Kyle Kuzma scored 32 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday night, marking their second consecutive win after breaking a 16-game losing streak.
Corey Kispert added 22 points, Deni Avdija contributed 16, and Tyus Jones posted 12 points and 16 assists for the Wizards. This win also marked their first road victory since January 29, ending an eight-game losing streak away from home.
Kuzma made 12 of 16 free throws, grabbed nine rebounds, and contributed four assists, nearly reaching a team season high in assists with Washington recording 35 in total.
For the Heat, Jimmy Butler led with 23 points, while Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier, and Bam Adebayo each scored 16. Despite their efforts, Miami lost their third consecutive game, dropping to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Kuzma played a crucial role in a 22-10 run that gave Washington a 110-100 lead with 2:45 left in the game, hitting key 3-pointers at the start and end of the stretch.
Miami fought back with eight unanswered points before Caleb Martin’s layup ended their run with 32 seconds remaining.
In the final possession, Kuzma was called for an offensive foul, giving Miami a chance to tie or take the lead with a 3-pointer. However, Robinson and Butler both missed their attempts, securing the victory for Washington.
The Wizards took the lead for good in the fourth quarter, with Kuzma’s 3-pointer putting them ahead 91-90 with 8:17 remaining.
Despite trailing since late in the first quarter, Washington narrowed the gap and entered halftime trailing by only six points after Adebayo’s driving hook.
Both teams were missing key players due to injuries, with the Heat without Tyler Herro (right foot medial tendinitis) and Kevin Love (right heel bruise), who missed their eighth and sixth consecutive games, respectively. Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III also sat out his third straight game due to lower back spasms, while Richaun Holmes was sidelined with a left toe sprain.
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