Jared Butler’s career night wasn’t enough.
The Washington Wizards nearly pulled off an upset over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday but ran out of gas in a 109-103 contest at Wells Fargo Center.
After holding a brief 5-4 lead in the game’s opening minutes, the Wizards trailed for nearly the entire game. Washington’s deficit ballooned to as large as 17 points in a contest that seemed like it would be a blowout in Philly’s favor.
The game would have been much more lopsided if the Wizards hadn’t received a monster performance from Jared Butler. The fourth-year guard erupted for 26 points on an 11/19 shooting clip off the Wizards’ bench. Butler’s production helped the Wizards hang around for long enough to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter.
Jared is hoopin’ rn
16 points and 4 assists in 8 minutes so far. pic.twitter.com/e87c3eKpld
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 9, 2025
Washington went on an 18-5 run in the final frame to stunningly take a lead late. A Corey Kispert triple put D.C. ahead 98-96 with just over four minutes left.
But Tyrese Maxey and Eric Gordon put on their big boy pants to close the game out as the Wizards’ offense sputtered in crunch time.
Butler and Kispert were the stars in this one, combining for 49 points off the bench. The bench duo outscored the entire starting lineup, which was led by Kyle Kuzma’s 16 points on 19 shots.
Bub Carrington hit a few clutch buckets late. The rookie tallied eight points on 4/10 shooting to go along with five assists.
The Wizards on Friday take on the Chicago Bulls, who are probably raring for a rematch after Washington embarrassed them last week.