It was one of the most anticipated matches of the day. The Wizards, one of the revelations of the course, received Miami, one of the realities in the NBA’s elite. It was a matter of calibrating forces, of seeing what paste the people of the capital were made of when a strong rival was put in front of them. Well then … They came out victorious and reinforced by the way they did it
After a first time marked by equality, the second began with the Heat sweeping; so much so that in the middle of the third quarter they were winning by 16 points. They seemed to have the meeting on track, but these Wizards are not the set of yesteryear, but a new one that is very clear about what to do and how to do it. Without despairing, in short steps, they closed the gap until they tied the game at 96 points with 2:15 minutes to play with a triple by Kentavius Caldwell-Pope (16 points with 5 of 8 in triples). The most difficult thing remained, closing the victory, and they did not fail either. With another outside pitch from Spencer Dinwiddie (16 points, 4-for-7 from 3-pointers) and Kyle Kuzma’s personal shooting, the victory stayed at home.
“Everyone is still learning, but it’s amazing to see that we can add some victories as we continue in the learning process,” says 21-point author Bradley Beal of having so many new faces on the roster.
The win leaves the Wizards 11-5; that is, just half a game ahead of the Heat to place second in the Eastern Conference tied with the Chicago Bulls. Those in the capital of the United States have not concluded a course with a positive balance since the 2017-18 campaign; at present they are on the way.
Butler’s 29 points
Jimmy Butler’s campaign has been exceptional, but his 29 points last night weren’t enough for Miami to score its fifth straight win. They had it in their hand and it escaped them. The shooting guard understands that the NBA is just like that. “This league is a constant lesson in humility. Everything is fragile, and as soon as you think you are good and you feel at the highest level with yourself, they beat you in this way, “he says.
Developing.
(Photograph by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)