Jared Butler Joins Elite Group In Wizards Loss

Jared Butler joined a group of NBA legends with his performance in the Washington Wizards loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jan 8, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jared Butler (4) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In the Washington Wizards 109-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, one player's electric performance stood out on the losing side.

Jared Butler, who was a second-round selection at 41st overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2021 NBA Draft, had his breakout game. Butler joined the Wizards in the summer of 2023 and has been on his current two-way contract since October 21, 2024.

After receiving extended minutes following an extensive injury report for the Wizards, Butler took advantage of the opportunity, scoring 26 points and notching seven assists.

With Butler's performance, he joined a group of elite NBA players in a rarified group of players who have totalled 26 points in 20 or less minutes of playing time in a given game. According to Kevin Broom of Bullets Forever, no player has achieved this mark twice. Butler is the first player in franchise history to achieve the mark, and is one of ten players to achieve the mark in a game that his team lost.

Butler scored exactly 26, but the leading scorer in 20 or less minutes in a game belongs to Paul George, who scored 37 as a member of the Clippers in a 49 point win against the Atlanta Hawks in 2019.

Other members of the elite club that Butler has just joined include Kevin Durant, Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. Butler is the second player to achieve the mark this year, as Buddy Hield of the Golden State Warriors totalled 27 in late October.

Butler's 7 assists rank second among all players who have achieved the 26-point mark, with Norm Van Lier notching 8 assists and 28 points in 1973 as his Chicago Bulls took on the Baltimore Bullets.

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