Kyle Kuzma saved nine of his game-high 26 points for the final 5:23, Deni Avdija recorded his second double-double in nine days and the Washington Wizards pulled away from the visiting Brooklyn Nets late for a 110-104 victory Friday night.
Avdija finished with 21 points to go with a game-high 13 rebounds and a game-high-tying six assists for the Wizards, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Mikal Bridges had a team-high 19 points for the Nets, who dropped their second straight.
In a tightly contested game in which neither team led by more than nine, Kuzma produced the third and final lead change of the final period with a 10-footer that put Washington up 98-97 with 5:23 to go.
Landry Shamet followed with a three-point play, before Kuzma took over, connecting on three consecutive Washington hoops, including a 3-pointer, to help the hosts pull away.
Up 108-101 after Kuzma’s 3-pointer, the Wizards made only one more field goal over the final 3:23, that being an Avdija floater with 1:33 to go. The Nets couldn’t take advantage, however, scoring only three points — all on free throws — in the final 3:38.
Kuzma’s 26 points came on 11-for-22 shooting for Washington, which outshot the visitors 50.5 percent to 42.9 percent and outscored them 45-27 on 3-pointers. Kuzma had four of the 3-pointers, while Avdija, Corey Kispert and Mike Muscala each bombed in three.
Avdija also had a double-double — 13 points and 11 rebounds — in the Wizards’ most recent win, 118-117 win at Portland on Dec. 21.
Kispert chipped in Friday with 15 points, Tyus Jones 12 and Muscala 11 for Washington, which had been beaten twice in Brooklyn earlier in the season by a total of 35 points.
Five players joined Bridges with double-figure points for the Nets, including Nic Claxton, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and a team-high 12 rebounds to go with three blocks, and backup big man Day’Ron Sharpe, whose 10 points and nine rebounds left him one board shy of a double-double of his own.
Spencer Dinwiddie compiled 17 points, seven rebounds and a game-high-tying six assists for the Nets, who were opening a four-game trip. Cameron Johnson added 16 points and Cam Thomas 15.
–Field Level Media
