In a game that had a little bit of everything, the Washington Wizards nearly completed a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback but fell just short. Final score: Magic 127, Wizards 119. Jordan Poole led the way with a game-high 30 points.
COREY KISPERT'S FIRST HALF HEROICS
The first half of this game was relatively steady. Both teams were going back and forth, playing firey and competitive basketball in front of an energetic crowd at Capital One Arena.
Tyus Jones got the Wizards' offense started with a steady diet of twos and threes. He scored eight of Washington's first 12 points and was the first Wizard in double figures with 11 points after the first quarter. Then, he handed the metaphorical baton to Corey Kispert to shoulder the load offensively.
Kispert went bonkers in the first half. He was getting to the rim in the half-court, leaking out in transition, and spotting up for threes. It was the quintessential Kispert experience. He scored all 15 of his points in the first half and didn't miss a single shot (6-of-6 from the field, 3-of-3 from deep).
What stood out most from Kispert was the degree of difficulty behind a couple of his shots. In the second quarter, he was spotting up in the corner and received a pass above his head. The defender was in his grill, so he didn't have time to bring the ball down and reset. Instead, Kispert fired the shot right where he caught it. Splash.
A few possessions later, Kispert was in the opposite corner and did the exact same thing. He caught the ball high and then released it high.
A FURIOUS FOURTH-QUARTER RALLY
At halftime, the Wizards were down by only three points and had done a spectacular job defensively on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who combined for 16 first-half points. Then, things shifted in the third quarter and the opening minutes of the fourth.
Banchero and Wagner attacked relentlessly with the ball in their hands, seemingly taking turns running pick-and-rolls over and over again. If they had a look at the rim, they scored. If they had an open teammate, they found them for an easy bucket. With roughly six minutes left in the fourth, the Magic extended their lead to 17 points, and with another game in less than 24 hours, it would've been easy for the Wizards to fold.
Only, they didn't.
Led by stout defense and an offensive flurry from Poole (more on this soon), the Wizards battled back, cutting the lead to four points with two minutes left. Ultimately, Banchero and Wagner made the biggest plays down the stretch and were able to stave off the scrappy Wizards, but the fight was there. The energy was inspiring.
"I'm proud of the fight," said Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. when reflecting on the fourth-quarter comeback. "We were able to get some stops, which allowed us to get out and run... We had a string of stops there. I think it was an 11-0 run... Being able to defend, rebound, and finish those possessions allowed us to walk them down a bit."
JORDAN POOLE'S OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Poole's first half was relatively quiet. That isn't to say it was bad -- he played within the flow of the offense and took the right shots -- but it was quiet. At halftime, he had seven points.
The third quarter was similar for Poole. He made a lot of nice plays -- on offense and defense -- and helped keep the team in the game despite the Magic's offensive onslaught. After three, Poole had 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field.
Then, in the fourth quarter, the Poole Party was on. He erupted for 18 points (including four triples) and was the offensive catalyst behind the Wizards' relentless fourth-quarter rally.
"Just trying to be aggressive down the stretch," said Poole when asked about his performance in the fourth quarter. "We needed to make one last push... We strung together a couple of stops. Just tried to be aggressive -- getting to the basket, taking advantage of the open opportunities."
Poole ended the night with a game-high 30 points on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting from the field and 6-of-11 shooting from deep to go along with three assists and three steals.
Other Wizards with notable performances: Jones continued his hot stretch of offensive basketball, scoring 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field to go along with six rebounds and six assists. Daniel Gafford notched a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double while adding three assists, three blocks, and two steals.
Washington is back in action on Wednesday night for the second leg of a home back-to-back.