– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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WASHINGTON — There is nothing like going up against a higher-regarded player playing the same position to get both Washington Wizards guards, Tyus Jones and Jordan Poole, to bring their best to the table. At least for one game, the Wizards were able to put their season-long doldrums aside to put on a dazzling display of offensive efficiency that brought home a rare victory.
Jordan Poole scored all 30 of his points in the first three quarters, while backcourt mate Tyus Jones put together a triple-double as the Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 137-123 inside Capital One Arena on Friday night. Kyle Kuzma led all scorers with 31 points as Washington put an end to a six-game losing streak.
Going up against one of the newest sensations in the NBA, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Jones had 13 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, his second career triple-double after one he attained last season while he was with the Memphis Grizzlies.
After allowing 37 points in the first quarter to Indiana, the highest-scoring team in the league, Washington outscored the Pacers 39-18 in the second quarter. Poole scored 11 of his points during the period, making 5-for-7 from the field while also grabbing three rebounds and dishing out three assists. Bilal Coulibaly and Corey Kispert each scored eight points off the bench in the second, with Coulibaly making all three of his shots from the field — two of them coming from beyond the arc.
Haliburton had 19 points and 11 assists before leaving the game in the second half with a left knee contusion.
*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Wednesday evening’s event, with all photos taken by DC-area photographer Clifford Ray Williams. After clicking on the first photo to enlarge the picture, make sure to press the left and right arrow buttons to scroll through the rest of the pictures. There are 20 pictures in total.
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