Behind massive performances from Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma, the Washington Wizards picked up a big-time win on their home floor over the Brooklyn Nets. Final score: Wizards 110, Nets 104.
DENI AVDIJA BEING ASSERTIVE
Roughly four minutes into the first quarter, Kuzma gathered in a defensive rebound and hit Tyus Jones with an outlet pass. From there, Jones did what great point guards do: He kept his eyes up and patiently waited for the pieces to fall into place in transition. After one dribble, Jones saw Avdija streaking up the court and floated up a no-look lob pass. Avdija caught the ball, contorted in mid-air, and laid the ball off the glass perfectly with a reverse finish.
That was Avdija's first bucket of the game, and from that point on, he was in his bag, playing with a high level of confidence and swagger.
Avdija was doing a little bit of everything in the first half. With defensive rebounding being a point of emphasis heading into the game, he was consistently patrolling the glass and hunting down loose balls. When the rock was in his hands, he was creating good looks for his teammates using his ball-handling, change-of-pace, and basketball IQ. And then, when the time was right, he took advantage of what the defense was giving him and scored it himself.
That shot gave the Wizards a one-point lead and some crucial momentum heading into halftime.
Avdija finished the game with a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double to go along with six assists, one steal, one block, and only one turnover. It was arguably his best game as a Wizard.
"I felt like I was choosing my spots today," said Avdija after the game. "I was aggressive. I was just trying to make the right play. I felt like the ball was in my hands a lot today, but honestly, I was just looking at the final goal, which is to win."
COREY KISPERT & MIKE MUSCALA ANCHORING THE BENCH
Washington's bench played a pivotal role in securing the win on Friday night. Coulibaly was impactful defensively and helped clean the glass. Landry Shamet made all the right plays (including some big shots). And Delon Wright did what he always does: Defends at a high level and orchestrates the second unit offense.
While the entire bench was good, Corey Kispert and Mike Muscala were two gigantic X factors.
Kispert had a mild first half (five points) but came alive late in the third quarter after Brooklyn had gone on a run and built a nine-point lead. In just 2:34 of third-quarter action, Kispert dropped seven points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, including a massive three to cut the Nets' lead down to two points heading into the fourth.
Kispert finished the game with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 shooting from deep in 17 minutes of playing time.
The Nets' frontcourt poses problems for every team they play. They're big, athletic, and skilled. With Danilo Gallinari sidelined due to injury, the Wizards looked to Mike Muscala to play the backup five and knew they'd need big rotational minutes from him. What they didn't know ahead of the game is that Daniel Gafford would find himself in foul trouble early in the second half and Muscala would have to play his season-high in minutes.
Muscala was ready for the challenge. All night long, he scored with efficiency, stretched the floor, anchored the defense, blocked shots, and kept the positive momentum rolling.
After playing 11 minutes in the first half, Muscala checked in with roughly nine minutes left in the third quarter and never checked out. He played the final 21 minutes of the game and helped the Wizards bring home the W. He finished the night with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. He also had a team-high +21 plus/minus.
"To his credit, that's a guy who stays ready," said Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. about Muscala. "That's a tall task for anybody. Not just to be able to compete at that level but to make impactful plays. He was around the rim, using the rule of verticality, trying to put himself in position to impact the play. Throw in a couple of threes tonight and it does change the complexion of the game."
KYLE KUZMA CLOSING IT OUT
For the first three quarters, Kuzma was up and down. He was still impacting the game in positive ways (defending, rebounding, getting others involved). His shot just wasn't falling at the rate it normally does. But when it came down to closing time, Kuzma was the one to get the job done.
With 5:39 left in the game, Kuzma subbed in for his first fourth-quarter action, and it was go time right away. The game was tied when he checked in, but just two and a half minutes later, he had poured in nine points on 4-of-5 shooting and the Wizards had built a seven-point lead -- one they'd never relinquish.
"In that closing stretch there, we tried to matchup hunt a little bit and [Kuzma] was able to take advantage of it," said Unseld Jr. "I thought we were disciplined in our execution and our spacing which allowed him to play. And then obviously he stepped up and made big plays for us."
Here's how Kuzma described it in his own words after the game:
"That's how I want to play. When you think about top options on every team, that's how they play... Outside of the first and the fourth quarters -- the second and third -- I was really just out of rhythm. Took a bunch of grenade shots at the end of the shot clock just trying to make something happen. My teammates really just trusted me. They gave me the ball when I demanded it, and it feels good when your teammates trust you."
The Wizards are back in action on Sunday afternoon when the Atlanta Hawks come to town.