NBA: Kyle Kuzma scores 33, Wizards wallop Blazers
FILE – Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards runs down the floor after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half at Capital One Arena on February 03, 2023 in Washington, DC. Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFP
Kyle Kuzma recorded 33 points and nine rebounds to help the Washington Wizards register a 126-101 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
Kristaps Porzingis contributed 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as the Wizards won for the third time in the past four games. Bradley Beal scored 19 points and Kendrick Nunn added 10.
Article continues after this advertisementmake that 33 points for no. 33 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/FYF9OyUxB4
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 15, 2023
Damian Lillard registered 39 points, matched his season best of 10 rebounds and added six assists for Portland, which lost for the fourth time in games. Cam Reddish added 18 points for the Trail Blazers.
Anfernee Simons scored 17 points for Portland before departing the game with a sprained right ankle with 1.9 seconds left in the third quarter. He didn’t return.
Article continues after this advertisementLillard has scored at least 30 points in 16 of the past 20 games.
Bradley Beal attacks the rim with authority 😳 pic.twitter.com/7PN8GPaktJ
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2023
Kuzma shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range after missing the previous four games due to a left ankle injury.
Shaedon Sharpe added 14 points for the Trail Blazers. Portland’s Jerami Grant (concussion) missed his second straight game.
The Wizards made 57 percent of their shots, including 17 of 33 (51.5 percent) from 3-point range.
Portland connected on 41.9 percent of its shots and was 12 of 42 (28.6 percent) from behind the arc.
Washington led by seven points at halftime but created distance in the third quarter behind Porzingis.
The big man scored all the Wizards’ points during an 8-1 run to push the lead to 80-62 with 5:21 remaining in the period.
The margin was 15 before Washington scored nine points in the final 31 seconds of the quarter, starting with a trey by Nunn. Corey Kispert added a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left and Kuzma swished a 54-footer as time expired to give the Wizards a 97-74 advantage.
Washington led 105-84 after Kuzma’s 3-pointer with 9:12 left in the contest before the Trail Blazers went on a 13-2 burst. Sharpe ended it with a trey to bring Portland within 10 with 5:14 left.
Beal then scored the next six points — including making technical foul shots called 12 seconds apart on Lillard and Portland coach Chauncey Billups — to give Washington a 113-97 advantage.
A three-point play by Porzingis made it 116-99 with 2:56 left before the Trail Blazers cleared the bench and the Wizards finished strong.
Kuzma scored 21 first-half points as Washington led 59-52 at the break. Lillard had 19 in the half for Portland.
