The Washington Wizards snapped a ten-game losing streak with a 113-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Now the Wizards will get one of their key players back with Rui Hachimura being available for the first time since Nov. 18 for the team’s upcoming game against the Utah Jazz.
The past month has been rough for the Wizards with injuries piling up and wins being few and far between. Bradley Beal (hamstring), Delon Wright (hamstring), and Rui Hachimura (bone bruise/ankle) all appeared on the injury report for an extended period of time. Monte Morris (groin) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) also had short-term appearances over the past few weeks.
Prior to his injury, Hachimura was hitting his stride off the bench. In the Wizards win against the Dallas Mavericks, Hachimura finished with a season-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds. It was also his tenth game in double figures in ten games from off the bench this season.
“My first two years I was a starter and I was finishing the game,” Hachimura said. “It was nothing new to me. I know how to close a game, how to be patient, and when to be aggressive.”
Hachimura is coming back at a time when the Wizards need an energy boost as they try to win two games in a row on the road in Utah.