addByline("Zach Rosen", "WashingtonWizards.com", "ZacharySRosen");
In need of a big road win, the Wizards defeated the Nets on Wednesday night, 125-116. Led by Bradley Beal’s 31 points and Trevor Ariza’s 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, the Wizards scored 29 points off Brooklyn’s 16 turnovers, out-rebounded the Nets 57-41, and assisted on 34 of 44 field goals.
Washington shut down the sharp-shooting Brooklyn from beyond the arc, holding the Nets to 22.9% from deep. Only three Nets scored in double figures, with D’Angelo Russell leading the charge with 28 points. Thomas Bryant, who was playing in his home state in front of family and friends, added 18 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Also, Bobby Portis had a double-double, and Tomas Satoransky dished out 10 assists.
"We know they shoot a lot of three’s," Ariza said postgame. "So for us to have an opportunity to win, we had to master intensity, take away their three’s and rebound the ball. Tonight I think we did all of those things.”
After the Nets started the game on a 10-0 run, the Wizards bounced back. Beal led the Wizards with 17 points in the first half, while Thomas Bryant added 14 off the bench in only 10 minutes of action. Jabari Parker and Troy Brown Jr. also played well on the glass, combining for 14 first half rebounds. Washington assisted on 23 of its 26 field goals in the first, and out-rebounded Brooklyn 31-25.
In the third quarter, the Wizards thrived off the Nets’ turnovers. Forcing seven for 15 points, Ariza and his Washington teammates took advantage of Brooklyn’s miscues. Ariza scored 14 points in the third quarter, in which the Wizards outscored the Nets 33-19.
Beal finished the month of February averaging 30.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Notably, he shot 94.5% from the free throw line, crediting a tweak to his rhythm as the main contributing factor. Coupled with two straight All-Star appearances, Beal has evolved into one of the best players in the league.
“It’s a huge accomplishment. I just want to win – whatever it looks like," Beal said postgame. "Sometimes it’s going to involve me scoring 30-plus and some nights I won’t have to. So whatever it looks like, I want to go out there and get it done. That’s a huge accomplishment. I’ve just got to continue to get better. I’m super confident right now in my game and I’m just trying to make the playoffs.”
The Wizards gained a game in the standings on the eighth seed Hornets, moving to three games back of a playoff spot. They also tied the season series with the Nets and now trail them by six games for the No. 6 seed.
Washington will look for another road win on Friday night against the Celtics. Tip is set for 8:00 P.M. for the Wizards’ lone trip to Boston this season.