 | 9.6 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 36.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Darius Songaila | 77 | 7.4 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| DeShawn Stevenson | 32 | 6.6 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 27.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| JaVale McGee | 75 | 6.5 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Javaris Crittenton | 56 | 5.3 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 14.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Juan Dixon | 50 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Antonio Daniels | 13 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 45.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dominic McGuire | 79 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 50.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Oleksiy Pecherov | 32 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 32.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Etan Thomas | 26 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dee Brown | 17 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Washington Wizards 2008-09 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 2008-09 season for the Washington Wizards.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2008 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 95-85 | |
| Nov 01, 2008 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 117-109 | |
| Nov 05, 2008 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-104 | |
| Nov 07, 2008 | vs. New York Knicks | L 114-108 | |
| Nov 08, 2008 | @ Orlando Magic | L 106-81 | |
| Nov 12, 2008 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 95-87 | |
| Nov 14, 2008 | @ Miami Heat | L 97-77 | |
| Nov 18, 2008 | vs. Miami Heat | L 94-87 | |
| Nov 19, 2008 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 91-87 | |
| Nov 21, 2008 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 103-91 | |
| Nov 22, 2008 | @ New York Knicks | L 122-117 | |
| Nov 25, 2008 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 124-100 | |
| Nov 27, 2008 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 105-90 | |
| Nov 29, 2008 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 102-98 | |
| Dec 02, 2008 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 108-88 | |
| Dec 03, 2008 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 98-92 | |
| Dec 05, 2008 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 106-104 | |
| Dec 06, 2008 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 117-110 | |
| Dec 09, 2008 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 107-94 | |
| Dec 11, 2008 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 122-88 | |
| Dec 13, 2008 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 104-89 | |
| Dec 15, 2008 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 118-98 | |
| Dec 17, 2008 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 88-74 | |
| Dec 19, 2008 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 109-103 | |
| Dec 21, 2008 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 97-86 | |
| Dec 23, 2008 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | L 80-72 | |
| Dec 25, 2008 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 93-89 | |
| Dec 27, 2008 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | W 104-95 | |
| Dec 29, 2008 | @ Houston Rockets | W 89-87 | |
| Dec 30, 2008 | @ New Orleans Hornets | L 97-85 | |
| Jan 02, 2009 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-83 | |
| Jan 04, 2009 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 80-77 | |
| Jan 06, 2009 | @ Orlando Magic | L 89-80 | |
| Jan 07, 2009 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 99-93 | |
| Jan 09, 2009 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 98-86 | |
| Jan 10, 2009 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | L 92-89 | |
| Jan 12, 2009 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 97-91 | |
| Jan 14, 2009 | @ New York Knicks | L 128-122 | |
| Jan 16, 2009 | vs. New York Knicks | W 96-89 | |
| Jan 19, 2009 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 119-98 | |
| Jan 21, 2009 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 110-107 | |
| Jan 22, 2009 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-97 | |
| Jan 24, 2009 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 100-87 | |
| Jan 26, 2009 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 103-87 | |
| Jan 28, 2009 | @ Miami Heat | L 93-71 | |
| Jan 30, 2009 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 104-94 | |
| Jan 31, 2009 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 106-94 | |
| Feb 02, 2009 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | L 113-97 | |
| Feb 04, 2009 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 115-88 | |
| Feb 06, 2009 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 124-103 | |
| Feb 08, 2009 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 119-117 | |
| Feb 10, 2009 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 111-90 | |
| Feb 11, 2009 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | L 101-89 | |
| Feb 17, 2009 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 111-103 | |
| Feb 20, 2009 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 107-96 | |
| Feb 21, 2009 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 98-67 | |
| Feb 25, 2009 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 106-98 | |
| Feb 27, 2009 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-90 | |
| Feb 28, 2009 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-93 | |
| Mar 02, 2009 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 98-89 | |
| Mar 04, 2009 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | L 88-83 | |
| Mar 06, 2009 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 100-78 | |
| Mar 07, 2009 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 119-103 | |
| Mar 09, 2009 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 110-99 | |
| Mar 11, 2009 | vs. New Orleans Hornets | L 109-98 | |
| Mar 13, 2009 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 112-103 | |
| Mar 15, 2009 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 106-104 | |
| Mar 17, 2009 | @ Utah Jazz | L 103-88 | |
| Mar 18, 2009 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 123-108 | |
| Mar 20, 2009 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 116-105 | |
| Mar 21, 2009 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 128-96 | |
| Mar 23, 2009 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 101-99 | |
| Mar 25, 2009 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | W 95-93 | |
| Mar 28, 2009 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 98-96 | |
| Mar 29, 2009 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 124-115 | |
| Apr 01, 2009 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | L 112-107 | |
| Apr 02, 2009 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 109-101 | |
| Apr 04, 2009 | vs. Miami Heat | L 118-104 | |
| Apr 08, 2009 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 98-86 | |
| Apr 10, 2009 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 100-98 | |
| Apr 13, 2009 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 97-96 | |
| Apr 15, 2009 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-107 |