CJ McCollum scored 27 points and delivered late when Washington needed it most, helping the Wizards hold off a furious rally for a 120-112 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
Washington appeared in full control after Justin Champagnie’s 3-pointer pushed the lead to 89-63 midway through the third quarter, but the young Wizards struggled to close as Orlando stormed back. The Magic trimmed the deficit to 14 by the end of the period and continued to surge while Washington opened the fourth quarter shooting just 2 of 10 from the field.
Goga Bitadze’s layup pulled Orlando within 107-105 with just over five minutes remaining, putting the Wizards on the brink of a historic collapse. McCollum quickly steadied the game, setting up Alex Sarr for an alley-oop before knocking down a midrange jumper and a 3-pointer to restore breathing room. Another McCollum triple made it 117-107 with 1:52 left, effectively sealing the win.
Sarr finished with 23 points as Washington won its fifth game in the last seven after starting the season 3-20. For Orlando, Jase Richardson led the way off the bench with 20 points, while Desmond Bane added 15.
The Magic, still missing starters Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs due to injuries, will look to regroup Wednesday in Brooklyn, while the Wizards travel to Philadelphia.
