Brooklyn Nets Washington Wizards
AP Photo

The Washington Wizards arrived at Barclays Center with playoffs on their mind. But the Brooklyn Nets were not prepared, losing 125-116. 

  • Brooklyn Nets 116 (32-31)
  • Washington Wizards 125 (24-36)
  • Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
  • NBA, Final, Box Score

Wednesday night’s matchup with the Washington Wizards was a game the Brooklyn Nets needed to win. But on the court, they couldn’t have appeared any more disinterested.

The game started with a 10-0 Brooklyn run. Washington answered with a run of their own, and never looked back.

D’Angelo Russell kept the Nets above water in the first half behind some hero ball and a 23-point surge.

But by the time he was put back in the second half, the lead was too large for the Brooklyn All-Star to overcome. The Nets scored just 19 points in the third quarter, to Washington’s 33.

Russell, Shabazz Napier (22), and center Jarrett Allen (12) were the only Brooklyn players to reach double digits in points scored.

Caris LeVert was held scoreless against the Wizards, going 0-5 from the field in 20 minutes on the floor. It’s the first time he’s been held to no points since Jan. 2, 2017.

It was a game that lacked any kind of physicality for Brooklyn. Washington got any look they desired inside the paint, and guard Bradley Beal caught fire early on. He finished with 31 points.

Veteran forward Trevor Ariza clocked 23 points and 10 rebounds, and big man Thomas Bryant added 18 points off the bench.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, and ahead of their matchup on Friday, the Hornets fell to the Houston Rockets.

Brooklyn will travel to Charlotte with a three and a half game lead on the eighth seed Hornets. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Writer, reader, entertainer. New York Knicks and the Carolina Panthers. Hoodie Melo is my spirit animal.