WASHINGTON --&nbsp;Paolo Banchero is finishing strong in his bid for Rookie of the Year honors.
Banchero had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Markelle Fultz added 25 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Friday night.
The Wizards managed only 13 points in the final quarter and fell to three games behind Chicago for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with five games remaining. Orlando remained four games behind the Bulls, who routed Charlotte 121-91.
Banchero, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft out of Duke, is the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and Fultz gave him an endorsement.
&ldquo;I think you just see it, playing both ends of the floor, being able to create, being confident and poised," Fultz said. "I don't really think it's any discussion about it, but of course people got to vote.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

WASHINGTON --&nbsp;Paolo Banchero is finishing strong in his bid for Rookie of the Year honors.
Banchero had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Markelle Fultz added 25 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Friday night.
The Wizards managed only 13 points in the final quarter and fell to three games behind Chicago for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with five games remaining. Orlando remained four games behind the Bulls, who routed Charlotte 121-91.
Banchero, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft out of Duke, is the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and Fultz gave him an endorsement.
&ldquo;I think you just see it, playing both ends of the floor, being able to create, being confident and poised," Fultz said. "I don't really think it's any discussion about it, but of course people got to vote.&rdquo;
Washington was without its top three players &mdash; Bradley Beal (left knee), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Kyle Kuzma (right ankle).
Corey Kispert scored a career-high 27 points for Washington but did not manage a shot attempt in the fourth until the final minute. He made nine of the Wizards' 17 3-pointers.
Washington scored the first 13 points of the third quarter and led 76-60. The Magic cut the lead to three later in the quarter but the Wizards were up 96-85 entering the fourth.
In that final period, however, Orlando shut Washington down. The Wizards went 1 of 11 from long distance in the fourth and 5 of 23 from the field.
&ldquo;Some of the shots we were passing up, we've got to just take them, make or miss,&rdquo; Wizards guard Delon Wright said. &ldquo;I feel like that was the biggest thing &mdash; just not being confident in some of the shots we were taking.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

WASHINGTON --&nbsp;Paolo Banchero is finishing strong in his bid for Rookie of the Year honors.
Banchero had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Markelle Fultz added 25 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Friday night.
The Wizards managed only 13 points in the final quarter and fell to three games behind Chicago for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with five games remaining. Orlando remained four games behind the Bulls, who routed Charlotte 121-91.
Banchero, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft out of Duke, is the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and Fultz gave him an endorsement.
&ldquo;I think you just see it, playing both ends of the floor, being able to create, being confident and poised," Fultz said. "I don't really think it's any discussion about it, but of course people got to vote.&rdquo;
Washington was without its top three players &mdash; Bradley Beal (left knee), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Kyle Kuzma (right ankle).
Corey Kispert scored a career-high 27 points for Washington but did not manage a shot attempt in the fourth until the final minute. He made nine of the Wizards' 17 3-pointers.
Washington scored the first 13 points of the third quarter and led 76-60. The Magic cut the lead to three later in the quarter but the Wizards were up 96-85 entering the fourth.
In that final period, however, Orlando shut Washington down. The Wizards went 1 of 11 from long distance in the fourth and 5 of 23 from the field.
&ldquo;Some of the shots we were passing up, we've got to just take them, make or miss,&rdquo; Wizards guard Delon Wright said. &ldquo;I feel like that was the biggest thing &mdash; just not being confident in some of the shots we were taking.&rdquo;
The Magic finally took a 105-103 lead on a 3-pointer by Cole Anthony. That was part of a 13-2 run that put Orlando up by eight.
Anthony scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth.
&ldquo;That midrange, I think we found a time in the possessions that it was a clean look, it was the right look," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "His ability to walk in there and step in there with confidence is what we've asked him to do.&rdquo;
ADJUSTMENT
Wright credited Orlando's zone defense with helping to turn the tide, and Mosley said the Magic defended well as a team.
&nbsp;

WASHINGTON --&nbsp;Paolo Banchero is finishing strong in his bid for Rookie of the Year honors.
Banchero had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Markelle Fultz added 25 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Friday night.
The Wizards managed only 13 points in the final quarter and fell to three games behind Chicago for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with five games remaining. Orlando remained four games behind the Bulls, who routed Charlotte 121-91.
Banchero, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft out of Duke, is the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and Fultz gave him an endorsement.
&ldquo;I think you just see it, playing both ends of the floor, being able to create, being confident and poised," Fultz said. "I don't really think it's any discussion about it, but of course people got to vote.&rdquo;
Washington was without its top three players &mdash; Bradley Beal (left knee), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Kyle Kuzma (right ankle).
Corey Kispert scored a career-high 27 points for Washington but did not manage a shot attempt in the fourth until the final minute. He made nine of the Wizards' 17 3-pointers.
Washington scored the first 13 points of the third quarter and led 76-60. The Magic cut the lead to three later in the quarter but the Wizards were up 96-85 entering the fourth.
In that final period, however, Orlando shut Washington down. The Wizards went 1 of 11 from long distance in the fourth and 5 of 23 from the field.
&ldquo;Some of the shots we were passing up, we've got to just take them, make or miss,&rdquo; Wizards guard Delon Wright said. &ldquo;I feel like that was the biggest thing &mdash; just not being confident in some of the shots we were taking.&rdquo;
The Magic finally took a 105-103 lead on a 3-pointer by Cole Anthony. That was part of a 13-2 run that put Orlando up by eight.
Anthony scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth.
&ldquo;That midrange, I think we found a time in the possessions that it was a clean look, it was the right look," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "His ability to walk in there and step in there with confidence is what we've asked him to do.&rdquo;
ADJUSTMENT
Wright credited Orlando's zone defense with helping to turn the tide, and Mosley said the Magic defended well as a team.
&ldquo;Our guys did a great job communicating," Mosley said. "Our bench was doing a fantastic job of communicating with those guys on the floor, knowing where Kispert was, finding shooters.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Magic: Kevon Harris (left elbow) did not play. ... Fultz went 11 of 15 from the field. ... Franz Wagner had 20 points. ... Banchero went 13 of 14 on free throws. The Wizards as a team were just 10 of 12. ... Orlando has won four of five, including two victories over Washington.
Wizards: Kispert's previous career high was 26 points. ... Delon Wright had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Daniel Gafford contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds. ... Rookie Johnny Davis scored 10 points but went 4 of 15 from the field. ... Washington attempted a season-high 50 3-pointers. ... The Wizards used 11 players, although Kispert played 41:52.
UP NEXT
Magic: Host Detroit on Sunday night.
Wizards: At New York on Sunday night.

Banchero had 30 points and 12 rebounds and the Magic overcame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the Wizards 116-109 on Friday.

Magic beat Wizards 116-109 behind Paolo Banchero's 30 and 12

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Bradley Beal scored 32 points, Kristaps Porzingis and Monte Morris added 17 apiece and the Washington Wizards shot 70% from the field through the first three quarters of their 127-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Washington led 80-57 after its highest-scoring half of the season. The Wizards gave up the first 10 points of the third quarter, bringing back memories of a couple recent games in which they blew 20-point leads, but they steadied themselves quickly and led 104-88 heading into the fourth.
Washington was able to substitute liberally toward the end &mdash; 13 players appeared for the Wizards &mdash; and a late slide dropped their final shooting percentage down to 64%, costing them a franchise record but setting a season high by a comfortable margin.
&ldquo;We talked about it at halftime &mdash; we&rsquo;re not going to shoot 70% all game,&rdquo; Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. &ldquo;But we still shot pretty well. That was kind of the messaging. Don&rsquo;t get complacent with just making shots.&rdquo;
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Bradley Beal scored 32 points, Kristaps Porzingis and Monte Morris added 17 apiece and the Washington Wizards shot 70% from the field through the first three quarters of their 127-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Washington led 80-57 after its highest-scoring half of the season. The Wizards gave up the first 10 points of the third quarter, bringing back memories of a couple recent games in which they blew 20-point leads, but they steadied themselves quickly and led 104-88 heading into the fourth.
Washington was able to substitute liberally toward the end &mdash; 13 players appeared for the Wizards &mdash; and a late slide dropped their final shooting percentage down to 64%, costing them a franchise record but setting a season high by a comfortable margin.
&ldquo;We talked about it at halftime &mdash; we&rsquo;re not going to shoot 70% all game,&rdquo; Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. &ldquo;But we still shot pretty well. That was kind of the messaging. Don&rsquo;t get complacent with just making shots.&rdquo;
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Tyrese Haliburton scored 21 points and Myles Turner had 20 for Indiana, which has lost 15 of its last 17.
Washington, which pulled even with Chicago for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, was without Kyle Kuzma because of a sprained left ankle.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Bradley Beal scored 32 points, Kristaps Porzingis and Monte Morris added 17 apiece and the Washington Wizards shot 70% from the field through the first three quarters of their 127-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Washington led 80-57 after its highest-scoring half of the season. The Wizards gave up the first 10 points of the third quarter, bringing back memories of a couple recent games in which they blew 20-point leads, but they steadied themselves quickly and led 104-88 heading into the fourth.
Washington was able to substitute liberally toward the end &mdash; 13 players appeared for the Wizards &mdash; and a late slide dropped their final shooting percentage down to 64%, costing them a franchise record but setting a season high by a comfortable margin.
&ldquo;We talked about it at halftime &mdash; we&rsquo;re not going to shoot 70% all game,&rdquo; Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. &ldquo;But we still shot pretty well. That was kind of the messaging. Don&rsquo;t get complacent with just making shots.&rdquo;
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Tyrese Haliburton scored 21 points and Myles Turner had 20 for Indiana, which has lost 15 of its last 17.
Washington, which pulled even with Chicago for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, was without Kyle Kuzma because of a sprained left ankle.
The Wizards had 18 turnovers to Indiana&rsquo;s eight and allowed 27 second-chance points, but none of that made much difference with Washington shooting such an incredible percentage. The Wizards shot 73% from 2-point range, 46% from 3 and 86% on free throws.
The Wizards went 15 of 20 from the field in the first quarter &mdash; including 12 of 13 inside the arc &mdash; and led 37-29. It took a little while before Washington really broke the game open, but an 18-4 run late in the first half made it 80-55.
The Wizards have won two in a row following a three-game losing streak in which they led by at least 20 in losses to Portland and Brooklyn. They traded Rui Hachimura recently and acquired Kendrick Nunn, but it was otherwise a quiet trade deadline for Washington.
&ldquo;I think our biggest thing is being healthy,&rdquo; Beal said. &ldquo;This is our team. You can&rsquo;t make any adjustments now. You&rsquo;ve got to ride it out throughout the rest of the year.&rdquo;
CONSISTENCY
Often when a team shoots an unusually high percentage early, it regresses dramatically at some point, but the Wizards shot 75% in the first quarter, 71% in the second and 62% in the third. They finally dipped to 48% in the fourth, missing their final four attempts of the game.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Bradley Beal scored 32 points, Kristaps Porzingis and Monte Morris added 17 apiece and the Washington Wizards shot 70% from the field through the first three quarters of their 127-113 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Washington led 80-57 after its highest-scoring half of the season. The Wizards gave up the first 10 points of the third quarter, bringing back memories of a couple recent games in which they blew 20-point leads, but they steadied themselves quickly and led 104-88 heading into the fourth.
Washington was able to substitute liberally toward the end &mdash; 13 players appeared for the Wizards &mdash; and a late slide dropped their final shooting percentage down to 64%, costing them a franchise record but setting a season high by a comfortable margin.
&ldquo;We talked about it at halftime &mdash; we&rsquo;re not going to shoot 70% all game,&rdquo; Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. &ldquo;But we still shot pretty well. That was kind of the messaging. Don&rsquo;t get complacent with just making shots.&rdquo;
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Tyrese Haliburton scored 21 points and Myles Turner had 20 for Indiana, which has lost 15 of its last 17.
Washington, which pulled even with Chicago for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, was without Kyle Kuzma because of a sprained left ankle.
The Wizards had 18 turnovers to Indiana&rsquo;s eight and allowed 27 second-chance points, but none of that made much difference with Washington shooting such an incredible percentage. The Wizards shot 73% from 2-point range, 46% from 3 and 86% on free throws.
The Wizards went 15 of 20 from the field in the first quarter &mdash; including 12 of 13 inside the arc &mdash; and led 37-29. It took a little while before Washington really broke the game open, but an 18-4 run late in the first half made it 80-55.
The Wizards have won two in a row following a three-game losing streak in which they led by at least 20 in losses to Portland and Brooklyn. They traded Rui Hachimura recently and acquired Kendrick Nunn, but it was otherwise a quiet trade deadline for Washington.
&ldquo;I think our biggest thing is being healthy,&rdquo; Beal said. &ldquo;This is our team. You can&rsquo;t make any adjustments now. You&rsquo;ve got to ride it out throughout the rest of the year.&rdquo;
CONSISTENCY
Often when a team shoots an unusually high percentage early, it regresses dramatically at some point, but the Wizards shot 75% in the first quarter, 71% in the second and 62% in the third. They finally dipped to 48% in the fourth, missing their final four attempts of the game.
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TIP-INS
Pacers: George Hill and Jordan Nwora, acquired Thursday from Milwaukee in a trade, are expected to suit up for the Pacers next week. ... Daniel Theis (right knee) did not play.
Wizards: Daniel Gafford scored 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting. ... Before Saturday, Washington&rsquo;s top shooting percentage this season was 58% at Philadelphia on Nov. 2. The franchise record is 65.3% on April 8, 2015, also at Philadelphia.
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Bradley Beal scored 32 points, and the Washington Wizards beat the Indiana Pacers 127-113.

Sharp-shooting Wizards score 80 in half, rout Pacers 127-113

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
Caris LeVert, back after missing two games with a sore right hamstring, had a steal and dunk in the third quarter to make it 83-57. Cleveland led by as many as 28 points.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
Caris LeVert, back after missing two games with a sore right hamstring, had a steal and dunk in the third quarter to make it 83-57. Cleveland led by as many as 28 points.
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&ldquo;Offensively they were just comfortable,&rdquo; Washington&rsquo;s Daniel Gafford said. &ldquo;There was a lot of things that they did that kind of had us in scramble situations, time and time again down the floor. They just really just got the shots that they wanted.&rdquo;
Mitchell, who has been bothered by a groin issue recently, looked pretty spry when he threw down a windmill dunk on an alley-oop from Garland to make it 101-74.
LeVert, who could be dealt this week because of his expiring contract and uncertain role, scored 10 points.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a starter in this league. We&rsquo;re fortunate enough to have him now where he&rsquo;s in an opportunity where he&rsquo;s going against second-unit guys,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;So he can be attack-minded, he can make them pay for mistakes, whether it&rsquo;s him scoring, whether it&rsquo;s him facilitating &mdash; and I think he&rsquo;s doing a great job on the defensive end.&rdquo;
Kevin Love, another possible trade candidate, did not play.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
This was Cleveland&rsquo;s 24th double-digit win, which leads the league. The Cavaliers swept both halves of a back-to-back by a combined 42 points. They&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-cavaliers-indiana-pacers-nba-sports-isaac-okoro-9ccca632593d1e609d036c8f0cd46992">beat Indiana 122-103</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
Caris LeVert, back after missing two games with a sore right hamstring, had a steal and dunk in the third quarter to make it 83-57. Cleveland led by as many as 28 points.
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&ldquo;Offensively they were just comfortable,&rdquo; Washington&rsquo;s Daniel Gafford said. &ldquo;There was a lot of things that they did that kind of had us in scramble situations, time and time again down the floor. They just really just got the shots that they wanted.&rdquo;
Mitchell, who has been bothered by a groin issue recently, looked pretty spry when he threw down a windmill dunk on an alley-oop from Garland to make it 101-74.
LeVert, who could be dealt this week because of his expiring contract and uncertain role, scored 10 points.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a starter in this league. We&rsquo;re fortunate enough to have him now where he&rsquo;s in an opportunity where he&rsquo;s going against second-unit guys,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;So he can be attack-minded, he can make them pay for mistakes, whether it&rsquo;s him scoring, whether it&rsquo;s him facilitating &mdash; and I think he&rsquo;s doing a great job on the defensive end.&rdquo;
Kevin Love, another possible trade candidate, did not play.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
This was Cleveland&rsquo;s 24th double-digit win, which leads the league. The Cavaliers swept both halves of a back-to-back by a combined 42 points. They&nbsp;beat Indiana 122-103&nbsp;on Sunday.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
Caris LeVert, back after missing two games with a sore right hamstring, had a steal and dunk in the third quarter to make it 83-57. Cleveland led by as many as 28 points.
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&ldquo;Offensively they were just comfortable,&rdquo; Washington&rsquo;s Daniel Gafford said. &ldquo;There was a lot of things that they did that kind of had us in scramble situations, time and time again down the floor. They just really just got the shots that they wanted.&rdquo;
Mitchell, who has been bothered by a groin issue recently, looked pretty spry when he threw down a windmill dunk on an alley-oop from Garland to make it 101-74.
LeVert, who could be dealt this week because of his expiring contract and uncertain role, scored 10 points.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a starter in this league. We&rsquo;re fortunate enough to have him now where he&rsquo;s in an opportunity where he&rsquo;s going against second-unit guys,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;So he can be attack-minded, he can make them pay for mistakes, whether it&rsquo;s him scoring, whether it&rsquo;s him facilitating &mdash; and I think he&rsquo;s doing a great job on the defensive end.&rdquo;
Kevin Love, another possible trade candidate, did not play.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
This was Cleveland&rsquo;s 24th double-digit win, which leads the league. The Cavaliers swept both halves of a back-to-back by a combined 42 points. They&nbsp;beat Indiana 122-103&nbsp;on Sunday.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re figuring it out at home, and then on the road you&rsquo;re starting to see positive signs,&rdquo; Mitchell said. &ldquo;Taking the crowd out early, responding to runs.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Cleveland ended up shooting 56% for the game. Allen was 10 for 13. ... The Cavaliers shot at least 55% in every quarter except the fourth.
Wizards: Washington was held under 100 points for the first time since Dec. 17. ... Will Barton scored 15 points. ... Johnny Davis, a rookie who was drafted in the lottery but has played sparingly so far, scored two points in 6:17. It was his 11th appearance for the Wizards.
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WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece and Donovan Mitchell added 21 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards on Monday night.
All five Cleveland starters were in double figures by halftime, and the Cavaliers won for the fourth time in five games. Evan Mobley finished with 16 points and Isaac Okoro contributed 12.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for Washington, which has lost three straight following a six-game winning streak. The Wizards were playing without Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain).
Washington led by at least 20 in each of its previous two losses, but the Wizards didn&rsquo;t have to worry about blowing a big lead on this night. In fact, they were never ahead at all.
Cleveland shot 63% in the first half, leading 37-25 after one quarter and 66-46 after two.
&ldquo;To me, the most important thing is, there were very little up and downs,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;We played at a consistently high level, and that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re aiming to do.&rdquo;
Caris LeVert, back after missing two games with a sore right hamstring, had a steal and dunk in the third quarter to make it 83-57. Cleveland led by as many as 28 points.
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&ldquo;Offensively they were just comfortable,&rdquo; Washington&rsquo;s Daniel Gafford said. &ldquo;There was a lot of things that they did that kind of had us in scramble situations, time and time again down the floor. They just really just got the shots that they wanted.&rdquo;
Mitchell, who has been bothered by a groin issue recently, looked pretty spry when he threw down a windmill dunk on an alley-oop from Garland to make it 101-74.
LeVert, who could be dealt this week because of his expiring contract and uncertain role, scored 10 points.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a starter in this league. We&rsquo;re fortunate enough to have him now where he&rsquo;s in an opportunity where he&rsquo;s going against second-unit guys,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;So he can be attack-minded, he can make them pay for mistakes, whether it&rsquo;s him scoring, whether it&rsquo;s him facilitating &mdash; and I think he&rsquo;s doing a great job on the defensive end.&rdquo;
Kevin Love, another possible trade candidate, did not play.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
This was Cleveland&rsquo;s 24th double-digit win, which leads the league. The Cavaliers swept both halves of a back-to-back by a combined 42 points. They&nbsp;beat Indiana 122-103&nbsp;on Sunday.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re figuring it out at home, and then on the road you&rsquo;re starting to see positive signs,&rdquo; Mitchell said. &ldquo;Taking the crowd out early, responding to runs.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Cleveland ended up shooting 56% for the game. Allen was 10 for 13. ... The Cavaliers shot at least 55% in every quarter except the fourth.
Wizards: Washington was held under 100 points for the first time since Dec. 17. ... Will Barton scored 15 points. ... Johnny Davis, a rookie who was drafted in the lottery but has played sparingly so far, scored two points in 6:17. It was his 11th appearance for the Wizards.
</div>
</div>
</div>

Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-91 rout of the Washington Wizards.

Garland, Allen each score 23, Cavaliers rout Wizards 114-91

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points, Bradley Beal added 19 and the Washington Wizards ended Philadelphia’s eight-game winning streak with a 116-111 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night.
The Wizards withstood a 48-point effort by Joel Embiid and a 26-point, 13-assist performance by James Harden. The 76ers cut a 16-point deficit to one late in the game but couldn't overtake Washington, which played the final 4:17 without Beal.
Beal appeared to injure himself when he collided with Embiid and left the game immediately. It wasn't clear what was wrong, but he seemed frustrated as he walked toward the tunnel.
There were some ugly shot attempts by the Wizards without their star guard on the floor, but they made enough plays defensively to hold on. 
Embiid cut the lead to one when he threw down an alley-oop dunk from Harden, but Porzingis made a 3-pointer to make it 111-107. With 2:05 remaining, Embiid missed the first of two free throws — his only miss in 14 attempts from the line.
With the score 111-108, Embiid fell while driving and lost the ball out of bounds with 1:29 to play. About a minute later he again had the ball down three, and this time Washington's Deni Avdija reached in and knocked it away.
The Wizards entered the game as healthy as they'd been all season, although Beal's exit now puts that in question. Washington has rebounded from a 10-game losing streak by winning three of its last four, with victories over Phoenix, Sacramento and Philadelphia.
The Wizards turned the ball over nine times in the first quarter and still led 32-30 despite 16 points by Embiid. Beal had 11 in the period. 
Washington took better care of the ball in the second, and the Wizards took their biggest lead of the game at 74-58 when Porzingis got a friendly bounce on a 3-pointer early in the third.
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia was without Tyrese Maxey, who has been recovering from a broken left foot and hasn't played in over a month.
UP NEXT
76ers: At New Orleans on Friday night.
Wizards: Host Phoenix on Wednesday night.
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points, Bradley Beal added 19 and the Washington Wizards ended Philadelphia&rsquo;s eight-game winning streak with a 116-111 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night.
The Wizards withstood a 48-point effort by Joel Embiid and a 26-point, 13-assist performance by James Harden. The 76ers cut a 16-point deficit to one late in the game but couldn't overtake Washington, which played the final 4:17 without Beal.
Beal appeared to injure himself when he collided with Embiid and left the game immediately. It wasn't clear what was wrong, but he seemed frustrated as he walked toward the tunnel.
There were some ugly shot attempts by the Wizards without their star guard on the floor, but they made enough plays defensively to hold on.
Embiid cut the lead to one when he threw down an alley-oop dunk from Harden, but Porzingis made a 3-pointer to make it 111-107. With 2:05 remaining, Embiid missed the first of two free throws &mdash; his only miss in 14 attempts from the line.
With the score 111-108, Embiid fell while driving and lost the ball out of bounds with 1:29 to play. About a minute later he again had the ball down three, and this time Washington's Deni Avdija reached in and knocked it away.
The Wizards entered the game as healthy as they'd been all season, although Beal's exit now puts that in question. Washington has rebounded from a 10-game losing streak by winning three of its last four, with victories over Phoenix, Sacramento and Philadelphia.
The Wizards turned the ball over nine times in the first quarter and still led 32-30 despite 16 points by Embiid. Beal had 11 in the period.
Washington took better care of the ball in the second, and the Wizards took their biggest lead of the game at 74-58 when Porzingis got a friendly bounce on a 3-pointer early in the third.
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia was without Tyrese Maxey, who has been recovering from a broken left foot and hasn't played in over a month.
&nbsp;
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points, Bradley Beal added 19 and the Washington Wizards ended Philadelphia&rsquo;s eight-game winning streak with a 116-111 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday night.
The Wizards withstood a 48-point effort by Joel Embiid and a 26-point, 13-assist performance by James Harden. The 76ers cut a 16-point deficit to one late in the game but couldn't overtake Washington, which played the final 4:17 without Beal.
Beal appeared to injure himself when he collided with Embiid and left the game immediately. It wasn't clear what was wrong, but he seemed frustrated as he walked toward the tunnel.
There were some ugly shot attempts by the Wizards without their star guard on the floor, but they made enough plays defensively to hold on.
Embiid cut the lead to one when he threw down an alley-oop dunk from Harden, but Porzingis made a 3-pointer to make it 111-107. With 2:05 remaining, Embiid missed the first of two free throws &mdash; his only miss in 14 attempts from the line.
With the score 111-108, Embiid fell while driving and lost the ball out of bounds with 1:29 to play. About a minute later he again had the ball down three, and this time Washington's Deni Avdija reached in and knocked it away.
The Wizards entered the game as healthy as they'd been all season, although Beal's exit now puts that in question. Washington has rebounded from a 10-game losing streak by winning three of its last four, with victories over Phoenix, Sacramento and Philadelphia.
The Wizards turned the ball over nine times in the first quarter and still led 32-30 despite 16 points by Embiid. Beal had 11 in the period.
Washington took better care of the ball in the second, and the Wizards took their biggest lead of the game at 74-58 when Porzingis got a friendly bounce on a 3-pointer early in the third.
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia was without Tyrese Maxey, who has been recovering from a broken left foot and hasn't played in over a month.
&nbsp;

Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points, Bradley Beal added 19 and the  Washington Wizards beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-111.

Wizards prevail 116-111 to snap 76ers' 8-game winning streak

In a couple weeks, Bradley Beal&rsquo;s future might look a lot clearer.
At this point, the Washington star isn&rsquo;t tipping his hand.
When asked Saturday about how he expects the start of free agency to go, he replied: &ldquo;Crazy probably &mdash; like it always is.&rdquo;
When asked how he expects his own contract situation to play out, his response was the same: &ldquo;My situation? Crazy probably.&rdquo;
The Wizards&rsquo; offseason&nbsp;hinges on what Beal ultimately does. With a player option next season, he can become a free agent, and although he indicated earlier this year he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington, there are certainly other teams that would gladly have him.
That was made clear when Beal was asked how many people have tried to recruit him to their teams.
&ldquo;A lot,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You know I can&rsquo;t give you names.&rdquo;
Beal was at a ribbon-cutting event Saturday for the Benjamin Banneker basketball court refurbishment project in Washington. Beal, who won the 2018-19 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, told the youngsters in attendance he wanted the courts to be something the community could enjoy.
&ldquo;When I first started playing, when I was you guys&rsquo; size, this is where I started,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We were outside playing from sunup to sundown.&rdquo;
Later, when talking to reporters, Beal was asked what his presence at the event said about his commitment to being in Washington.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t intertwine the two,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s love that I&rsquo;ve received from day one. The city has accepted me since a rookie, and here I am going into year 11, and it&rsquo;s the same love, if not more. I&rsquo;ve always just tried to pay that back in one way or another.&rdquo;
Beal, who turns 29 later this month, has played his whole career with Washington, averaging at least 22 points per game in each of the past six seasons. That included a career-high average of 31.3 points in 2020-21.
The Wizards traded Russell Westbrook before last season, leaving Beal as the team&rsquo;s undisputed star. He averaged 23.2 ppg, but his season ended early when&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-john-wall-wes-unseld-9c1775bbc153e0a181413f7f428d5e69">he had surgery</a>&nbsp;in February on his left wrist. Washington went 35-47.
The Wizards acquired Kristaps Porzingis around the time Beal went down, so if Beal stays, they&rsquo;ll have a chance to see that pairing in action. Beal looked a little rusty at Saturday&rsquo;s event. When he was asked to take a ceremonial first shot, he missed two attempts before making one.
However, he said his recovery from that wrist operation is going well. He said he has 80-90% of his range of motion back.
&ldquo;The rest is going to be strengthening and stuff,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m cleared to do stuff on the court now, which is good.&rdquo;

When asked how he expects his upcoming contract decision to play out, Bradley Beal said: "My situation? Crazy probably."

Bradley Beal is being recruited 'a lot,' expects 'crazy' offseason

WASHINGTON (AP) — A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
“It's fair,” Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
“Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. “I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.”
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
“We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.”
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
“I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,” Unseld said. “He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.”
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
&ldquo;It's fair,&rdquo; Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
&ldquo;Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. &ldquo;I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.&rdquo;
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
&ldquo;We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.&rdquo;
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
&ldquo;I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.&rdquo;
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
&ldquo;It's fair,&rdquo; Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
&ldquo;Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. &ldquo;I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.&rdquo;
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
&ldquo;We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.&rdquo;
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
&ldquo;I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.&rdquo;
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
&ldquo;It's fair,&rdquo; Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
&ldquo;Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. &ldquo;I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.&rdquo;
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
&ldquo;We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.&rdquo;
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
&ldquo;I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.&rdquo;
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
&ldquo;It's fair,&rdquo; Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
&ldquo;Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. &ldquo;I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.&rdquo;
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
&ldquo;We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.&rdquo;
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
&ldquo;I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.&rdquo;
___
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___
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A few weeks after the surgery that ultimately ended his season, Bradley Beal was talking with reporters when he was asked a simple question: Was it fair to say he was leaning toward re-signing with Washington?
&ldquo;It's fair,&rdquo; Beal said in early March, without offering any more assurance than that.
Now the Wizards embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer. His next move will obviously have a big impact on the franchise's direction.
Beal had surgery in February on his left wrist and didn't play again. A Washington team that started fast under new coach Wes Unseld Jr. ended up going 35-47 and missing the playoffs.
Washington began the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games. <a href="https://apnews.com/0a2695fdd5ae8dd8fe48470ed51ef2e9">The trade</a> that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers was paying dividends, with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell all contributing after coming to Washington in that deal.
By the time Beal went down, however, the Wizards were already slipping. That injury certainly didn't help their prospects, and they ended up making <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-nba-sports-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-f47895e153d50f9b23d4d5ce09121a0d">more significant moves</a> at the deadline. Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired to play point guard before the season, was dealt to Dallas in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The Wizards also traded Harrell.
The 7-foot-3 Porzingis played well for Washington, averaging 22.1 points in 17 games for the Wizards. He never got to play alongside Beal, and the question now is whether he'll have that chance next season.
&ldquo;Slowly, we're kind of figuring each other out, especially my teammates with me, because I just got here," Porzingis said late this season. &ldquo;I think we're still pretty far away from where we want to be, in terms of chemistry and stuff like that, but it's not bad for this short a period of time. It's pretty good. I'm excited to see what's ahead of us.&rdquo;
AT THE POINT
The point guard spot has often been a strength for Washington, with Westbrook, John Wall and Gilbert Arenas having occupied it. Dinwiddie had big shoes to fill when he arrived, and his tenure with the Wizards didn't last long. Now Washington needs to find another solution.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The Wizards remain a work in progress on defense after Unseld's first season. They finished 25th in the league in defensive rating.
&ldquo;We had to change how we defended certain things, pretty much in the middle of the season," Unseld said. "A bit of a hiccup, but that's what we had. So we had to adjust things a little bit, and it took a little time to get back on track in that area.&rdquo;
Washington ranked last in the NBA in steals.
LONG DISTANCE
The Wizards also finished last in the league in made 3-pointers, but in this area, their defense did succeed. No team held opponents to fewer 3-point attempts than Washington, and only two teams allowed fewer made 3s.
NEW ADDITIONS
Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, his highest average since his second season with the Lakers in 2018-19. Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.2 points.
EFFICIENT
Daniel Gafford averaged a career-high 9.4 points per game on 69% shooting from the field. The 23-year-old Gafford doesn't have the height of Porzingis, but his athleticism could be an asset for the Wizards in the seasons to come.
&ldquo;I think overall, he's shown growth in a lot of areas. He still has a lot of untapped potential, in my opinion,&rdquo; Unseld said. &ldquo;He's very impressionable. I think at times, his confidence wanes, but that's all young players.&rdquo;

The Wizards will embark on a massive offseason, and all eyes are on Beal, who can become a free agent this summer.

All eyes on Bradley Beal as big offseason begins for Wizards

Not since 1998 have the Cleveland Cavaliers made the playoffs without LeBron James.
This season, they&rsquo;re at least assured of a spot in the play-in tournament after an impressive turnaround.
The 10 teams in the Eastern Conference that will advance beyond the 82-game regular season are already set. The only suspense left is determining seeding &mdash; and which teams will avoid the play-in and go straight to the playoffs. Chicago, Toronto and Cleveland, who finished 11th, 12th and 13th in the conference last season, are now battling it out to finish in the top six.
The Bulls (45-33) and Raptors (45-33) are tied for fifth, just above the play-in cutoff. The Cavaliers (43-36) are in seventh.
Chicago hasn&rsquo;t made the playoffs since 2017. Cleveland hasn&rsquo;t made it since 2018 &mdash; before James left the team for a second time. Only Charlotte (2016) has a longer playoff drought in the East, and the Hornets made the play-in last season and have done so again this year.
The Cavaliers went 22-50 a season ago, but they&rsquo;ll finish 2021-22 with a winning record. Cleveland has the fifth-best defensive rating in the league this season after finishing 25th a year ago. It hasn&rsquo;t been a great stretch run for the Cavs, who have lost six of their last eight and appear headed to the play-in round.
&ldquo;My biggest concern is our habits, and if we&rsquo;re doing things correctly,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after a recent win over the New York Knicks. &ldquo;We do things correctly, we&rsquo;ve got enough to win basketball games. So that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re focusing on is those habits and continuing to do the right things, and then you let the teams in front of you do what they need to do.&rdquo;
Cleveland still has Kevin Love, a veteran link to the Cavs&rsquo; 2016 championship, but younger players like Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, rookie Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen have really helped drive this improvement.
Markkanen went to Cleveland from Chicago in an offseason trade, but the Bulls have done fine without him, climbing the standings after they went 31-41 a season ago. Their big new addition, DeMar DeRozan, is averaging a career-high 28 points per game, helping change the Bulls&rsquo; outlook considerably.
Chicago&rsquo;s defense has actually slipped since last season, but its offensive rating has improved from 21st in the league to 11th. DeRozan scored 50 points in an overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. DeRozan said a missed free throw late in the fourth quarter left him frustrated, but the Bulls took the game anyway.
&ldquo;I think he gets really mad all the time, to be quite honest,&rdquo; coach Billy Donovan said. &ldquo;I think he holds himself to such a high standard, and I think that&rsquo;s what makes him a great player.&rdquo;
Chicago&rsquo;s next two games are tough &mdash; against Milwaukee on Tuesday night and Boston on Wednesday night &mdash; but they&rsquo;re both at home. Then the Bulls host Charlotte before playing at Minnesota to end the regular season.
Toronto finishes with home games against Atlanta, Philadelphia and Houston, followed by a game in New York against the Knicks.
The Cavaliers need help from the out-of-town scoreboard to avoid the play-in, and although they have a very winnable game Tuesday night at Orlando. They then play at Brooklyn and at home against Milwaukee.
OTHER RACES
The top seed in the East is still up for grabs, with Miami (51-28) hoping to hold off Boston (49-30), Milwaukee (48-30) and Philadelphia (48-30). The Heat have home games against Charlotte and Atlanta before a trip to Orlando. Milwaukee hosts Boston on Thursday night, but it remains to be seen if either of those teams still has a chance at the No. 1 seed by then.
Of the top 10 spots in the East, the largest separation between any two of them is three games, so there&rsquo;s still a lot of uncertainty left, even if everyone but those 10 teams has been eliminated already. That&rsquo;s a lot different than the West, where Phoenix (62-16) has secured the top seed and Memphis (55-23) has locked up No. 2.

After fast starts in the first half of the season, Cleveland and Chicago are suddenly reeling.

Cavaliers, Bulls pushing for playoffs in East after droughts

WASHINGTON (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 107-94 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points for Chicago, which is trying to stay in the top six in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in round of the postseason. The Bulls (44-32) took a half-game lead over Toronto (43-32) for fifth place in the East, and they lead seventh-place Cleveland (42-33) by 1 1/2 games.
Chicago has played 12 of its last 15 on the road, but the Bulls now have only six games remaining in the regular season — and the next five are at home.
Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Wizards, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20.
The Bulls rebounded from a loss to the New York Knicks the previous night, and they overcame a scoreless first half from Zach LaVine, who finished with 14 points. DeRozan was just 2 of 12 from the field in the half, but he went 10 of 15 in the second.
Chicago led 75-73 after three quarters, but the Bulls made their decisive run early in the fourth. DeRozan's breakaway dunk made it 90-80 — the first double-digit lead for either team — and Chicago comfortably closed the game out from there.
Vucevic scored 20 points in the first half, and the Bulls led 51-46 after two quarters.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Javonte Green scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. That included a one-handed dunk in the second quarter and an alley-oop moments later.
Wizards: Washington is without star Bradley Beal (left wrist), and Kyle Kuzma (right knee) wasn't available either. ... Kristaps Porzingis and Deni Avdija scored 14 points apiece.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
Wizards: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
___
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___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 107-94 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points for Chicago, which is trying to stay in the top six in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in round of the postseason. The Bulls (44-32) took a half-game lead over Toronto (43-32) for fifth place in the East, and they lead seventh-place Cleveland (42-33) by 1 1/2 games.
Chicago has played 12 of its last 15 on the road, but the Bulls now have only six games remaining in the regular season &mdash; and the next five are at home.
Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Wizards, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20.
The Bulls rebounded from a loss to the New York Knicks the previous night, and they overcame a scoreless first half from Zach LaVine, who finished with 14 points. DeRozan was just 2 of 12 from the field in the half, but he went 10 of 15 in the second.
Chicago led 75-73 after three quarters, but the Bulls made their decisive run early in the fourth. DeRozan's breakaway dunk made it 90-80 &mdash; the first double-digit lead for either team &mdash; and Chicago comfortably closed the game out from there.
Vucevic scored 20 points in the first half, and the Bulls led 51-46 after two quarters.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Javonte Green scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. That included a one-handed dunk in the second quarter and an alley-oop moments later.
Wizards: Washington is without star Bradley Beal (left wrist), and Kyle Kuzma (right knee) wasn't available either. ... Kristaps Porzingis and Deni Avdija scored 14 points apiece.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
Wizards: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
___
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___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 107-94 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points for Chicago, which is trying to stay in the top six in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in round of the postseason. The Bulls (44-32) took a half-game lead over Toronto (43-32) for fifth place in the East, and they lead seventh-place Cleveland (42-33) by 1 1/2 games.
Chicago has played 12 of its last 15 on the road, but the Bulls now have only six games remaining in the regular season &mdash; and the next five are at home.
Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Wizards, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20.
The Bulls rebounded from a loss to the New York Knicks the previous night, and they overcame a scoreless first half from Zach LaVine, who finished with 14 points. DeRozan was just 2 of 12 from the field in the half, but he went 10 of 15 in the second.
Chicago led 75-73 after three quarters, but the Bulls made their decisive run early in the fourth. DeRozan's breakaway dunk made it 90-80 &mdash; the first double-digit lead for either team &mdash; and Chicago comfortably closed the game out from there.
Vucevic scored 20 points in the first half, and the Bulls led 51-46 after two quarters.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Javonte Green scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. That included a one-handed dunk in the second quarter and an alley-oop moments later.
Wizards: Washington is without star Bradley Beal (left wrist), and Kyle Kuzma (right knee) wasn't available either. ... Kristaps Porzingis and Deni Avdija scored 14 points apiece.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
Wizards: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
&nbsp;

DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points as the Chicago Bulls earned a 107-94 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Bulls alone in 5th place after 107-94 win over Wizards

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Bradley Beal added 13 points in his return from a three-game absence to lift the Washington Wizards to a 117-98 victory over Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. missed a second straight game after entering health and safety protocols. Assistant Pat Delany, who coached the team Saturday, also entered the protocols, forcing assistant Joseph Blair to take over for this game.
Beal had been out since entering the protocols himself, but he returned and scored 11 points in the first quarter. Washington went on an early 11-0 run and never looked back.
Embiid scored 32 points for the 76ers, but he was on the receiving end of the game's biggest highlight when Kuzma dunked over him in the second quarter. Philadelphia lost for only the second time in its last 11 games.
After the Wizards led 61-55 at halftime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored seven quick points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer that put Washington up 72-59.
It was a six-point lead early in the fourth before the Wizards went on a 22-5 run to put the game away.
Washington had seven players in double figures. Montrezl Harrel led the way with 18 points, and Thomas Bryant had 15.
CROWD PLEASER
Kuzma dunked over Embiid <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1483169194493554688">with one hand</a> to give the Wizards a 58-47 lead. Moments later, he blocked a shot attempt by Embiid at the other end.
TIP-INS
76ers: Andre Drummond and coach Doc Rivers were both called for technical fouls. ... Philadelphia was without Danny Green (right hip) for a third straight game, and Matisse Thybulle (right shoulder) was out for a second in a row. ... Tyrese Maxey (18 points) was the only player besides Embiid in double figures for the 76ers.
Wizards: Bryant and Harrell were called for technicals. ... Caldwell-Pope scored 14 points, and Corey Kispert and Rui Hachimura contributed 11 each.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
Wizards: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
___
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___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Bradley Beal added 13 points in his return from a three-game absence to lift the Washington Wizards to a 117-98 victory over Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. missed a second straight game after entering health and safety protocols. Assistant Pat Delany, who coached the team Saturday, also entered the protocols, forcing assistant Joseph Blair to take over for this game.
Beal had been out since entering the protocols himself, but he returned and scored 11 points in the first quarter. Washington went on an early 11-0 run and never looked back.
Embiid scored 32 points for the 76ers, but he was on the receiving end of the game's biggest highlight when Kuzma dunked over him in the second quarter. Philadelphia lost for only the second time in its last 11 games.
After the Wizards led 61-55 at halftime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored seven quick points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer that put Washington up 72-59.
It was a six-point lead early in the fourth before the Wizards went on a 22-5 run to put the game away.
Washington had seven players in double figures. Montrezl Harrel led the way with 18 points, and Thomas Bryant had 15.
CROWD PLEASER
Kuzma dunked over Embiid <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1483169194493554688">with one hand</a> to give the Wizards a 58-47 lead. Moments later, he blocked a shot attempt by Embiid at the other end.
TIP-INS
76ers: Andre Drummond and coach Doc Rivers were both called for technical fouls. ... Philadelphia was without Danny Green (right hip) for a third straight game, and Matisse Thybulle (right shoulder) was out for a second in a row. ... Tyrese Maxey (18 points) was the only player besides Embiid in double figures for the 76ers.
Wizards: Bryant and Harrell were called for technicals. ... Caldwell-Pope scored 14 points, and Corey Kispert and Rui Hachimura contributed 11 each.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
Wizards: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Bradley Beal added 13 points in his return from a three-game absence to lift the Washington Wizards to a 117-98 victory over Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. missed a second straight game after entering health and safety protocols. Assistant Pat Delany, who coached the team Saturday, also entered the protocols, forcing assistant Joseph Blair to take over for this game.
Beal had been out since entering the protocols himself, but he returned and scored 11 points in the first quarter. Washington went on an early 11-0 run and never looked back.
Embiid scored 32 points for the 76ers, but he was on the receiving end of the game's biggest highlight when Kuzma dunked over him in the second quarter. Philadelphia lost for only the second time in its last 11 games.
After the Wizards led 61-55 at halftime, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored seven quick points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer that put Washington up 72-59.
It was a six-point lead early in the fourth before the Wizards went on a 22-5 run to put the game away.
Washington had seven players in double figures. Montrezl Harrel led the way with 18 points, and Thomas Bryant had 15.
CROWD PLEASER
Kuzma dunked over Embiid <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1483169194493554688">with one hand</a> to give the Wizards a 58-47 lead. Moments later, he blocked a shot attempt by Embiid at the other end.
TIP-INS
76ers: Andre Drummond and coach Doc Rivers were both called for technical fouls. ... Philadelphia was without Danny Green (right hip) for a third straight game, and Matisse Thybulle (right shoulder) was out for a second in a row. ... Tyrese Maxey (18 points) was the only player besides Embiid in double figures for the 76ers.
Wizards: Bryant and Harrell were called for technicals. ... Caldwell-Pope scored 14 points, and Corey Kispert and Rui Hachimura contributed 11 each.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.
Wizards: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

Kyle Kuzma had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Bradley Beal added 13 points in his return from a three-game absence to lift the Wizards.

Kuzma, Beal lead Wizards to 117-98 rout of 76ers

For Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards, this season feels like a crossroads.

Unseld in, Westbrook out as Beal and Wizards face crucial NBA season

“The defensive side of the ball has been an issue here. That’s an area where I’ve been charged with for the past five seasons," Unseld said.

Wes Unseld Jr. talking defense as he takes over Wizards job

Noah Trister is a writer for the Associated Press.