Wizards winning streak comes to an end despite backcourts' continued success

The Washington Wizards hit the road for a battle against the Miami Heat on Saturday night in Mexico City. 

Washington entered the matchup on a two-game winning streak and with a chance to get over the .500 mark on the season. Against a struggling Heat team, the Wizards seemed to be in a position to continue their underrated start, but Miami seemingly wanted the win more.

The Wizards fell short in a 118-98 loss, but in a rebuilding season, there’s more to evaluate for Washington within each win or loss. That said, despite falling to 2-3, the Wiz keep showing promise throughout the start of the season, mostly from a certain backcourt duo.

Jordan Poole and Bilal Coulibaly continue to impress

Before Saturday night’s matchup, the Wizards have seen growth in their backcourt between two young guards taking a leap within their positions. Jordan Poole entered the season with growing confidence from his strong offseason, mixed in with the supporting cast on Washington’s coaching staff led by first-year head coach Brian Keefe. 

Poole has shown a growing ability to serve as the team’s primary ball handler through the first week of the NBA regular season. The Michigan product has not only improved his offensive game as a whole but he’s grown as a facilitator. 

Considering his increased efficiency on offense, and underrated passing, Poole has done nothing but make Keefe’s decision look like the right one. Poole finished the matchup against the Heat with 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. In addition, the guard showcased his improved defense with two steals and two blocks.

Aside from Poole’s solid outing, he wasn’t the only Wizards who put together a nice game in the loss. The Wizards former lottery pick in Coulibaly continued to add to his impressive start to the season.

Coulibaly finished his night with a team-high 22 points, eight rebounds, and two assists on 66% shooting from the field, including going 2/2 from three. The guard put together multiple impressive drives in the loss, showing off his increased confidence to make plays regardless if the paint is crowded or not.

In what is looked at as a rebuilding season by many, the team continues to put their young players in a position to grow as roster evaluations continue in a pivotal season. That said, the leap of the backcourt duo is at least one thing to be excited about for the Wizards moving forward.