Avdija scores 11 points, Wizards snatch their first win of the season
Washington saw its robust 16-point lead with 8:53 to play in the second whittled to three at halftime after Minnesota went on a 27-14 run to end the quarter.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFWashington Wizards at Minnesota Timberwolves(photo credit: USA TODAY)
After five frustrating games, the Washington Wizards finally secured their first win of the NBA season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening.The struggling Wizards (1-5) defeated the Timberwolves (2-3) on their home court 130-109 by an onslaught led by Bradley Beal, who scored 31 points on Friday to become the first player in franchise history to start a season with at least 25 points in the team's first six games.Israeli phenom Deni Avdija also had a terrific start to 2021, scoring 11 points in his first - and, so far, the best overall - game of the year, adding another seven rebounds, three assists and three steals to his stat sheet.Washington saw its robust 16-point lead with 8:53 to play in the second whittled to three at halftime after Minnesota went on a 27-14 run to end the quarter.Undaunted, the Wizards found their stroke from the perimeter to begin the third quarter. Beal sank a 3-pointer before Neto converted from beyond the arc on consecutive possessions to push Washington's lead to 68-57.The Wizards didn't let up, with Thomas Bryant adding a pair of dunks and rookie Avdija and Beal each draining a 3-pointer as part of a 15-0 run. That surge gave Washington a 92-66 advantage, and the Wizards didn't look back. Reuters contributed to this report.
