Porter Jr. leads Wizards over Pistons to a 101-87 victory

by
Former Writers
January 21, 2019

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The Washington Wizards returned home from their London trip on Monday afternoon to take on the Detroit Pistons. They showed no signs of jet lag as all five starters scored in double figures to defeat the Pistons 101-87. Trevor Ariza lead the way with 20 points and Otto Porter added 19 off the bench, including four 3-pointers.

.@TrevorAriza with the double-double and your @Biofreeze Performance of the Night.#WizPistons | #DCFamily pic.twitter.com/uwKWPU9xJO

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 21, 2019

Wizards Defense Swarmed In The First Half

Blake Griffin lead all scorers with 29, but only one other teammate scored in double figures. Without Andre Drummond, the Wizards held Detroit to only 40% shooting from the floor and forced 17 turnovers. The Pistons also were held to a season low 34 points in the first half, as the Wizards defense swarmed.

Bradley Beal didn’t have a great game, scoring 16 while shooting 4-12 from the field. However, he did have one of the best defensive plays of the game, when he blocked Bruce Brown on a drive that lead to a fast break three by Ariza. Thomas Bryant continued his breakout season with another double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Playoff Implications

Both teams leave this game with a 20-26 record and tied for ninth in the eastern conference, but they are heading in opposite directions. The Wizards have won seven out of ten and are playing well despite injuries to three major players. The Pistons on the other hand have been without their star center in Drummond (concussion) and have given up over 106 points per game over the last ten.

7-3 in our last 10 games ?#DCFamily pic.twitter.com/jJVcLtRyKG

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 21, 2019

Nice Moment

Washington quarterback Alex Smith made his first public appearance since his major leg surgery. He received cheers when he was showed on the screen and is in a substantial cast and brace. He’s attempting to make a comeback from a gruesome injury suffered in November that kept him in the hospital over a month.

Up Next For The Wizards

The Wizards will host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday at 8:00 pm on TNT. They allowed a season high 144 points in regulation when they played in Oakland earlier this season (Oct 24). Stephen Curry torched the Wizards for 51 points, hitting 11 threes, and did it without playing in the fourth quarter.