The Washington Wizards are as a lot of a rebuilding workforce as you will get, however they could have one thing lastly working for them. Particularly when Jordan Poole is making warmth checks.
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The Wizards guard surprised the Denver Nuggets on Saturday with a deep, pull-up 3-pointer to interrupt a 123-123 tie with 1.8 seconds left. A remaining heave from Nikola Jokić missed, giving Washington its sixth win in its previous 10 video games.
By Wizards requirements, that is a scorching streak.
The NBA’s web site measured Poole’s shot as a 35-footer.
Extra encouraging for the Wizards was a profession recreation by 2024 No. 2 total choose Alex Sarr, who posted 34 factors on 12-of-28 taking pictures, plus six rebounds and 5 assists. Earlier than Saturday, his profession excessive was 22 factors. Poole completed with 19 factors on 7-of-11 taking pictures.
Jokić completed with 40 factors, 13 rebounds and 9 assists, which might have helped him within the NBA MVP race had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not posted 48 factors in a win over the Detroit Pistons the identical day.
Make no mistake, the Wizards are nonetheless 15-51 and useless final within the Jap Convention, however the win does make them a half-game higher than the Utah Jazz for the worst report within the league. Earlier than Feb. 24, they had been 9-47 and on tempo for one of many worst seasons in NBA historical past.
Now, you may squint and kinda see some progress for a workforce that wants it. In Washington, that is excellent news.