Garrison Mathews flashed infinite range in Wizards’ loss on Friday

Mathews went 5-of-7 from 3-point range and drained one shot from 31 feet away in the Wizards’ loss to the Trail Blazers on Friday.

Washington Wizards two-way rookie Garrison Mathews recorded 18 points on Friday night during a 122-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers for his third-straight double-digit scoring performance.

The undrafted guard from Lipscomb finished by shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. The sharpshooter also added two rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes of work off of the bench for the Wizards.

In a small sample size, Mathews has been an impressive shooter this season.

Mathews excelled in catch-and-shoot situations last year in college and that has carried over into the NBA. The rookie is scoring 1.25 points per possession when guarded off of catch-and-shoot looks, which ranks in the 89th percentile, per Synergy Sports.

On the season, Mathews is scoring the bulk of his points from 3-point range. According to NBA stats, Mathews is attempting 83.7% of his field goals from beyond the arc and he is converting on 47.2% (17-of-36) of those shots, including this make from 31 feet out.

Mathews recently scored a career-high 28 points in a win over the Miami Heat on Dec. 30, a game in which he attempted just nine shots. With the Wizards dealing with several injuries, Mathews has seen an increase in playing time and is beginning to show he belongs full-time on a roster.

The Wizards play next on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets.

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