Led by a collection of role players and late surges from Kyle Kuzma and Bradley Beal, the Wizards extended their win-streak to a season-best five, beating the Pelicans 113-103 in New Orleans on Saturday night. Daniel Gafford led the team in scoring, putting up a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double to go along with five blocks.
CONTROLLING THE GLASS
For the Wizards as a unit, the biggest area of success came by way of rebounding. Whether it was the offensive end of the floor or the defensive end, they controlled the boards with technique and physicality, making it look easy.
Washington gobbled up 53 rebounds to the Pelicans' 42, and grabbed a whopping 13 offensive boards, leading to 25 second-chance points.
"Obviously, our bigs stepped up and rebounded at a high rate on both sides," said Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. "Plus-11 on the glass is big. You force some misses, you're getting some stops. And then of course late in the game, we had some timely rebounds that helped keep them at bay."
DANIEL GAFFORD'S BIG NIGHT
With Kristaps Porzingis missing his third consecutive game with a sprained left ankle, Gafford was as important as ever on Saturday night in New Orleans, and he answered the call. Right from the jump it was clear that Gafford was bringing the energy. In the first half, he looked like he was playing on a trampoline, turning the game into his own personal highlight reel. He was throwing down vicious slam after vicious slam, putting constant pressure on the rim.
Not only was Gafford putting up tens across the board with his dunks, but he was big in every facet of the game. He finished with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from the free-throw line to go along with 12 boards, five blocks, and two assists. Overall, it was a dominant night for the big man in the middle.
SUPERB PRODUCTION FROM THE SUPPORTING CAST
It's no secret that Kuzma and Beal are the main cogs that make this Wizards machine run. They're two of the most dynamic offensive players in the Eastern Conference, and they're a nightmare for opposing defenses every time they step on the floor. But tonight, both of the Wizards' stars struggled with their shots for extended periods of time, putting the fate of the game in the hands of the supporting cast. Thankfully, every single Wizard was up for the challenge.
Deni Avdija continued his torrid run of development, adding a crafty offensive package to his already-elite defense. On Saturday, he was in full attack mode, looking to run in transition and get downhill whenever possible. Avdija finished the game with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field to go along with nine boards, one assist, and two steals.
"His downhill aggression, playing with force," said Unseld Jr. on Avdija. "The biggest key for him is just being decisive. And he's done that as of late. Making better decisions, I think playing with a little bit more aggression. I think it's been good for him. He's been good for us."
It wasn't just Avdija that propelled the supporting unit. Corey Kispert had his jump shot primed and ready to go as he knocked down 4-of-6 from deep to give him 12 points. Taj Gibson was crucial in Gafford-less minutes for the Wizards, adding nine points and 10 boards. Kendrick Nunn played the role of a spark plug scorer yet again, scoring 12 points in 18 minutes. And the two Wizards' point guards, Monte Morris and Delon Wright, scored 10 and eight points, respectively.
Through three quarters, it was the role players that were leading the way for the Wizards. Their leading scorers were: Gafford (21 points), Avdija (13 points), Kispert (12 points), and Gibson (nine points). Those guys brought the energy for the first chunk of the game, setting the stage for the Wizards' stars to take over when it mattered most, and that's exactly what happened.
KUZMA AND BEAL TURNING IT ON
Kuzma didn't notch his first points of the game until he hit a three-ball with 9:25 left in the third quarter. That three seemed to light a spark under the 6-foot-10 forward, who would go on to score 10 total points in the second half. It may not seem like much, but those 10 second-half points were big time. Kuzma finished the game with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field to go along with nine boards, five assists, one steal, and one block.
Beal knocked down some shots early in the first quarter but then went cold. He had a mere seven points heading into the final frame, but then came alive when the Wizards needed him most. With 8:16 left in the fourth quarter, the Wizards took a 96-80 lead, their biggest of the game, and looked like they had the evening secured. But then, disaster struck. The Wizards committed a few untimely turnovers and the Pelicans capitalized, going on a 12-1 run, bringing them within five, and officially making things worrisome for the Wizards faithful.
Until Beal stepped up.
With 4:30 left in the game and the Wizards up by five points, Beal took control. He backed down Jose Alvarado into the mid-post and hit a tough pull-up jumper, plus the foul, converting on the three-point play opportunity. Then, on the next possession, he hit a three from the top of the key. Once more, on the next possession, he got fouled and knocked down two free throws.
Beal scored eight consecutive points for the Wizards in roughly a two-minute time span and secured the team's fifth dub in a row. He finished the game with 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field and added five assists and four rebounds.