Kyle Kuzma’s 30-point performance led the Washington Wizards to a 118-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons during Saturday’s NBA action, marking interim coach Brian Keefe’s first win in his second game. The matchup featured two of the league’s struggling teams, with Washington seeking improvement under Keefe’s guidance.
Keefe, who experienced a loss in his debut game following Wes Unseld Jr.’s transition to the Wizards’ front office, emphasized the importance of defense in this win.
“This is obviously very cool, and the best part is the way we played defense,” Keefe said. “Two days ago, we talked about having to become a better defensive team, and we did a good job today. There’s a long way to go, but these are the habits we have to build.”
The Wizards, who had been on a six-game losing streak, showed signs of defensive improvement, something Keefe highlighted as a key focus.
Jordan Poole contributed 17 points, and Daniel Gafford added a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, aiding the Wizards in enhancing their record to 8-37. This win was particularly significant as it avenged a previous loss to Detroit, who are currently 5-40.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Updates
Kuzma, a Flint native, was thrilled to perform well in front of his hometown crowd, including his family and friends.
“I just want to play well in front of my mom,” Kuzma said. “I always have a lot of fans here, so I get juiced to play here.”
For Detroit, Bojan Bogdanovic led the scoring with 30 points. Returning from a knee injury, Cade Cunningham added 20 points and 12 assists, while Jalen Duren secured 10 points and 18 rebounds. Despite these efforts, Pistons coach Monty Williams pointed out the team’s lack of poise and execution.
“We lacked poise and execution,” Williams said. “There were times where we were down two or three points, and it felt like 20. We weren’t doing the things we should have done.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Updates
The game remained competitive, with the Wizards leading narrowly at 102-98 with over five minutes remaining. Crucial plays by Poole and Kuzma expanded the lead, thwarting Detroit’s efforts to close the gap. Kuzma’s 3-pointer with less than three minutes to go was pivotal, setting the Wizards ahead 111-101.
Cunningham remarked on Detroit’s challenges, particularly in rebounding and transitions, acknowledging his turnovers as detrimental to the team’s chances.
“They had 16 offensive rebounds after we killed them on the boards last time,” Cunningham said. “In transition, we gave up too many layups and a part of that is live-ball turnovers. I had too many turnovers, and it is hard to come back from that.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Updates
The Wizards’ improved defensive effort in the fourth quarter, coupled with Detroit’s poor shooting, including a 0-8 record from the three-point line, was key to their victory. Kuzma stressed the importance of this performance as a new standard for the team.
“We owed these guys from last time — that wasn’t a game that was up to our standards,” Kuzma said. “This is our new standard, the way we communicated on defense and how hard we worked.”
The game’s early start was due to a scheduled hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and Vegas Golden Knights at Little Caesars Arena later that evening.
Looking ahead, the Wizards will face the San Antonio Spurs. At the same time, the Pistons host the Oklahoma City Thunder in a rescheduled game to accommodate the NFC Championship football game between the Lions and the 49ers.
