WASHINGTON — In a thrilling contest on Monday night, Jordan Poole powered the Washington Wizards to a 107-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets, ending the Wizards’ six-game losing streak. Poole, who amassed 26 points, delivered crucial baskets towards the closing moments to seal the victory for the home team.
The Wizards found themselves trailing narrowly at 97-96 before igniting a 7-0 run, punctuated by Poole’s impressive 3-pointer and a long two-point shot. Bilal Coulibaly also contributed significantly with 20 points, helping Washington secure only their 10th win this season.
Ziaire Williams was the top scorer for the Nets, putting up 19 points. However, Brooklyn struggled offensively in the final minutes, failing to score after Trendon Watford’s layup with 4:45 left in the game, only getting on the board again through Cam Johnson’s free throws with just 13 seconds on the clock.
This game marked a defensive milestone for the Wizards, as it was the first instance all season they held opponents to fewer than 100 points. The Nets managed to score only 12 points during the fourth quarter, while Washington, despite a quieter second half with just 40 points, clinched the win.
Both teams were missing crucial players due to injuries. Brooklyn played without D’Angelo Russell and Noah Clowney, both sidelined by ankle sprains, while Washington coped with the absence of Malcolm Brogdon and Alex Sarr for similar reasons.
Some takeaways from the game included Brooklyn’s setback in their play-in round aspirations, as they are now 1.5 games behind Chicago for the final spot and 0-2 against Washington, currently holding the league’s worst record.
On Washington’s side, the backcourt duo of Poole and Coulibaly was instrumental in the win, overcoming 23 team turnovers to achieve the result.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Coulibaly’s layup nudged Washington ahead at 98-97, setting the stage for Poole to tally the next seven points for the win.
Prior matches saw Washington allow more points, but they previously limited Brooklyn to a lesser offensive output in a 119-102 victory earlier this year.
Looking ahead, both teams will be back on the court Wednesday night, with Brooklyn hosting Oklahoma City and Washington facing off against Portland at home.
