Washington — During an intense game on Wednesday night, the Washington Wizards emerged victorious against the Sacramento Kings with a score of 116-111, thereby equalizing their season series. Jordan Poole shone with an impressive 23 points for the Wizards. He was well-supported by Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson, who both chipped in 19 points. Tristan Vukcevic and Anthony Gill contributed significantly, scoring 17 and 10 points, respectively. The Wizards entered this game with only 16 wins, a number matched only by Utah at the bottom of the NBA standings.
The Kings mounted a formidable comeback attempt led by DeMar DeRozan, who posted 29 points in total and scored 20 of those in the dramatic fourth quarter. Despite the Kings’ 34-25 run in the final quarter, their efforts fell short as they never managed to close the gap beyond two points within the last minute of play. Domantas Sabonis posted a double-double for the Kings with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine each added 18 points.
The Kings’ loss marked their third consecutive defeat, starting the final six-game road trip of their season unfavorably. Holding the crucial 10th spot necessary for the play-in tournament, Sacramento is on the edge with just two more games left against teams lower in the Western Conference standings or already out of the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Wizards broke their three-game losing streak, notching their eighth home victory in the season despite possessing the lowest home game win record.
A pivotal moment occurred when JT Thor, newly recalled from the G League and in his 16th game for Washington, seized the opportunity by making a crucial 3-point shot with just 40 seconds remaining. DeRozan was unable to capitalize on a close-range opportunity, missing a layup that halted further progress from the Kings. Carrington extended the Wizards’ lead by sinking two free throws with 28.2 seconds left, sealing the game.
A decisive factor in the outcome was the Wizards’ proficiency from the 3-point line, converting 17 out of 43 attempts, while the Kings struggled significantly with a collective performance of just 10 out of 39 from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, the Kings will continue their road expedition by visiting Charlotte on Friday night, while the Wizards will look to capitalize on their home advantage as they conclude their homestand against Orlando on Thursday night.