Field Level Media
Dec 16, 2019
Bradley Beal poured in 35 points and dished out 10 assists and the Washington Wizards snapped a four-game losing streak by pulling away from the host Detroit Pistons 133-119 on Monday.
Isaiah Thomas, who missed the previous five games with a calf strain, supplied 23 points. Davis Bertans contributed 17 points off the bench while Ish Smith had 10 points and seven assists. Troy Brown Jr. added 10 points and six rebounds for Washington.
Markieff Morris had 22 points and five rebounds for the Pistons. Derrick Rose contributed 22 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Bruce Brown had 20 points. Luke Kennard added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Detroit's frontcourt stars missed the game. Andre Drummond, the league's leading rebounder, sat out for the second straight game due to left eye inflammation related to an allergic reaction. Blake Griffin was sidelined by left knee soreness. He has appeared in only 14 of the team's 27 games.
Washington's rookie forward Rui Hachimura sat out the second half with a groin contusion.
The Wizards entered the game ranked last in the league in points allowed and opponents' field-goal percentage. Washington won the first meeting between the teams 115-99 on Nov. 4.
Detroit had gone 6-3 at home against the Wizards since the 2014-15 season.
Beal scored 21 first-half points as Washington led 67-61 at halftime.
The Wizards attacked the Pistons' depleted frontcourt from the start, piling up 10 layups or dunks in the first quarter alone while scoring 43 points in the quarter. That total was the most Detroit has allowed in any quarter this season.
The Wizards led by as much as 16 in the second quarter but the Pistons chipped away as four of their players had at least nine first-half points, led by Morris' 13.
Washington increased the lead to 10, 89-79, with 3:33 left in the third quarter on Admiral Schofield's 3-pointer.
Schofield was whistled for a Flagrant Foul 1 later in the quarter when he tried to block a Christian Wood dunk attempt. Rose scored seven points late the quarter to cut Washington's advantage to 96-91 entering the fourth.
Rose's layup with 8:18 remaining made it 102-99. Beal hit two free throws with 5:20 remaining to increase Washington's lead to six, 114-108.
Beal hit a jumper with less than four minutes to go to make it 119-111. He dunked with 3:16 left for a 121-113 Wizards lead. Bertans converted a four-point play moments later, extending Washington's lead to 12 points.
--Field Level Media