With the Washington Wizards being formally eliminated from title contention, the coaching staff has seemingly decided to use the rest of the season to evaluate the other players on their roster. We mostly know about what players like Alex Sarr, Jordan Poole, and Bub Carrington are capable of. Now, coach Brian Keefe is giving players like Tristan Vukcevic, Colby Jones, and AJ Johnson an extended look.
After losing to the Brooklyn Nets in heartbreaking fashion, Keefe talked about the positives he saw from the team. In particular, Keefe praised how the team bounced back from their brutal loss to the Indiana Pacers a few days ago.
"Great competitive response," Keefe said, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. "Guys were fighting. Our defense was better. A little off in the second half. They got hot for some threes. But, overall, the competitiveness was there. Obviously, it was right down to the final seconds, so I loved it."
Keefe played Johnson, Jones, and Vukcevic alongside two-way forwards JT Thor and Jaylen Martin after halftime. The usual rotational players for the Wizards saw minimal playing time in the second half, as the coaching staff seemingly assessed the capabilities of their other players.
Johnson had yet another breakout game, scoring 14 of his career-high 20 points in the fourth quarter in a spirited effort. Jones shared game-high scoring honors with Johnson, dropping 20 points along with four assists. As for the big men, Martin had 13 points, Vuckevic had eight points and six boards, and Thor had five points.
The Wizards are set to take on the Miami Heat tonight.
Related: Wizards Fans Were Fired Up About AJ Johnson's Electric 4th Quarter vs. Nets
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 6:33 AM.