The Brooklyn Nets came up with timely shots late to outlast the Washington Wizards 121–115 on Sunday, snapping a prolonged skid.
Nolan Traore led the way with 23 points, knocking down five 3-pointers to go along with seven assists, while Jalen Wilson added 19 points as Brooklyn picked up just its second win in the last 14 games.
The loss continued a brutal stretch for Washington, which has dropped six straight and 22 of its last 23. Despite the defeat, the Wizards remain ahead of Brooklyn in the race for top lottery odds, with both teams near the bottom of the standings alongside Indiana.
Washington got big performances across the board. Will Riley followed up his 31-point outing the night before with 30 more, while Jamir Watkins scored 20. Julian Reese added a dominant double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Anthony Gill chipped in 17, with Bub Carrington finishing with 13.
Brooklyn countered with balanced scoring, getting 15 points apiece from E.J. Liddell and Josh Minott, plus 13 from Drake Powell and 12 from Ochai Agbaji.
The game turned in the final minutes. After Watkins buried a three-pointer to give Washington a four-point lead with under four minutes to play, the Nets responded with an 8–0 run. Traore capped it with a driving layup that put Brooklyn ahead 109–105 with two minutes remaining.
The Wizards briefly answered when Leaky Black hit a three to cut the deficit to one, but Brooklyn had the final word. Wilson and Traore drilled back-to-back triples to create breathing room, and a late layup from Trevon Scott sealed it in the closing seconds.
Washington, which has struggled defensively in recent games, couldn’t complete the comeback as Brooklyn executed down the stretch to secure the win.
Up next: the Wizards return home to face Chicago, while the Nets host Milwaukee as they look to build on the victory.
