Orlando, Florida, Jan. 10 (BUS): Kyle Kuzma scored 27 points and the best 22 rebounds of his career, Bradley Beal scored 20 points and the Washington Wizards tied in the final quarter to beat the Orlando Magic 102-100 on Sunday night. .
Washington beat bobsleigh two games and beat Orlando for the second time this season. The Wizards slipped 71-67 after three quarters but improved to 6-18 as they entered fourth.
Washington outplayed the Magic 29-15 during a seven-minute stint in the final stretch to regain control.
“It’s great to win something so ugly,” said Washington coach Wes Onseld Jr. “I give credit to our guys. We didn’t play our best basketball in the first half, but we were able to gather ourselves and play better in the second half.”
Quintavius Caldwell-Pope scored 10 of 14 points and hit both of his three-pointers in the second half for Washington. The Associated Press reported that his triple pointer with 2:33 left gave the Wizards a 98-92 lead, the biggest lead since the early minutes of the game.
Kuzma scored 13 rebounds in the first half and became the first magician to score 20 rebounds since Russell Westbrook did it last season. Twenty of his boards came at the defensive end.
Bale made only 7 of 22 shots and did not reach 25 points for the first time in nine matches.
He only hit one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left to keep Orlando in. Gary Harris’ 3-point attempt is blocked by Beal in the last seconds, and Chuma Okeke’s attempt to return Chuma Okeke is partially blocked by Kuzma in the century.
“I almost made us go overtime because I saw Brad Block (Harris) and fell asleep and didn’t realize how long it was on the clock,” Kuzma said.
Orlando lost the ninth, its worst season in a row, and fell for the seventh time in a row. Magic dropped to 2-15 at home and hasn’t won in Orlando since December 1. Magic is 1-9 this season against enemies of the division.
Terence Ross scored 32 points for Orlando, who was playing for the second time in a row, after losing in Detroit on Saturday. Ross earned Orlando’s last 16 points in the third quarter and the first four points of the fourth period tied Tracy McGrady to the franchise’s 20-point winning streak. McGrady achieved the feat in 2003.
“The results haven’t been what we’d like, but we stick with it and we learn and we grow,” Ross said. “We will get over this hump eventually.”
Franz Wagner, the NBA’s best goal scorer this season, finished with 16 points. Cole Anthony made 4 from just 17 shots and finished with just 12 points, eight points off his season average. Magic Shot is only 39.6% from the ground.
Reconstruction of Kuzma
Kuzma said he once got 19 rebounds in a high school game but didn’t score 22 times.
“I’m just really closed off and focused,” Kuzma said. “I take care of my body every day. I just have to make sure my energy is right to go out and compete.”
roy returns
Roy Hashimura, who has been out for months with an eye problem and personal reasons and spent time in NBA health and safety protocols, made his season debut. Hashimura scored six points and three rebounds in 14 minutes.
Hint
Wizards: Kuzma broke his previous career high of 17 rebounds, which he achieved on Oct. 30 against Boston. …Montrezel Harrell cleared NBA health and safety protocols but the team decided to keep him in Washington. Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he expects Harrell to be ready to play on Tuesday. Davis Bertans is back after missing the previous game due to a sprain in his left foot. …Anthony Gill missed his fourth game in a row while he was on health and safety protocols in the NBA.
Magic: Missed PF Wendell Carter Jr. For his second game in a row due to a left hamstring injury. … Orlando is 1-8 on the second night of back-to-back.
next one
Wizards: Host Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
Magic: Play in Washington on Wednesdays.