The Washington Wizards entered Wednesday night for a rematch against the Atlanta Hawks on their home floor.
Washington upset the Hawks in their first battle on Monday night, and their ability to adjust in two days not only gave the front office a chance to catch a glimpse of Brian Keefe’s coaching ability but also showed how the young players on the team could execute said adjustments made.
In Wednesday night’s matchup, the Wizards seemed to understand the assignment which led them to a huge 133-120 win.
That said, here’s a look at Washington’s win, and how their new-found offense continues to lead them to victory.
Wizards explosive offense leads them to 2-2
Entering the matchup, each squad was looking to get their best players going and showcase their ability to put points up quickly. Just two nights prior, the Wizards' defense managed to take star Trae Young out of the Hawks' offense, which initially led them to their first win of the season.
However, on Wednesday, Young didn’t put up another poor shooting performance. Atlanta’s superstar exploited the Wizards' defense this go-round on his way to 35 points, 15 assists, and four rebounds. Nonetheless, despite the guard’s monster performance, it wasn’t enough to overcome a young Washington team that continues to find their rhythm.
In the win, the Wizards received big-time performances from players from top to bottom on the roster. However, the most impressive contribution may have come from the team's starting backcourt of Jordan Poole and Bilal Coulibaly.
Poole finished his night with 24 points, nine assists, and three rebounds as he continues to impress in his increased role. In addition, Coulibaly didn’t let his running mate shine alone. The French product put together his display of two-way play while resetting his career high yet again. Coulibaly finished the matchup with 27 points, nine rebounds, and one assist.
In addition, Coulibaly showed off his two-way ability with three steals and a block to add to his hot start on both sides of the court. Not to mention Poole totaled three steals in the win as well.
Looking ahead, Washington may be in more games than originally thought, especially with the emergence of the young backcourt duo. As the season progresses, they’ll only get better which could mean trouble for opposing teams, especially if they enter each matchup viewing the Wizards as an easy win.
Averaging 118 points per game, the Wizards are tied for the 5th best offense in the league to start the year. An impressive and telling stat about their rookie head coach and young team.