Wizards Hold Their Own, But Lose vs. Cavs

The Washington Wizards couldn't get a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dec 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards guard Johnny Davis (1) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards are still on the losing side after their return to the court against the Cleveland Cavaliers, falling in a 115-105 matchup on Friday night inside RocketMortgage Fieldhouse.

The Wizards were going toe-to-toe with the best team in the NBA throughout the entire first half and even took a small lead going into the middle of the third quarter.

However, the Cavaliers pulled ahead late in the third quarter and kept the Wizards at bay in the fourth, keeping themselves and Washington in very familiar positions on the winning and losing end, respectively.

The short-handed Wizards were without Malcolm Brogdon, Kyle Kuzma, Kyshawn George and Corey Kispert, but they made do with what they had. Bilal Coulibaly scored a team-high 27 points, while Jordan Poole had 17 of his own. Rookie big man Alex Sarr returned after a two-game absence with 14 points.

For the Cavs, Darius Garland led the way with 24 points while Jarrett Allen had a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his own.

The Wizards will return home to face the Boston Celtics for their next game. Tipoff is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

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