WASHINGTON — Corey Kispert scored 26 points and sank six 3-pointers, Deni Avdija added 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Washington Wizards pulled away for a 136-124 win over the San Antonio Spurs in a meeting of depleted teams Friday night.
Delon Wright added 24 points and Kristaps Porzingis 23 for the Wizards, who missed three-time All-Star Bradley Beal (left knee sprain) for a second game.
The 12th-place Wizards snapped a four-game losing skid on a night they began 2 1/2 games back of the Chicago Bulls for the final Eastern Conference play-in game spot.
Washington sank 15 of 30 attempts beyond the arc one game after setting season lows for number and percentage of 3s made in Wednesday’s loss to West-leading Denver.
Keldon Johnson scored 30 points for San Antonio, which played without 2022 ninth-overall draft pick Jeremy Sochan (sore right knee) for the third time in four games.
Keita Bates-Diop added 20 points and Doug McDermott had 18 for the Spurs, who have lost all three games entering the finale of a four-game road trip.
After trailing by as many as 13, San Antonio surged ahead to their first second-half lead during a 14-2, third-quarter run. Johnson’s driving layup while fouled put the Spurs in front, and he rebounded his own missed free throw to find Devonte’ Graham for a kick-out 3 to make it 84-80.
From there, the lead changed five times before Washington took it back for good via a 12-4 spurt. Wright fueled that stretch when he hit a runner at the third-quarter buzzer to put the Wizards up 99-98 and followed with a 3 to open the fourth.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Went on a team visit Thursday to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. … Coach Gregg Popovich said Sochan is still likely to play down the stretch “off and on, when he’s feeling good,” despite his recent absences. … Tre Jones had 10 points and 12 assists.
Wizards: Coach Wes Unseld Jr. suggested pregame it’s unlikely Beal would be playing through his knee injury if Washington was more competitive in the playoff race. “I can’t say that for a fact,” Unseld said. “I think it’s something that would keep him out, hopefully just for a game or two.” … Starting F Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain) missed his third straight game.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Close their road trip Sunday at Boston.
Wizards: Visit Toronto on Sunday.
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