Nets pull away in third quarter, hand Wizards first preseason loss

Brooklyn turned a one-point halftime lead into a nine-point cushion with a 30–22 third quarter Monday night and beat Washington 131–122 at Capital One Arena, handing the Wizards their first preseason loss. Washington fell to 2–1, while the Nets improved to 3–0.

The Nets led 36–32 after the first quarter. Washington answered with 40 points in the second, outscoring Brooklyn by three to cut the deficit to 73–72 at halftime. The third-quarter margin pushed Brooklyn ahead 103–94. Each team scored 28 in the fourth, leaving the final gap unchanged.

There were 16 lead changes in the game, and Brooklyn’s largest lead was 12 points. The quarter totals identify the third as the clearest separation: Washington followed its 40-point second quarter with 22, while Brooklyn added 30.

Forward Kyshawn George led Washington with 21 points on 6-for-7 shooting. He made all three of his three-point attempts and all six free throws. Guard Bilal Coulibaly added 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including three three-pointers.

Forward AJ Dybantsa finished with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes. Guard Bub Carrington also scored 14, making three of four attempts from beyond the arc, and guard Tre Johnson contributed 13.

Guard Trae Young recorded 11 points and 11 assists in 28 minutes, along with eight turnovers. Washington finished with 23 total turnovers, including three team turnovers; Brooklyn had 18. The Wizards nevertheless shot 50.6 percent from the field, made 17 of 36 three-pointers and converted 27 of 29 free throws.

Brooklyn shot 46-for-81, or 56.8 percent. Forward Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting. Guard Nolan Traore scored 17, while guard Keon Ellis and forward Noah Clowney each added 15. Forward Julius Randle supplied 14 points and nine assists.

The Nets held a 50–38 advantage in points in the paint, while Washington finished ahead 33–31 in rebounds. Both teams made 17 three-pointers, but Brooklyn made 29 two-point shots to Washington’s 22. The Wizards’ five additional made free throws offset part of that 14-point difference; the Nets finished nine points ahead.