The Rockets (7-9) extended their winning streak to a season-best three games with Tuesday’s commanding 107-88 victory (box score) over the Washington Wizards at Toyota Center. Led by John Wall, Houston took over down the stretch with a decisive 32-18 fourth quarter.
Starting center Christian Wood missed his third consecutive game with a right ankle sprain, but the Rockets still had easily enough to get past the struggling Wizards (3-10) during a choppy game. Houston’s improving defense held Washington to just 36 points in the second half.
For pair of former All-Star guards in Wall and Russell Westbrook, it was their first game against the team that traded them in early December. Westbrook, who was given an in-game tribute video by the Rockets, had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Wizards.
But Wall got the last word against the franchise that he played his first decade in the NBA with. Wall, who admitted pregame that playing his former team was personal, led the Rockets with 24 points and 5 assists in just 24 minutes, including several buckets during a decisive 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter as Houston pulled away.
“I just felt like [the Wizards] thought I was done,” Wall said after Tuesday’s big win against his former team. “No matter how much hard work I put in over the summer, they came in and watched me and thought I was done. That’s why I came out here and did what I did.”
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DeMarcus Cousins, who again started in place of Wood, had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon each scored 20, while David Nwaba added 11 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.
Bradley Beal scored a game-high 33 points to lead the Wizards, and he shared a postgame embrace with Wall — his longtime teammate.
Here’s a sampling of Tuesday’s highlights and postgame reaction from Toyota Center. The Rockets will return to action in the same building on Thursday night with a game against Damian Lillard and the visiting Portland Trail Blazers (9-7). Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central.
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