MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) —
CJ McCollum and Kyshawn George scored 28 points each keying a second-half comeback as the Washington Wizards erased a 20-point deficit and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 130-122 on Saturday night.
Alex Sarr added 18 points and 11 rebounds for Washington. The Wizards snapped a seven-game losing streak in Memphis, where they hadn’t won since Jan. 5, 2018. Marvin Bagley had 16 points. McCollum was 4 of 5 from outside the arc in the second half. George added seven assists and seven rebounds.
Santi Aldama led Memphis with a career-high 37 points and 10 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 and Cam Spencer added 19 for Memphis.
The game was tied at 115 with 4:31 left in the game. A 3-pointer from Sarr gave the Wizards a 121-119 lead with 2:16 left, and Washington didn’t trailed the rest of the way.
With various injuries, Memphis had only nine players available. Brandon Clarke went out in the first quarter with right calf soreness, then Jackson and Jock Landale were saddled with five fouls apiece, allowing the Wizards to claw their way back in the third quarter.
McCollum’s layup in the last second of the third pulled the Wizards even at 95 entering the fourth. Washington shot 63% while outscoring the Grizzlies 42-27 in the frame. And what had been a 20-point Memphis lead had disappeared.
The Wizards stayed close through the midway point of the second quarter when Memphis had a 17-5 rally. That fueled the Grizzlies to a 68-53 halftime lead as Aldama had 22 points and Jackson added 20.
Tre Johnson had 12 points off the Washington bench.
Up next
Wizards: Host San Antonio on Sunday.
Grizzlies: Visit Oklahoma City on Monday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Clay Bailey, The Associated Press
