WASHINGTON — In his first appearance since being traded to the Washington Wizards in January, Trae Young delivered several highlight plays Thursday night before a sellout crowd at Capital One Arena, finishing with 12 points and six assists in just 19 minutes. The Wizards fell to the Utah Jazz, 122-112.
The 27-year-old guard, playing for the first time since Dec. 27 because of right MCL and quad injuries, was held to a 20-minute limit. Nearly 21 minutes into the game, he punctuated his return by pump-faking at the arc, gliding to the rim, feinting a behind-the-back pass, and converting a left-handed scoop layup that ignited the arena.
Young went 1-for-5 from three-point range and acknowledged postgame that he lacked his usual lift. “My shots were on line; I just didn’t have any legs under me,” he said.
Early chemistry tests
Opening the night in facilitation mode, Young repeatedly searched for open teammates off pick-and-rolls and in transition. Forward Julian Reese praised the newcomer’s vision, calling him “such a willing passer.” Still, several connections missed their mark as teammates adjusted to Young’s timing; one behind-the-back attempt to Bilal Coulibaly sailed into the stands, and a fast-break dart to Coulibaly was nullified by a timeout called by head coach Brian Keefe.
Washington trimmed a 18-point halftime deficit with a series of third-quarter plays—among them a no-look feed through Blake Hinson’s legs to Anthony Gill and a corner three set up for Bub Carrington—but Young sat the entire fourth quarter in accordance with his minutes restriction.
Defensive issues persist
Utah exploited Washington’s defense throughout the night, repeatedly targeting the 6-foot-2 guard in pick-and-roll action and finishing with 15 made three-pointers. “We had a hard time controlling the dribble tonight,” Keefe said. “Penetration hurt us, and our shell wasn’t tight.”
Looking ahead
The loss was Washington’s seventh straight, dropping the club to 16-46. Young, appearing in only his 11th game of the season, said he is focused on building “daily habits” that can eventually push the franchise toward postseason contention. “I know you can’t do it overnight,” he told reporters.
Young’s next opportunity to continue shaking off rust and integrating with his new teammates will come when the Wizards return to action later this week.
Source: ESPN
