Anthony Davis scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his Washington Wizards debut, leading the new-look team to a 128-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Davis shot 11-for-20 from the field and 11-for-14 from the free-throw line, adding four assists, two steals and a block in 34 minutes. The performance marked his first appearance for Washington after the franchise acquired him last season, when an injury prevented him from playing for the team.
Wizards fans welcomed Davis with chants of “MVP” before the first quarter was over. However, Washington struggled from beyond the arc, missing 18 of its first 22 three-point attempts as Milwaukee remained in front through much of the game.
The hosts turned the contest around in the fourth quarter. Deandre Ayton’s dunk gave Washington a 97-96 lead early in the period, sparking a 21-4 run that put the Wizards ahead 111-98 with 7:26 remaining.
Washington shot 63% from the field in the second half and outscored Milwaukee 77-60 after the break. The Wizards finished the game shooting 52% overall despite making just six of their 28 three-point attempts.
Trae Young contributed 20 points and 13 assists in his first season opener with Washington, while Kyshawn George added 18 points. Ayton finished with 11 points on five-for-six shooting in 15 minutes off the bench, and Bub Carrington scored 10 points.
The Wizards played without top overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa, who missed the opener because of an ankle injury.
MORE FOR YOU
Milwaukee had four players score in double figures, led by Tyler Herro’s 24 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s 22. Herro also recorded nine assists, while Jaquez shot eight-for-12 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. Kasparas Jakucionis added 16 points off the bench.
Both Herro and Jaquez joined the Bucks in the offseason trade that sent franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. Wednesday’s game also marked the first in charge for Milwaukee head coach Taylor Jenkins, who previously led the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Wizards will look to build on their opening win when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday. Milwaukee will try to bounce back at home against the Chicago Bulls the same night.
