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 Fueled by a potent fast break and 27 points off 23 Jazz turnovers,
the Wizards (24-28) dominated the Jazz shortly after acquiring
Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris before Thursday's trade
deadline. Center Marcin Gortat led Washington with 22 points and 10
rebounds. Forward Nene and guard Bradley Beal each scored 16 points.
Forward Gordon Hayward led the Jazz (26-27) with 19 points and guard
Rodney Hood had 18. Utah had won seven straight games before losing
in New Orleans on Feb. 10 in their final game before the break.
The initial meeting was set for Jan. 23, but was postponed because
of a massive snowstorm on the East Coast.
Both teams, hopeful for a playoff berth, were active before tipoff
with moves ahead of the league-wide trading deadline.
Washington made the splashier deal, sending forward Kris Humphries,
center DeJuan Blair and a 2016 first round pick for Morris, who is
expected to join the team Friday.
"We needed a jolt, we haven't been playing consistent," Wizards
president Ernie Grunfeld said. "We think Morris can come in and help
us make a playoff run."
The Wizards ran plenty against the Jazz, finishing with 34 fast
break points while shooting 48.8 percent from the field. Washington
turned a 49-42 halftime lead into a 17-point advantage in the third
quarter. Utah pulled within five, but Washington pushed back. Beal
scored 11 in the fourth quarter with his floater giving the Wizards
their largest lead at 102-83.
The win moved Washington 2 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets
for the eighth and final playoff spot. They remain four games back
in the loss column behind the fourth seeded Atlanta Hawks.
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The Jazz added point guard depth by adding Shelvin Mack from the
Hawks for a 2018 second-round pick. Utah fell into a tie for eighth
with the Houston Rockets.
Center Rudy Gobert had 16 point and 12 rebounds for the Jazz. Utah
shot 40.3 percent from the field.
NOTES: Washington brought G Bradley Beal off the bench for the start
of its three-games-in-three-days stretch. The Wizards' second
leading scorer remains on a minutes restriction since returning from
a stress leg injury last month. Garrett Temple made his 30th start
of the season. ...Jazz G Trey Burke returned to the lineup after
missing the final three games before the All-Star break with the
flu. ... Wizards F Alan Anderson (ankle surgery) has yet to play
this season, but he participated in a full practice for the first
time on Wednesday. Anderson and G Gary Neal (sore right leg) were
inactive. ... Utah heads home to face the Boston Celtics on Friday.
Washington hosts the Detroit Pistons on Friday before playing the
Heat on Saturday in Miami.
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