THE Washington Wizards outscored the Phoenix Suns 25-12 in the final 5 1/2 minutes and snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 113-110 win over the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
Washington got 29 points from Kyle Kuzma and 27 points from Bradley Beal, and each of them added six rebounds and six assists. The Suns took a 98-88 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a pair of Deandre Ayton free throws, the last of his 30 points. Phoenix then went the next 5:17 scoring just two points while Washington ripped off 21 points.
The Wizards — who hadn’t won since Nov. 28 — took a nine-point lead with 22.2 seconds remaining as a result of the 21-2 outburst. The Suns cut the deficit to three when Landry Shamet made consecutive 3-pointers.
After a pair of Beal free throws, Phoenix’s Chris Paul drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 3.8 seconds left, giving him an opportunity to pull the Suns within two points. Paul made the first but missed the next two, effectively ending Phoenix’s hope for a rally. Ayton snared a game-high 13 rebounds, and Paul registered 12 points and 11 assists.
In other games, it was the Nuggets 105, Grizzlies 91; Bulls 113, Heat 103; Jazz 126, Pistons 111; and Knicks 132, Warriors 94.
Nuggets 105, Grizzlies 91
Aaron Gordon scored 24 points, Nikola Jokic had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, and host Denver beat Memphis.
Bruce Brown scored 16 points, Christian Braun had 13 points and Bones Hyland and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 12 apiece for Denver, which won for the fifth time in six games.
The Nuggets played without guard Jamal Murray, who was dealing with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Murray shot 2-for-11 in a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday while dealing with the knee ailment.
Bulls 113, Heat 103
Nikola Vucevic scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as visiting Chicago ended a four-game losing streak and stopped Miami’s four-game winning run.
DeMar DeRozan scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half, and Zach LaVine added 21 points and seven assists for the Bulls.
Bam Adebayo tallied 27 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Miami, which has lost three of its past four home contests. Tyler Herro added 19 points and seven assists. — Field Level Media
