Utah Jazz Edge Washington Wizards in 122-112 Win Behind Career Night from Ace Bailey

In a game that had plenty of storylines surrounding it, the Utah Jazz were able to sneak past the Washington Wizards in a high-scoring finish in the United States capital city on Thursday night.

Ace Bailey Posts Best Game of His Career in Win for Utah

While it’s been an up-and-down season for Utah Jazz rookie, Ace Bailey, the former Rutgers standout gave fans of the franchise a glimpse into the kind of potential he possesses in tonight’s game. Bailey scored a career-high 32 points for the Jazz, catching fire from deep and raining in 7 threes on a high-efficiency night in the win. Utah had an overall great night on offense, as they shot over 51% from the field and 43% from three for the game.

Bailey wasn’t the only player having a fantastic night for the Jazz on offense, as Isaiah Collier showed off both his scoring chops and his playmaking abilities in the win. Collier would drop 27 points while also dishing out 11 assists, as he ran the Jazz offense to perfection tonight. Collier is coming off the best month of his young career in February, as he averaged 18 points and 10 assists while also becoming the fastest player to reach 500 career assists in Jazz franchise history.

Utah outplayed Washington in almost every facet of the game tonight, with the Jazz essentially leading in every major statistical category in the win. The most eye-opening stat on the night was the Jazz’s total assists, as Utah dealt out 31 assists on 47 of their made shots in the game. The Jazz would also come out of the gates hot on offense, as they jumped out to a 21-point lead midway through the second quarter.

Trae Young Impresses in Wizards Debut

Despite taking on another loss in what has turned out to be another lost season, the Wizards were able to get a nice but brief first look at Trae Young on the court for the franchise. Young would score 12 points and notch 6 assists in just 19 minutes of playing time, as the Wizards heavily limited Young’s minutes in his first game back. Tonight’s game marked Young’s first game since December 27, as the All-Star guard was sidelined with knee and quadriceps injuries.

While Young exited the game early, the Wizards’ offense was still competitive in the loss. Washington would receive a plentiful amount of scoring from almost every player in the game, with over 7 players finishing in double digits. The most notable performance came from rookie center Julian Reese, who put together the best performance of his rookie year so far. In just his third game with the Wizards, Reese would finish with a monster double-double of 18 points and 20 rebounds in a great showing.

Reese has emerged as a bit of a difference maker since signing a two-way deal with the Wizards last Saturday, as he’s averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds on 56% shooting since joining Washington. The former Maryland standout signed with the Toronto Raptors G-League affiliate, Raptors 905, back in October as an undrafted free agent, and spent the bulk of the season with the team prior to signing with the Wizards.

Wizards Injury Updates and Lottery Odds

Although winning games is the ultimate goal of any NBA team, this loss does provide some benefit to the Wizards, at least as it pertains to their potential lottery position in the upcoming draft. Washington entered the game with the NBA’s 4th-worst record, trailing the Jazz by a game and a half for the 3rd-worst position. Washington will have to maintain that losing pace if they wish to hold on to their first-round pick this year, as they’re at risk of not losing their first-round draft pick rights if they fall out of the top 8 in the draft lottery.

On the injury front, the Wizards received some positive news surrounding Anthony Davis earlier today. According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, the Wizards said that Davis is progressing well in his recovery from the ligament injury in his left hand that has sidelined the 10-time All-Star since January 8. Due to this positive update, the Wizards also announced that Davis had been cleared to begin limited on-court activities and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

This latest update could be a sign that Davis may be able to suit up for the Wizards this season, as Washington has not yet shut down the star forward for the season. If Davis can return this season, Wizards fans may finally get a first-hand view at what’s to come next season with both Young and Davis on the court together.