CJ McCollum and Kyshawn George led the way with a game-high 28 points in the Washington Wizards' 130-122 win on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies
A second-half comeback tilted the scale in the Washington Wizards' favor on Saturday night, walking out of Memphis with a 130-122 win against the Grizzles.
CJ McCollum and KyShawn George led the way with a game-high 28 points.
George, however, scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half where he shot 10-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-7 from three, while adding seven rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes. Alex Sarr notched his first double double since Nov. 25 after adding 18 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, while six threes from McCollum fueled his 26 points. Bub Carrington added 14 points and seven rebounds, Justin Champagnie added 11 rebounds off the bench while Marvin Bagley added 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting to serve as a vital piece in the rotation once again.
Washington opened the game nearly even though the first eight minutes before a 7-0 gave Memphis separation thanks to four points from Jaren Jackson within 65 seconds. Washington clawed back in the opening minutes of the second quarter to make it a one score game before Jackson and Santi Aldama helped give the Grizzlies cushion, eventually outscoring Washington by ten to take a 68-53 lead into the break.
But the third quarter shift would make it a brand new game as McCollum and George took over down the stretch with the two combining for 15 points over the final 4:01 to tie the game at 95 heading into the fourth quarter.
What felt like a familiar feeling began to set in after the Grizzles opened the final stanza on an 8-0 run before Marvin Bagley III's tip in ended the near three-minute cold streak before a three from Kyshawn George one minute later made it a one score game.
With less than five minutes left, CJ McCollum knocked down a 24-foot running jumper to give Washington its first lead of the second half, up 115-112, but the Wizards would retake the lead minutes later after McCollum and Alex Sarr drilled consecutive threes to make it a 1121-119 contest. Then the defense loomed large, drawing a change on Jaren Jackson before Sarr's four-foot jumper gave Washington the needed cushion with just 108 seconds left.
Five free throws between George and Bub Carrington over the final 31.7 seconds was enough to cement the win, giving Washington its third road win of the season and fifth overall.
Whether Washington can now parlay its win into a win streak is the next question for the Wizards after closing the road trip 2-1. Washington will now return to the Capital One Arena to host the San Antonio Spurs for a 7 PM tipoff on Sunday, Dec. 21 in a chance to avenge last week's humbling road loss.
The 119-94 loss at San Antonio on Dec. 18 marked the lone loss on the three game road trip after the Spurs outscored the Wizards, 62-41, in the second half en route to a blowout loss. The road loss also marked the first game back for Alex Sarr, giving the sophomore phenom a chance at redemption against one of the league's best in Victor Wembanyama.