The Wizards got their eighth straight win despite lackluster defense and an off night from Russell Westbrook and Davis Bertans because the Cleveland Cavaliers really are that bad, and they got quality scoring from Bradley Beal, a terrific third quarter from Raul Lopez and an outstanding all-around game from Daniel Gafford.
Washington had been playing better defense of late, but that was largely missing last night — except when Gafford, Bertans and Garrison Mathews were on the floor together. Gafford was surely the key. The box score credited him with 4 steals and 4 blocks. Video review shows that one of the steals should have been credited to Beal, and another was more of a rebound — Cleveland had a failed lob and the ball bounced to Gafford.