Are we seeing AJ Johnson blossom into a breakout candidate this late into the season? It sure seems like it. Days after the Washington Wizards rookie set a career-high with 17 points, Johnson set a new personal record and then some. Against the Brooklyn Nets, Johnson scored 20 points, 14 of which came in the pivotal fourth quarter.
Johnson's scoring in the fourth quarter perfectly encapsulated the rookie's play style. His first few points in the quarter came off athletic drives to the basket with some fancy finishes, adding a nasty cut off of a backdoor cut. Towards the end of the quarter, the Wizards rookie also added some clutch triples to facilitate the team's comeback bid.
Rookie AJ Johnson had 14 points in the 4th quarter of the Wizards' loss to the Nets. Here's all 14 of them. Last few had Capital One Arena jumping. pic.twitter.com/YtUhjP2BC4
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) March 30, 2025
Wizards fans were starting to get behind Johnson towards the end of the game. The home crowd roared with excitement after the rookie's last three-pointer, as the two teams jockeyed for the win with basket after basket. After struggling for most of the game, Johnson saved his best performance for last.
Unfortunately, the Wizards just couldn't get the job done at home. Nets center Drew Timme hit a layup with few seconds left on the clock, and the Wizards were unable to score a bucket on the following possession. They ended up dropping the game 115-112.
In fourteen games with the Wizards, Johnson is averaging 8.1 points and 3.1 assists. His efficiency from the field could stand to improve, but with more practice at the higher level, this number will only improve.
Related: AJ Johnson Gets Real on Areas of Improvement After Career-Best Vs. Raptors
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This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 11:09 AM.