Kuzma, Poole lead Wizards to first win for Brian Keefe, 118-104 over Pistons
DETROIT - DETROIT (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored 28 points and Jordan Poole added 17 as the Washington Wizards beat the Detroit Pistons 118-104 on Saturday.
The win was the first for interim coach Brian Keefe and came less than two weeks after Detroit won 129-117 in Washington. The Wizards had lost six straight, starting with the Pistons game.
Daniel Gafford added 15 points and 13 rebounds for Washington, which had six players in double figures.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 27: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket against Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on January 27, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Washington wo
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 30 points and Cade Cunningham added 20 points and 12 assists in his return from a knee injury. Jalen Duren finished with 10 points and 18 rebounds.
The Wizards led 102-98 with 5:20 left, but Poole made it a seven-point game with a 3-pointer. Detroit came up empty on its next two possessions, and Kuzma dunked to make it 107-98 with four minutes left.
Bogdanovic’s three-point play got Detroit within six, but Kuzma made a 3-pointer for a 111-101 lead with 2:42 to go.
Detroit led 63-61 at the half, thanks to Cunningham’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Neither team could get enough stops to take over in the third quarter.
Washington led 87-85 heading into the fourth, and the Wizards expanded it to 97-91. The margin was 99-96 when Washington brought their starters back in with 7:06 to play.
The game started at noon so Little Caesars Arena could be converted for an evening game between the Detroit Red Wings and Vegas Golden Knights.
UP NEXT
Wizards: At the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Pistons: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon in a game moved up to finish before the Lions play the 49ers in the NFC Championship game.