Keyshawn George delivered an efficient 23-point performance and the Washington Wizards erupted late to pull away from the Toronto Raptors, earning a 138–117 victory on Friday night.
George knocked down nine of his 13 shots, while CJ McCollum and Bilal Coulibaly each scored 21 points as Washington produced its highest point total of the season. Despite entering the night with one of the NBA’s top defensive ratings, Toronto couldn’t contain the Wizards, who shot 59.3% from the field, controlled the boards 46–33, and dominated the fourth quarter 36–17.
The win snapped a four-game home losing streak for Washington, though the Wizards remain at the bottom of the league standings.
Toronto stayed within striking distance for much of the night. After trailing by 11 at halftime, the Raptors cut the deficit to just two points by the end of the third quarter. However, Washington quickly regained control with a decisive run to open the fourth.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Justin Champagnie and Bub Carrington pushed the lead to double digits, and another burst featuring triples from McCollum and Carrington — along with a driving layup by George — stretched the margin to 120–104. Coulibaly’s transition dunk later made it a 20-point game for the first time.
For Toronto, Brandon Ingram scored 29 points and Immanuel Quickley added 25, but the Raptors dropped their ninth game in the past 13 outings. Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Raptors were again short-handed, playing without RJ Barrett (knee sprain) and Jakob Poeltl (back strain).
Up Next
-
Raptors: Open a five-game homestand Sunday against Golden State.
-
Wizards: Continue their homestand Sunday versus Memphis.