Anthony Davis didn’t just put up numbers in Washington’s opener - he set the tone, then watched the Wizards find another gear without him on the floor.
That was one of the more encouraging signs in Wednesday’s 128-116 win over the Bucks. Davis and Trae Young were both resting when the Wizards pushed ahead in the fourth quarter, and the group on the floor responded with real force. Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie and Deandre Ayton all made their mark in that stretch, helping Washington close the game with purpose.
Davis was impressed enough to want the rotation left alone.
“They were playing great defensively. They were making shots.
I was just like, ‘Let them go. Let ’em play,’” Davis said, via David Aldridge of The Athletic.
“You don’t want to mess up their rhythm.”
Davis finished with 34 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, the sort of all-around production Washington was expecting when it got him. Young didn’t score efficiently - he went 4-of-13 - but he kept the offense humming anyway, finishing with 13 assists and just one turnover. Five of those assists came in the fourth quarter.
“It’s not going to just be me and AD doing it,” Young said.
George’s night showed why that matters. Foul trouble held him down through the first three quarters, but he came through with 18 points and five assists, including several key baskets late.
Champagnie chipped in a three-pointer, a transition finish through contact and a pass ahead to Ayton for a dunk. Ayton helped seal defensive possessions, and Bilal Coulibaly, starting in place of the injured AJ Dybantsa, added a late putback dunk.
As Aldridge noted, the bigger task for Washington is turning all that development into steady, competitive basketball. Wednesday gave the Wizards a glimpse of what that can look like when younger pieces get real fourth-quarter responsibility.
“I was hyping them up. It was fun to see,” Davis said. “You get to see these guys play, and now (they) get to play for something meaningful, in big moments.”
Elsewhere, Darryn Peterson’s NBA debut didn’t jump off the page, but Utah may need to make sure it does going forward. The No. 2 overall pick scored nine points with four rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes during Wednesday’s 123-103 loss to the Grizzlies. He took only seven shots, hitting three, while Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen carried more of the offense.
Jared Koch of Jazz On SI argued that Peterson needs more aggression and better chances within the offense. Coach Will Hardy kept the first outing in perspective.
“I thought it was OK,” Hardy said. “But we’ve got to continue to improve execution.”
In Brooklyn, Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. gave the Nets something real to hang onto, even in a 110-103 loss to the Hornets. Together, they scored 59 points in their first regular-season game as teammates.
Randle had 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on 11-of-18 shooting. Porter added 26 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Ivan White of Nets On SI pointed out that the rest of the roster didn’t match that production, with the bench struggling and Egor Demin having a rough night.
Jordi Fernandez will need more help around his top scorers, but Brooklyn got an immediate sign that this pairing can work. Randle created, Porter scored, and for one night at least, that duo looked like a foundation.
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For Nets fans, the obvious subplot is how much Brown can offer right away without being pushed too hard. Jordi Fernndez has taken a cautious approach with the rookie guard, and the early plan points toward a bench role as Brooklyn prioritizes his long-term development and health over any rush to accelerate the timeline. [Read more 🡒]