Game ID: 22500879
Houston Rockets @ Washington Wizards
Monday, March 2, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
WAS 30 21 29 38 118HOU 26 34 34 29 123
HOU @ WAS ScoutingHOU @ WAS Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
WAS availability going into 2/22 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 3 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 34 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Johnson back 2/11 after 6, 19 min since (78% of 24)
NEW Watkins 21 to 33 min over the last 4
NEW Gill 17 to 25 min over the last 4
NEW Cooper 17 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 19 min over the last 4
WAS availability going into 2/24 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 4 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 35 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Johnson back 2/11 after 6, 19 min since (78% of 24)
NEW Williams 25 to 30 min over the last 3
NEW Gill 17 to 26 min over the last 4
NEW Cooper 17 to 23 min over the last 5
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 19 min over the last 3
WAS availability going into 2/26 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 5 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 36 since 12/06, out tonight
BACK Johnson back 2/11 after 6, 20 min since (83% of 24)
NEW Gill 17 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Cooper 17 to 23 min over the last 5
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 20 min over the last 3
WAS availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 6 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 37 since 12/06, out tonight
NEW Gill 17 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 19 min over the last 4
WAS availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 7 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 38 since 12/06, out tonight
NEW Riley 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Gill 17 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 19 min over the last 4
WAS availability going into 3/03 · back-to-backOUT Black missed 2 since 2/28, returns tonight: 31 min (106% of 29)
OUT Sarr missed 8 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 39 since 12/06, out tonight
NEW Riley 22 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Gill 17 to 29 min over the last 4
NEW Vukcevic 14 to 19 min over the last 3
WAS availability going into 3/05 · 1 day's restOUT Sarr missed 9 since 2/11, out tonight
OUT Gill missed 2 since 3/02, returns tonight: 34 min (194% of 17)
OUT Whitmore missed 40 since 12/06, out tonight
OUT Vukcevic missed 2 since 3/02, out tonight
BACK Black back 3/03 after 2, 31 min since (106% of 29)
NEW Riley 22 to 33 min over the last 5
WAS availability going into 3/08 · 2 days' restOUT George missed 2 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Sarr missed 10 since 2/11, returns tonight: 18 min (65% of 27)
OUT Watkins missed 2 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Whitmore missed 41 since 12/06, out tonight
OUT Vukcevic missed 3 since 3/02, out tonight
BACK Black back 3/03 after 2, 35 min since (121% of 29)
BACK Gill back 3/05 after 2, 34 min since (194% of 17)
NEW Riley 22 to 32 min over the last 5
WAS availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restOUT George missed 3 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Watkins missed 3 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Champagnie missed 2 since 3/05, returns tonight: 18 min (90% of 20)
OUT Whitmore missed 42 since 12/06, out tonight
OUT Vukcevic missed 4 since 3/02, returns tonight: 7 min (49% of 14)
BACK Black back 3/03 after 2, 34 min since (117% of 29)
BACK Sarr back 3/08 after 10, 18 min since (65% of 27)
BACK Gill back 3/05 after 2, 28 min since (160% of 17)
NEW Riley 22 to 30 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 2/23 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 2 since 2/19, returns tonight: 13 min (74% of 17)
OUT Holiday missed 5 since 2/07, returns tonight: 6 min (44% of 14)
NEW Eason 26 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 13 min since (74% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 6 min since (44% of 14)
NEW Eason 26 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 2/26 · back-to-backBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 18 min since (106% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 13 min since (98% of 14)
NEW Finney-Smith 16 to 21 min over the last 3
HOU availability going into 2/28 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 19 min since (110% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 13 min since (98% of 14)
HOU availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restBACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 16 min since (94% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 12 min since (86% of 14)
HOU availability going into 3/05 · 2 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 2 since 2/28, returns tonight: 42 min (119% of 36)
BACK Okogie back 2/23 after 2, 15 min since (85% of 17)
BACK Holiday back 2/23 after 5, 14 min since (102% of 14)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 33 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 3/06 · back-to-backBACK Smith Jr. back 3/05 after 2, 42 min since (119% of 36)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 36 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restBACK Smith Jr. back 3/05 after 2, 42 min since (119% of 36)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 36 min over the last 5
HOU availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restBACK Smith Jr. back 3/05 after 2, 36 min since (103% of 36)
NEW Sheppard 27 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Finney-Smith 16 to 22 min over the last 4
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 125, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Riley at 15 and Hardy at 14 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Sarr (7 straight), Whitmore (38 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 107, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Durant at 28 and Smith Jr. at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and Washington minus-8 and the defense, Houston allowing 107 a night to Washington's 125. Call it Houston 119, Washington 111.
2/22 vs CHA 112-129 — WAS notes
WAS lost 112-129. WAS shot 49% (41 of 84) to CHA's 49%, 18 of 42 from three, and got to the line 17 times to CHA's 25. The glass went 37-53 against them. Coulibaly led with 17 (6 of 9, 3 of 4 from three); Hardy added 16, George 13. Q4 was theirs, 28-24, the deficit cut from 21 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 105-84 against them. Gill's -33 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/24 @ ATL 98-119 — WAS notes
WAS lost 98-119. WAS shot 44% (37 of 84) to ATL's 39%, 10 of 31 from three, and got to the line 17 times to ATL's 26. WAS turned it over 20 times to ATL's 10, and ATL turned those into 14 steals. The glass went 41-61 against them. Riley led with 18 (7 of 8); Watkins added 14, Champagnie 14. Q4 was theirs, 34-19, the deficit cut from 36 to 21, but the other 3 periods went 100-64 against them. Johnson's -31 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/26 @ ATL 96-126 — WAS notes
WAS lost 96-126. WAS shot 38% (36 of 94) to ATL's 46%, 9 of 33 from three, and got to the line 16 times to ATL's 37. The glass went 44-56 against them. Riley led with 14 (6 of 17, 2 of 7 from three); Hardy added 14, Johnson 14. Q3 was theirs, 24-22, the deficit cut from 20 to 18, but the other 3 periods went 104-72 against them. Hardy's -34 in 28 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/28 vs TOR 125-134 — WAS notes
WAS lost 125-134. WAS shot 53% (47 of 88) to TOR's 60%, 16 of 34 from three, and got to the line 21 times to TOR's 27. Riley led with 19 (6 of 10, 6 of 7 at the line); Coulibaly added 14, George 14. Q1 was theirs, 33-25, but the other 3 periods went 109-92 against them. They led by as many as 13. Riley's -16 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/02 vs HOU 118-123 — WAS notes
WAS lost 118-123. WAS shot 48% (44 of 91) to HOU's 49%, 19 of 35 from three, and got to the line 14 times to HOU's 28. WAS turned it over 12 times to HOU's 20. The glass went 27-59 against them. Coulibaly led with 23 (9 of 16, 5 of 7 from three); Cooper added 21, George 16. Q4 was theirs, 38-29, the deficit cut from 14 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 94-80 against them. Riley's -13 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/03 @ ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Bane at 28 and Banchero at 24 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Fra. Wagner (6 straight), Bitadze (4 straight). One day's rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 126, shooting 46 percent and 41 from three, 17 free throws a game; Coulibaly at 14 and Riley at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 16 a night. Without Black (2 straight), Sarr (8 straight), Whitmore (39 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Orlando has been minus-4 a night and Washington minus-16 and the defense, Orlando allowing 110 a night to Washington's 126. Call it Orlando 119, Washington 110.
3/05 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 126, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 19 free throws a game; Riley at 15 and Hardy at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 12 a night. Without Sarr (9 straight), Gill (2 straight), Whitmore (40 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 121, shooting 42 percent and 29 from three, 27 free throws a game; George at 28 and Collier at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Kessler (57 straight), Love (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Washington wins, and the game turns on the arc, Washington at 37 percent from three to Utah's 29 and the line, where Utah takes 27 free throws a game to Washington's 19. Call it Washington 119, Utah 117, Utah keeping it close.
3/08 @ NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 119, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Murphy III at 20 and Bey at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Poole (4 straight), Jordan (2 straight). One day's rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 126, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 22 free throws a game; Riley at 14 and Coulibaly at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without George (2 straight), Sarr (10 straight), Watkins (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-5 a night and Washington minus-8 and the line, where New Orleans takes 28 free throws a game to Washington's 22. Call it New Orleans 121, Washington 115.
3/10 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Herro at 25 and Adebayo at 23 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Wiggins (2 straight), Powell (5 straight), Jović (8 straight). One day's rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 129, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Riley at 15 and Coulibaly at 13 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without George (3 straight), Watkins (3 straight), Champagnie (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the defense, Miami allowing 109 a night to Washington's 129 and the glass, where Miami has been plus-2 a night and Washington minus-7. Call it Miami 125, Washington 112, Miami by 13.
2/23 vs UTA 125-105 — HOU notes
HOU won 125-105. HOU shot 57% (49 of 86) to UTA's 37%, 18 of 40 from three, and got to the line 11 times to UTA's 30. HOU turned it over 26 times to UTA's 11, and UTA turned those into 17 steals. The glass went 53-36 for them. Smith Jr. led with 31 (12 of 17, 6 of 11 from three); Thompson added 20, Durant 18. The hinge was Q1, 38-22: from level to 16 ahead, and the lead reached 33. Durant was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
2/25 vs SAC 128-97 — HOU notes
HOU won 128-97. HOU shot 55% (47 of 86) to SAC's 40%, 17 of 39 from three. Sheppard led with 28 (9 of 21, 7 of 16 from three); Sengun added 26, Durant 21. The hinge was Q2, 44-28: a lead of 11 became 27, and the lead reached 36. Okogie was the night's best plus/minus at +30.
2/26 @ ORL 113-108 — HOU notes
HOU won 113-108. HOU shot 52% (43 of 82) to ORL's 45%, 11 of 29 from three. Durant led with 40 (14 of 28, 2 of 10 from three, 10 of 10 at the line); Sheppard added 20, Sengun 16. The hinge was Q3, 38-27: HOU came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 1. HOU trailed 43-53 at the half and won the second half 70-55. Eason was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
2/28 @ MIA 105-115 — HOU notes
HOU lost 105-115. HOU shot 43% (41 of 95) to MIA's 50%, 9 of 36 from three. Durant led with 32 (12 of 20, 2 of 8 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Thompson added 20, Sheppard 14. Q2 was theirs, 24-19, turning a 4-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 96-81 against them. They led by as many as 10. Thompson's -18 in 39 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/02 @ WAS 123-118 — HOU notes
HOU won 123-118. HOU shot 49% (45 of 92) to WAS's 48%, 9 of 25 from three, and went to the line 28 times to WAS's 14 — 24 points from the stripe to their 11. HOU turned it over 20 times to WAS's 12, and WAS turned those into 15 steals. The glass went 59-27 for them. Sengun led with 32 (12 of 20, 8 of 11 at the line); Durant added 30, Thompson 22. The hinge was Q2, 34-21: HOU came in trailing by 4 and left it ahead by 9, and the lead reached 19. Eason was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
3/05 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 109, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Durant at 28 and Sengun at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Smith Jr. (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Golden State comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 117, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 16 free throws a game; Podziemski at 17 and Moody at 17 a game. Without Ste. Curry (11 straight), Porziņģis (5 straight), Cryer (14 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-10 a night and Golden State plus-0 and the defense, Houston allowing 109 a night to Golden State's 117. Call it Houston 117, Golden State 111.
3/06 vs POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 21 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Sheppard at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Portland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 119, shooting 45 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Holiday at 23 and Grant at 21 a game. Without Avdija (5 straight), Sharpe (11 straight), Love (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and Portland minus-2 and the arc, Houston at 37 percent from three to Portland's 30. Call it Houston 118, Portland 111.
3/08 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 107, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 22 and Fox at 16 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Barnes (3 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 111, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Sengun at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-7 a night and San Antonio plus-1 and the turnovers, Houston giving it away 16 times a game to San Antonio's 13. Call it San Antonio 115, Houston 110.
3/10 vs TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 118, shooting 48 percent and 32 from three, 24 free throws a game; Durant at 26 and Thompson at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Toronto comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Barrett at 22 and Ingram at 20 a game. Without Murray-Boyles (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-8 a night and Toronto minus-2 and the turnovers, Houston giving it away 16 times a game to Toronto's 11. Call it Houston 114, Toronto 112, Toronto keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
HOUAH A. Holiday
AS A. Sengun
AT A. Thompson
CC C. Capela
DF D. Finney-Smith
JO J. Okogie
KD K. Durant
RS R. Sheppard
TE T. Eason
WASBC B. Carrington
BC B. Coulibaly
JC J. Champagnie
JH J. Hardy
JR J. Reese
JW J. Watkins
KG K. George
SC S. Cooper
TJ T. Johnson
TY T. Young
WR W. Riley
HOU/WAS the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Rockets beat the Wizards 123-118 after Trae Young gets ejected for leaving the bench
WASHINGTON -- — Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin Durant scored 30 and the Houston Rockets beat the Washington Wizards 123-118 on Monday night.
Trae Young was ejected from the game after leaving the bench to come on the court to complain to a referee, days before he is expected to make his Wizards debut.
Durant made all 11 free throws and added seven assists and six rebounds in his only game close to his Maryland home this season. Amen Thompson had 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Reed Sheppard finished with 19 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and six steals in his first career double-double.
Bilal Coulibaly scored 23 points and Sharife Cooper had 21 for the Wizards.
Washington coach Brian Keefe said before the game that Young was trending toward being ready to play Thursday against Utah. The All-Star point guard was limited to just 10 games this season with Atlanta and was sidelined by knee and quadriceps injuries when the Wizards acquired him in January.
But Young didn't wait to get into the action, getting ejected in the third quarter during a confrontation between Houston's Tari Eason and Washington's Jamir Watkins . Eason was also thrown out.
Washington was 12 for 19 from 3-point range in the first half but just 6 for 28 inside the arc as Houston led 60-51. Thompson had 12 points and Durant 11 in the third quarter as the Rockets pushed the lead to 18, and they led by 19 in the fourth before Washington made the score close with a 38-point period.
Washington center Julian Reese fouled out with two points in his NBA debut. The brother of WNBA player Angel Reese started and played 28 minutes.