Tag: Minnesota

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Basketball

Niko Medved departs Colorado State for his home state of Minnesota following the Rams’ NCAA tournament appearance

Niko Medved in the 1st round

Minnesota hired Niko Medved from Colorado State on Monday, giving him a six-year contract. Medved, a Twin Cities-area native and former student manager for the Gophers, had Colorado State just one basket away from the Sweet 16.

Medved was the top choice from the beginning to replace Ben Johnson, who was fired on March 13 after a 56-71 record and 22-57 in the Big Ten over four seasons. Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle has been working to improve a struggling program that has made the NCAA Tournament only twice in the last 12 years.

“This really is a dream job for me,” Medved said in a statement from the university. “I loved my time at Colorado State, and I worked with amazing people who made a lasting impact on my life. Those are memories I’ll always cherish. This job was too special to pass up, and when the chance came, I had to take it.”

Colorado State finished the season with a 26-10 record. They beat No. 5 seed Memphis 78-70 in the first round and lost 72-71 in the second round to No. 4 seed Maryland on a buzzer-beating bank shot.

This was the third time in seven years under Medved that the Rams reached 25 wins and made the NCAA Tournament out of the Mountain West, one of the toughest mid-major conferences in the country.

“I’ve had as much fun and joy coaching this group as any group I’ve ever been a part of, and they just keep giving us more,” Medved said after the loss to Maryland in Seattle on Sunday. “It’s just gut-wrenching. It’s a season you never want to end. It’s been an incredible ride, and it goes by so fast.”

The 51-year-old Medved has been a head coach for 12 seasons, including four years at Furman and a one-year stint at Drake. He’s from Roseville, a suburb near the Minnesota campus, where he earned degrees in kinesiology and sport management.

Medved was once a team manager for the Gophers under coach Clem Haskins, who led them to their only Final Four appearance in 1997. He began his coaching career later that year as an assistant at Macalester, followed by assistant roles at Furman, Minnesota, and Colorado State.

Niko Medved in the 1st half

Medved got a contract extension last year, which included a significant pay raise, bringing his salary to $1.7 million this season

The contract also had options that would carry it through the 2030-31 season. He finished with a 143-85 record at Colorado State, making it the second-best winning percentage in the school’s history. Medved has a 222-173 record in his 12-year coaching career.

Under Medved, the Rams had at least one first-team All-Mountain West player in every season he coached. Last year, their highest ranking in The Associated Press college basketball poll was 13th, which was the best in school history.

Minnesota struggled with a 9-22 record and a 2-17 Big Ten record in 2022-23. However, the team showed improvement in 2023-24 by making the NIT and finishing with a 19-15 record. This season, the Gophers had one of the worst records in the conference, finishing 15-17.

In the 28 years since their one and only Final Four appearance, which was later vacated due to NCAA penalties for academic fraud exposed by a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota has only made the NCAA Tournament seven times, with just two wins.

Over the past 20 seasons, the Gophers have had a winning record in Big Ten play just once, finishing 11-7 in 2016-17 under coach Richard Pitino.

Coloado State players celebrate after the win

Medved’s buyout from Colorado State is 33% of the remaining value of his contract, which is around $3.7 million

Ben Johnson, who had an annual salary of $1.95 million, the lowest in the 18-team Big Ten, had a buyout of about $2.9 million.

This is a costly transition for athletic director Mark Coyle, whose goal is to make the program relevant again in both the local sports scene and in the competitive, expanded Big Ten. This will likely require the university to make a greater financial commitment, especially with the revenue-sharing system in college sports.

Johnson had to rebuild the team’s rosters multiple times due to the transfer portal era, with some of his best players being drawn away by better NIL deals. While Johnson had strong local ties as a Minneapolis native, he struggled to tap into the state’s talent pool to build a successful foundation for the program.

One of Johnson’s assistants, Dave Thorson, was previously an assistant at Colorado State under Medved and would be a good fit for the new staff. Thorson could help recruit local talent from Minnesota, which consistently produces players good enough for power conferences.

Medved also coached Minneapolis native David Roddy at Colorado State. Roddy was a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft and currently plays for the Houston Rockets.

“We need somebody who embraces Minnesota,” Coyle said after firing Johnson. “We need somebody who’s going to generate excitement. At the end of the day, I’m a firm believer: When you’re winning games, people want to be a part of that.”

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NHL (National Hockey League)

The Islanders and Wild aim for a win in Saint Paul before the 4 Nations Face-Off break

New York Islanders (NHL)

The New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild are both coming off close games as they prepare for their match on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

This will be the last game for both teams before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will take place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

The Wild ended a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 home win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, while the Islanders lost 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night but have won eight of their last 10 games (8-2-0).

The Islanders were up 2-1 after the first period on Friday, with goals from Simon Holmstrom and Marc Gatcomb. However, the Jets came back with three goals in the second period.

Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders in the third period. Ilya Sorokin, who lost for the first time since Jan. 16, made 23 saves.

“We did a lot of good things tonight,” New York center Bo Horvat said after the loss. “I thought we fought back. But at the end of the day, we couldn’t get the job done tonight. I thought in the first we were good. We let our foot off the gas for a minute in the second. We knew they would come, and they did. We fought back in the third period to make it a close game.”

Islanders coach Patrick Roy agreed with Horvat.

“We played really well in the first and third periods. Played very well, took a lead,” Roy said. “I think in the second period, we lost coverage, and that cost us two of the three goals.”

Minnesota Wild (NHL)

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Filip Gustavsson made 37 saves for Minnesota.

“Whether it’s lifting sticks, shot blocking and not allowing second efforts,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I thought we also did a good job. If the puck was in those areas or below the goal line, we had five players tight. And then when they did get some looks, because they’re going to, I thought ‘Gus’ (Gustavsson) really competed tonight in scrums and battles, and it was going to be one where your goaltender has to compete in traffic tonight, and he did a nice job.”

Yakov Trenin and Vinnie Hinostroza scored for the Wild. Hinostroza played his first game for Minnesota after being claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.

“Yeah, (I) felt really good,” Hinostroza said after the game. “Obviously, a lot of emotions. Entering a new locker room sometimes can be hard to do, but this group couldn’t have made it easier for me today. So I’m just happy to be a part of this. Got in late last night, so I’ll go back and get some sleep tonight, and then back at it tomorrow. So it’ll be nice to see a little bit of down time.”

Minnesota forward Ryan Hartman will serve the third game of his 10-game suspension for using his forearm to slam the head of Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle to the ice last Saturday.

Hartman has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 48 games. The NHL Players Association has filed an appeal on Hartman’s behalf.

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NBA (Basketball)

Anthony Edwards sparks the Timberwolves in Minneapolis with a 90-point showing across two consecutive games

Anthony Edwards and Dillon Brooks get into an altercation in the 1st half

With the Minnesota Timberwolves missing two key players and looking for a boost in the middle of the season, Anthony Edwards showed he could step up to the level of an NBA superstar.

In two games over two days, he scored 90 points and helped the team secure two wins.

“I think he knows what we need from him now,” said head coach Chris Finch, praising Edwards for his consistent aggression in driving to the basket during the 127-114 win over Houston on Thursday.

“He’s making quick decisions. When he has a chance to race, he races. When he has a chance to shoot, he shoots. When he comes and catches the ball behind the play, he’s playing off the catch more, and that’s really resulting in a lot of trips to the free-throw line,” Finch added. “That’s exactly the way we need him to play. He’s been special these last couple of games, absolutely special.”

Edwards reached two important milestones on Thursday. He scored his 14th career 40-point game, surpassing Karl-Anthony Towns for the most in Timberwolves history, and at age 23, he became the youngest player in NBA history to make 1,000 three-pointers.

In his two games against Chicago and Houston, he shot 24 for 53 from the field, 11 for 26 from three-point range, and 31 for 33 from the free-throw line.

“It feels incredible, man, because of all the criticism I received coming into the league about my jumper,” Edwards said, noting that he’s shooting a career-best 42.1% from 3-point range. “Now I love to see what the critics say about my jumper.”

For the Timberwolves to reach their full potential, they need Edwards to not only perform well offensively but also become a leader for the team. This week, he’s shown his leadership, most notably by standing up to Dillon Brooks of the Rockets in a heated game without losing his cool.

“Once me and Dillon Brooks got into it, the fatigue went out the way. At that point, you can’t use that excuse because somebody tries you, you try them back,” Edwards said. “At that point, it’s time to hoop. I couldn’t use fatigue as a bailout in that moment. I had to show up.”

The trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo gave Edwards a bigger leadership role. Towns had been the glue in the locker room, always keeping the mood light and spirits high, but now Edwards clearly has the loudest voice, both literally and symbolically.

Anthony Edwards celebrates after the win

“As a team, we have a view of ourselves as being held to a higher standard and that we should be playing at a higher level and we just haven’t been,” said point guard Mike Conley. “He’s done a really good job of not letting those frustrations dictate the way he comes and approaches every game.”

After their strong 2023-24 season, which ended in the Western Conference finals, the Timberwolves have had a much tougher ride in 2024-25. They’ve had to adjust to a new lineup, injuries to Randle and DiVincenzo, and the tougher competition they now face due to their increased profile in the league.

Edwards himself has faced challenges, like dealing with double-teams and foul calls from referees, which he has loudly criticized, leading to fines totaling $285,000 this season.

As a team, the Timberwolves have struggled with slow starts, especially against teams that are missing key players or ranked low. This issue of focus and maturity begins with Edwards. Finch has not hesitated to call out the team’s uneven efforts, but Edwards has had little to criticize over the last two games.

Not only did Edwards perform well during a difficult back-to-back set of games, but he also helped give the team momentum at a crucial time. While many Western Conference teams upgraded their lineups before the trade deadline, the Timberwolves decided to stand pat, trusting that a healthy Randle and DiVincenzo will provide a big boost after the All-Star break.

The Timberwolves, with a 21-14 record against the West, are facing a tough stretch of games. After hosting Portland on Saturday, their next seven games include three against the top-ranked Oklahoma City team, one against the East-leading Cleveland team, and three more against teams in the top five of either conference.

“The plan is always to deliver, but if it don’t go my way, then I’ll be OK. I don’t really stress about it,” Edwards said. “However it goes, it goes. I know I put the work in.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Anthony Edwards looks to repeat his performance as the Timberwolves take on the Rockets in Minneapolis

Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA)

The Minnesota Timberwolves will look for their second straight win when they face the Houston Rockets on Thursday night in Minneapolis.

Minnesota comes off a 127-108 victory against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Anthony Edwards scored 49 points, including 30 in the second half, helping the Timberwolves end a two-game losing streak.

The win showed that the Timberwolves can still score without Julius Randle, their second-highest scorer this season. Randle is expected to miss at least two more weeks due to a right adductor strain.

Minnesota might get some help soon, as rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. has returned to practice after missing over a month due to a right foot sprain. He could be a strong candidate for more playing time in Randle’s absence.

Coach Chris Finch said, “He’s certainly on the fringe right now of getting into the rotation at any point. He plays with a lot of force (and) physicality, too, something that we need back in the lineup somehow with (Randle) out. I would say he’s extremely close. He’s ready to go. I think he’s kind of close to breaking through.”

Two other rookies, Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark, have earned more playing time recently. Clark, in particular, has impressed with his defensive play and hard-nosed approach.

The Rockets are trying to snap a four-game losing streak. Houston has lost to the Brooklyn Nets twice, and the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies once each.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (NBA)

Houston is also dealing with injuries to important players like Jabari Smith (hand) and Tari Eason (leg). Veteran guard Fred VanVleet missed Houston’s last game because of an ankle injury and could be out for another week or more.

VanVleet, 30, is averaging 14.6 points and 5.8 assists this season.

Houston coach Ime Udoka said he doesn’t want to use injuries as an excuse for the team’s struggles. He is looking for better defense, especially against Edwards.

After a 99-97 loss to the Nets on Tuesday, Udoka challenged his players’ competitiveness, saying, “Very soft and uncompetitive defensively. Just going at us 1-on-1, we’re complaining about offensive fouls, not boxing out, not doing our assignments. Even our supposed defenders got cooked (against the Nets).”

Thursday’s game will be the third of four regular-season meetings between the two teams. Houston won the first matchup 117-111 in overtime on Nov. 26 in Minneapolis. VanVleet led the Rockets with 27 points, and Alperen Sengun and Dillon Brooks scored 22 each.

Minnesota won 113-112 in the second game on Dec. 27 in Houston. Randle led the Timberwolves with 27 points, and Edwards added 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Wild look to bounce back at home after strong road stretch against Hurricanes in St. Paul

Minnesota Wild (NHL)

The Minnesota Wild have been strong on the road this season, but the same can’t be said for their home games. After a five-game road trip, they return to Xcel Energy Center on Thursday to face the Carolina Hurricanes, hoping to improve their home record.

At home, the Wild are 11-12-1, but they have an impressive 20-7-3 record when playing away. The difference is clear in several aspects of their game. At home, they score just 2.58 goals per game, ranking 31st in the league, and give up an average of 3.29 goals, which is seventh-worst.

They’ve only scored 22 goals in the third period at home, the second-lowest in the league, and their penalty kill at home is the worst in the NHL at 61.1 percent.

On the road, their performance is much better. They score 3.03 goals per game (12th in the league) and allow just 2.47 goals (second fewest). They’re second in third-period goals on the road with 38 and their penalty kill, though not great, sits at 77.1 percent (20th).

The Wild are returning home after two losses on the road, getting outscored 9-0 — 6-0 against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and 3-0 against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

“Maybe that’s a good change, coming home needing to turn things around a little bit,” said forward Marcus Johansson. “We need to make our home a place that’s tough to come and play, and we haven’t done that yet so far.”

Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

Marco Rossi has been a bright spot for the Wild, already setting a career-high with 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in 54 games, second on the team behind injured star Kirill Kaprizov (52 points). Rossi is three goals shy of his career best set last season.

The Hurricanes are coming off two losses of their own. After a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, they were shut out 3-0 by the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

“There’s definitely things we have to be better at as a group, but you’ve got to move on, that’s it,” said Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour. “It’s a new day tomorrow and we’ve got to try and find a win in the next game.”

The Hurricanes are struggling on the power play, going 0-for-2 against Winnipeg and 1-for-25 over their last 10 games.

“I feel like special teams, for sure, cost us the game (against the Jets),” said forward Sebastian Aho. “It’s a tough loss because at five-on-five, that’s a pretty good team, they don’t give up too much. But we had our looks, for sure enough chances to win the hockey game. We weren’t able to cash in, and that’s obviously been the trend as of late here. We’ve just got to be better.”

Before these two losses, the Hurricanes were 6-0-1 in their previous seven games. Aho contributed with seven points (four goals, three assists) in five games during that stretch, but has been kept off the scoresheet in the last two games.

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The NHLPA is appealing Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension for the Minnesota Wild forward

Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Hartman in the 2nd period

The NHL Players’ Association announced on Wednesday that it has filed an appeal on behalf of Ryan Hartman after the Minnesota Wild forward was given a 10-game suspension for roughing.

Hartman had 48 hours from the league’s decision on Monday night to decide whether he would appeal the suspension for slamming an opponent’s head to the ice with his right forearm. This suspension is the longest for on-ice conduct in more than six years.

The first appeal will be reviewed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who usually supports the decisions made by the Department of Player Safety and its vice president, George Parros. If Bettman upholds the suspension, Hartman can take his appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

As part of his fifth career suspension and fourth since 2023, Hartman will lose $487,805 in salary. He will get back more than $48,000 for each game his suspension is reduced, if that happens.

In 2018, Washington’s Tom Wilson got back six games’ worth of salary when his suspension was reduced from 20 to 14 games after appealing to an arbitrator.

Calgary Flames defenseman Brayden Pachal and Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) battle for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game

Hartman, 30, was initially given a match penalty for roughing Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle late in the second period of Saturday’s game.

“Hartman argues that he was trying to use his hand to regain his balance by leaning on Stutzle, and that their fall to the ice was accidental. We disagree,” Player Safety said in a video explaining the suspension. “With Stutzle bent low and focused on winning the faceoff, Hartman intentionally takes advantage of the vulnerable player in an unacceptable way.

He uses his forearm and body weight to drive Stutzle’s head into the ice from a height, which makes this move both dangerous and unacceptable.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Timberwolves and Bulls eye trade deadline developments in Minneapolis

Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to improve their home performance after a disappointing season so far. Last year, they dominated at home with a 30-11 record, but this season, they have struggled with a 12-12 record at home and have had trouble building momentum.

The Timberwolves will face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night in Minneapolis, hoping to turn things around.

“Our defensive energy is just not where it needs to be,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “We’re bottom three or five in transition, rebounding, on-ball defense, off-ball pursuit. It’s all about effort.”

This will be the third game in a five-game homestand for Minnesota. The Timberwolves have already lost the first two games: a 105-103 defeat to the league-worst Washington Wizards on Saturday and a 116-114 loss to the shorthanded Sacramento Kings on Monday.

Now, they face the Bulls, who will also be playing with a depleted roster after a trade sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls received Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, and Tre Jones in the deal, but none of them are expected to play on Wednesday as the Bulls’ front office considers making additional moves before the Thursday trade deadline.

The Timberwolves are also keeping an eye on the trade deadline, looking for ways to strengthen their roster as they aim to compete in the Western Conference playoffs.

Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said he and his teammates know this week could be unpredictable, especially after a surprising trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.

“I told the team, put your phones on loud and be ready for anything,” Conley said. “When you see trades like that, it puts us all on alert to stay focused.”

Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls

Anthony Edwards will be looking to bounce back after a rough shooting performance in the Sacramento game, where he shot 7-for-21 after returning from an illness. Despite feeling tired afterward, Edwards is confident he will perform better going forward. Edwards leads the Timberwolves with an average of 26.5 points per game.

Julius Randle, who is second on the team with 18.9 points per game, is out with a groin injury, and Donte DiVincenzo is also out with a toe injury. DiVincenzo averages 11.0 points per game.

The Bulls, on the other hand, will be looking for their second win in as many nights after a 133-124 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday in Chicago. Rookie Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey each scored 24 points in the win.

Buzelis, who will participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend, has stepped up his game after a slow start to the season.

“My confidence is high right now, but you’ve got to stay humble,” Buzelis said. “My dad always tells me the sun comes up tomorrow, so you’ve got to go back to work.”

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Bruins look to find consistency at home against the Wild in Boston

Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Boston Bruins are looking for more consistency as they begin a three-game stretch against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, just before the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The Bruins have had a mix of good and bad results recently, including a 5-1-1 stretch and back-to-back losses by a combined 13-4 score. They hope to build on their 6-3 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday.

“That’s the question for our guys, right? Can we build off what we did last game and continue to move in the right direction?” said Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco. “Our power play was better, I thought our game management was good for the most part. … I think we can take and build on (those details).”

There were a lot of positive signs in the win, such as David Pastrnak scoring a hat trick, and Charlie McAvoy returning from injury to score. The Bruins’ power play went 2-for-3, marking only their third game this season with multiple power-play goals.

“Any time you can get your offensive guys feeling good about themselves (is important),” Sacco said. “The power play is where they get their touches and it can also boost their 5-on-5 game.”

Pastrnak’s hat trick came just hours after being named the NHL’s First Star of January, after leading the league with 11 goals and 24 points. He’s on a 10-game point streak for the eighth time in his career.

Minnesota Wild (NHL)

“The sky’s the limit when I’m on my game and I’m focused,” Pastrnak said. “So yeah, definitely never satisfied but I set my standards high, which sometimes can be tough, but that’s just the player I became and that’s the pressure you have to face and I’m fine with that.”

Sacco mentioned that forward Mark Kastelic (undisclosed injury) should be available on Tuesday, while defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to return before the break.

Minnesota, currently third in the Central Division, has struggled recently with a 4-6-0 record in their last 10 games, including a 6-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

In that game, forward Ryan Hartman was ejected for a head-first hit on Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle. Hartman could face a suspension after being offered an in-person hearing by the Department of Player Safety.

“I think that situation is what it is,” said Minnesota coach John Hynes. “I don’t want to get into any … The game was the game. … That’s not the crux of what happened in the game.”

Despite the penalty, Minnesota’s loss was mainly due to their own struggles. “Even without that (incident), we’re not even close,” forward Mats Zuccarello said. “I haven’t seen us like this in a while, so this is not good enough, and hopefully (Saturday) was a one-off.”

The Wild may make changes to their lineup on Tuesday, with defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower-body injury) and forward Marcus Johansson (concussion) returning to practice after missing 12 and nine games, respectively. Hynes expects both players to return soon.

Leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov was placed on long-term injured reserve on Sunday after undergoing successful surgery for a lower-body injury.

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Wizards end 16-game losing streak with win over Timberwolves in Washington

Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves

Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a 105-103 win over the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, ending their 16-game losing streak.

The Timberwolves cut the lead to 105-102 after Mike Conley made three free throws with 15.1 seconds left. They had a chance to tie when Conley stole an inbound pass and passed it to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Jordan Poole added 19 points for the Wizards, who avoided a franchise-record 17th consecutive loss. This marked their first win since defeating the Chicago Bulls 125-107 on January 1.

Bilal Coulibaly contributed 14 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Kyshawn George chipped in 11 points.

For the Timberwolves, Jaden McDaniels scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Rudy Gobert finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Conley added 16 points, Alexander-Walker scored 14, and Joe Ingles had a season-high 10 points off the bench.

Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota was without stars Anthony Edwards (illness) and Julius Randle (groin), and Naz Reid did not return after suffering a right finger sprain in the third quarter.

Washington jumped out to a 27-17 lead, but Minnesota finished the first quarter with a 9-0 run. Poole scored 12 points in the opening period, including four 3-pointers.

Kuzma took over to start the second quarter, scoring 18 of Washington’s first 23 points, including four 3-pointers, giving the Wizards a 50-43 lead. Washington led 58-57 at halftime after shooting 54.5 percent (12 of 22) from 3-point range.

The Wizards held an 83-72 lead late in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves scored the last five points of the period to make it 83-77. Minnesota cut the deficit to 101-100 with 1:10 left in the game, but Washington scored the next five points to secure the win.

Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon returned after missing 14 games with a right foot injury, contributing three points in 21 minutes.