Wizards Veterans Set Tone in Win vs. Bulls

The Washington Wizards used some veteran experience to beat the Chicago Bulls.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 2, 2025

Jan 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) takes a shot over Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (7) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are back in the win column after a 125-107 victory against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at the Capital One Arena.

Even though the Wizards are mostly a younger team, they still need to have their veterans add value to make things whole.

Wizards head coach Brian Keefe was proud of the contributions made by the veteran members of the team off the bench in the win against the Bulls.

“Those guys have been great," Keefe said postgame. "They just know how to play, give us some structure, good passing, keep us organized um but I really thought when those guys came in the game they changed the game defensively. I think Kyle [Kuzma] took a charge, [Jonas Valanciunas] was really physical on the rim and then Malcolm [Brogdon] was physical on the perimeter. That's when our defense really kicked in.”

Brogdon, Valanciunas and Corey Kispert each scored in double figures for the Wizards, combining for 39 points off the bench. Kuzma added five points but also had a strong impact on the defensive end of the floor.

With the trade deadline fast approaching, it is unsure as to how much longer these veterans will be on the team, so the Wizards should take advantage of them while they are still on the roster. The veterans are a big part of the reason why the Wizards have turned a corner here in the past few games, so if they continue to play at this level, expect more wins in Washington's future.

The Wizards are back in action on Friday as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans at 8 p.m. ET from inside the Smoothie King Center. The game can be watched on Monumental Sports Network locally or streamed on NBA League Pass.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jan 2, 2025

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.