Washington Wizards

Jackson Filyo

Coach Unseld, Bradley Beal and Daniel Gafford spoke to the media after the Wizards’ win over with the Pelicans on January 28 in New Orleans.

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Postgame Press - WAS at NO: Wes Unseld Jr., Bradley Beal, Daniel Gafford

Luke Askew

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.

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."

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 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.

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.

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Recap: Wizards pick up fifth-straight win, beat Pelicans 113-103 Saturday in NOLA

Highlights from the Wizards’ matchup with the Pelicans on January 28 in New Orleans.

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Highlights: Wizards at Pelicans // Jan. 28

Highlights from Daniel Gafford’s career-high 21-point performance in the Wizards’ matchup with the Pelicans on January 28 in New Orleans.

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Highlights: Daniel Gafford at Pelicans // Jan. 28

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Photos: Wizards at Pelicans // Jan. 28

The Wizards (22-26) are in the midst of one of their best stretches of the season as they're currently riding a four-game winning streak. Now, they're heading to the Big Easy on Saturday night to take on the Pelicans (26-23), who have lost their last six games. Here's everything you need to know.

WHERE: Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, LA)WHEN: 8:00 p.m. ETTV: NBC Sports WashingtonRADIO: The Team 980 & The Wizards App

WIZARDS:Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain -- doubtful)

PELICANS: Dyson Daniels (right ankle sprain -- out)E.J. Liddell (right knee; ACL injury recovery -- out)Zion Williamson (right hamstring strain -- out)

Over the course of this four-game winning streak, the Wizards' offense has been humming. They're tied for fifth in points per game (122.3), sixth in free-throws made (21.0), tied for sixth in offensive rebounds (12.0), second in assists (29.3), first in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.85), third in turnovers (10.3), and fourth in second-chance points (16.5). Their defense hasn't been bad, but their offense has been carrying them.

The assist numbers are the ones that really jump off the page. All season long, Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has been saying he likes when his team gets to 30 assists. After the win against the Magic, Unseld Jr. said, "Any time you get a 30-plus assist night, it usually tips in your favor."

It's a lofty number, considering no team in the league averages 30 assists per game (the Warriors lead the league with 29.3), but it's a good benchmark. When the Wizards move the ball, good things happen, because more guys are involved and it's less predictable. Here are the assist numbers over their last four games:

If Washington can continue to move the ball at this rate, the wins should continue to pile up.

The Pelicans are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to forcing turnovers and creating scoring opportunities off of those turnovers. They're second in the league in steals per game (8.5) and third in points off turnovers (19.2). Their activity on defense is a big reason why they're top 10 in points per game (115.3). Whether it's Herbert Jones' length and athleticism or Jose Alvarado's scrappy relentlessness, the Pelicans don't allow you to make any sloppy plays. They force you to play clean basketball.

Thankfully, after missing the Wizards' last game due to right hamstring soreness, starting point guard Monte Morris is off the injury report and ready to suit up. His ball security and high basketball IQ are the main reasons why the Wizards are a top-10 team in turnovers per game (13.8). At an absurd 6.03, Morris has the best assist-to-turnover ratio of any player in the association. He simply doesn't make mistakes with the ball in his hands.

If the Wizards can protect the rock and limit how often the Pelicans are able to score off turnovers, they'll have a good shot to keep their winning streak alive.

Kyle Kuzma is playing the best basketball of his career. All the pieces of his game that fans have seen develop over the years are coming together at one time to form a truly unique and special basketball player. At 6-foot-10, Kuzma's ability to initiate out of the pick-and-roll as the ball handler, set on-ball screens, pull up for jumpers, play out of the post, run in transition, and score in isolation settings is a combination not many guys in the league have.

Over the Wizards' four-game winning streak, the numbers speak for themselves. Kuzma is averaging 28.8 points on 47.8% shooting from the field to go along with 9.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

The craziest part of this streak has been his ability to heat up quicker than a Bunsen burner, going from a seemingly-casual performance to an All-Star-level game in a matter of moments. Two games ago, in a Tuesday night meeting with the Mavericks, Kuzma only scored six points in the first half. He finished the game with 30. Then, one night later in Houston, he did almost the exact same thing, scoring four points in the first half and finishing with 33.

Kuzma has been playing out of his mind lately, and if this keeps up, there's a whole new world of opportunities for him and the Wizards.

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Preview: Wizards shoot for fifth-straight win, face Pelicans Saturday in NOLA

Coach Unseld, Bradley Beal and Kendrick Nunn spoke to the media after the Wizards’ matchup with the Rockets on January 25 in Rockets.

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Postgame Press - WAS at HOU: Wes Unseld Jr., Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kendrick Nunn

The Wizards walked into the Toyota Center on Wednesday evening boasting a three-game winning streak but were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off a hard-fought battle in Dallas less than 24 hours earlier. It took the Wizards some time to get going, but once they did, it was enough for a win over the Rockets. A fourth-quarter scoring push from Kyle Kuzma lifted Washington to a 108-103 victory.

Playing on the second night of a road back-to-back is one of the hardest things to do in the NBA, especially when the first game was as emotionally and physically draining as the 48-minute battle that resulted in a one-point win in Dallas. That's what the Wizards were struggling with Wednesday night in Houston.

"Not the prettiest game," said Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. "Didn't have the energy in that first half. Just came out a little sluggish."

The Rockets brought the energy right away, connecting on their first four shots and jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the first 90 seconds. The Rockets continued to look solid for the bulk of the first quarter, and the Wizards struggled to make shots.

In the second quarter, things got even worse for the Wizards. They went ice-cold from three-point range and couldn't generate any sort of consistency on offense. The Rockets got their lead up to 19 points late in the second quarter, but the Wizards widdled it down to 15 at the break, trailing 58-43. The Wizards shot a brutal 4-of-20 from deep in the first half.

Then, in the second half, Washington turned up the pressure. They buckled down on defense (Houston didn't make a single three-pointer in the third quarter), but their offense was still struggling. Going into the final frame, the Wizards were down 10 points. That's when everything flipped upside down.

The Wizards started the fourth quarter on a roll, outscoring the Rockets 23-4 to open the period, giving them their first lead of the game. From there, the Wizards never relinquished their lead. It was curtains for the Rockets.

Similar to the Wizards as a whole, Kuzma had a tough start to the game. At halftime, he only had four points and was having a difficult time getting himself involved on the offensive end of the floor. Coming out of the locker room after halftime, it looked like he had a mentality shift. He started getting downhill and attacking the rim relentlessly. He scored nine points in the third quarter.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Kuzma morphed into a microwave, heating up in a matter of moments. Kuzma played all 12 minutes in the fourth and poured in 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 shooting from three-point land. A human highlight reel, Kuzma brought his game total up to 33 points on 12-of-25 shooting from the field and helped boost the Wizards to their fourth-straight win.

Combo guard Kendrick Nunn (acquired via trade from the Lakers on Monday) made his Wizards debut in the second quarter of Wednesday's game in Houston. He took a few minutes to get acclimated to the flow of his new team, and then inserted himself nicely and made some of the biggest plays of the game in the second half.

At the start of the fourth quarter, in the middle of the Wizards' 23-4 run, Nunn had back-to-back possessions of pure brilliance. First, he drove down the lane and hammered home a nasty one-handed slam. Then, he hit a streaking Kuzma with a sleek behind-the-back pass for a layup. Those plays injected a bolt of lightning into the Wizards team, shifting the energy for the rest of the game.

Nunn finished the game with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 shooting from deep to go along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero turnovers.

"I thought he was good," said Unseld Jr. when asked about Nunn. "He made a heck of a play down the gut for a dunk. I thought that really kind of got the group going. He's a good player. He's got the ability to fill it up, play out of pick-and-rolls. He can score."