WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Westbrook had his 25th triple-double of the season, Bradley Beal scored 37 points and the Washington Wizards beat the Detroit Pistons 121-100 on Saturday night.
Westbrook finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in the fourth straight win for Washington (23-33), which continues its late-season push.
“We’re showing that we can put it together,” Beal said. “There’s not one thing that you can point your finger to that we’re doing exceptionally well. We’re figuring everything out. We’re growing as the year’s gone on.
“My main concern is trying to get this playoff push and get us in as best as we possibly can.”
Westbrook has 171 triple-doubles, 10 shy of Oscar Robertson’s record.
Isaiah Stewart and Frank Jackson each scored 19 points for Detroit. Josh Jackson scored 17 as the Pistons failed in their attempt to win consecutive games for only the third time this season.
Detroit coach Dwane Casey thinks Westbrook is the key to Washington’s turnaround.
“His intensity, his toughness, they’ve taken on his personality,” Casey said. “They’re an offensive juggernaut, and we helped them.”
The Wizards never trailed and took the lead for good at the start of the second quarter and methodically built it in the second half.
Washington lost two starters during the game. Center Alex Len left with ankle soreness after scoring eight points in seven minutes, and in the third quarter forward Rui Hachimura exited with soreness in his left leg.
“I don’t know what the status will be other than they will tell me know they feel tomorrow,” coach Scott Brooks said.
Ish Smith scored 16 and Robin Lopez added 15 for the Wizards.
“You can never underestimate what he brings to us,” Brooks said about Lopez and his hook shots. “It’s old school 80’s basketball, but it works.”
TIP-INS
Pistons: G Rodney McGruder (sprained right elbow), G Dennis Smith (sore left knee) and F Sekou Doumbouya (neck soreness) were out. … G Killian Hayes was rested in the second half of a back-to-back. …Casey celebrated his 64th birthday. “The alternative is not good,” Casey joked.
Wizards: F Davis Bertans missed his second straight game because his wife gave birth to a baby boy. “We have another Wizards fan in the family,” Brooks said. … Beal played in his 592nd game, fifth most in franchise history.
BEAL ON WESTBROOK
Beal is often asked about Westbrook, and he’s always praising him.
“He’s full of energy, ready to go, always a winning mentality,” Beal said “He’s going to play extremely hard every single time he touches the floor. It’s so surreal to be able to see a guy who plays as hard as he does still have that type of energy. It just trickles down to the rest of us.
“He’s going to bark and yell at you if you’re not ready to go. You can either step it up and hoop or hear it from Russ, one or the other.”
UP NEXT
Pistons: Host Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday
Wizards: Host Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
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