Washington Wizards has endured a long season but is fresh of one of its most fun moments.
The magicians will look to follow up a fantastic victory over Denver Nuggets with another solid performance as they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
Washington (15-51) ended a surprising season into Nuggets on Saturday with a victory 126-123. Jordan Poole swung a 35-foot, 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left to break the tie and give the magicians their sixth victory in the last ten matches.
Poole could immediately feel that the victory was a powerful performance for an inexperienced group that has fought most of the season.
“Being a young team, I think it’s just really good for us,” Poole said afterwards. “It was great for us, and I feel that many of our players grew up (Saturday night), and these are the things that will not just set us up for the next match or next week or at the end of this season.
“But it creates for next year, trying to make the playoffs, which needs to win big games … and it’s just good for our guys to see it right now.”
No. 2 Overall draft Pick Alex Sarr got a career pile of 34 points. The 19-year-old also had six returns and five assists while he went against three times the NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
The magicians stand 3-2 on a seven-game road trip which ends Wednesday against Utah Jazz.
Washington defeated Detroit Pistons 129-125 on Thursday before killing Nuggets in the game that went back and forth at the last minute before Pool’s strike for long distance.
“It was obviously a pleasing moment,” said Washington Rookie -guard Bub Carrington. “We got the victory, a summaker, and it felt like a really hard -fought team to win. Alex got off, but it felt like a really good win for all of us.”
Portland (29-39) had a happy time on Sunday when it defeated visiting Toronto Raptors 105-102 to snap a five-game’s losing line.
Trail Blazers has not given up the Western Conference Play-in race even though they stand 3 1/2 matches from the final place with 14 matches to play.
While Portland made losses, the ninth place of Sacramento Kings has lost the last four matches and 10th place Dallas Mavericks has lost three straight. Phoenix Suns is in 11th place, two matches ahead of Portland.
“We are still looking at the position,” said Trail Blazer’s guard Affernee Simons. “We know it’s a tougher way forward. We must hope (other teams) lose, we have to keep winning. So just focus on it.”
Simons received 12 of his 22 points during the fourth quarter against Toronto in a competition Portland dragged out of 16 during the second quarter.
Toumani Camara got 21 points and matched her career high on five 3-points. Simons made six three.
Trail Blazer’s coach Chauncey Billups said he liked how his team played down the route. In Portland’s previous game on Wednesday, a 3-pointer at the summer of Mikal Bridges New York Knicks gave a victory of 114-113.
“What stood out for me was the growth we showed at the end of the game,” Billups said. “… I thought it was amazing to be in that place again so quickly and see” Can we learn? “And then we did it.
Matisse Thybulle (ankle) made her season debut for Trail Blazers, and the stellar defender had two returns, two steal and a blocked shot in six minutes.
Portland noted a victory with 129-121 road across Washington on February 26. Shaedon Sharpe got a career best 36 points for Trail Blazers. Poole had 24 points for the magicians.
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