Ace Bailey Explodes for Career-High 32 Points as Jazz End Seven-Game Skid Against Wizards
Mar 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) dunks the ball as Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) looks on in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Ace Bailey chose the perfect moment to announce his arrival, torching the Washington Wizards for a career-high 32 points as the Utah Jazz snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 122-112 victory on Thursday night. The rookie’s explosive performance overshadowed what was supposed to be Trae Young‘s highly anticipated debut in a Wizards uniform.
Bailey, selected fifth overall in last year’s draft—one spot ahead of where Washington picked—was unstoppable from the opening tip. The young guard went 8-for-10 from the field in the first half alone, pouring in 21 points before halftime to give the short-handed Jazz exactly the spark they needed. His seven made 3-pointers helped him surpass his previous career-high of 25 points in emphatic fashion.
Young’s Restricted Return Falls Short
Young’s Washington debut, while welcomed by the home crowd, was limited by both injury concerns and his team’s early deficit. Playing just 19 minutes due to a minutes restriction stemming from knee and quadriceps injuries, the newly acquired point guard managed 12 points and six assists. Despite providing highlights—including a spectacular pass between a defender’s legs to set up Anthony Gill‘s layup in the third quarter—Young couldn’t prevent his new team from falling to their seventh consecutive loss.
The Jazz controlled the game from early on, building a 14-point lead after the first quarter and extending their advantage to as many as 21 points in the first half. Utah shot an impressive 56.5% from the field in the opening two quarters, connecting on nine 3-pointers while outscoring Washington 28-10 in the paint.
Isaiah Collier provided excellent support for Bailey, tallying 27 points and 11 assists, while Kyle Filipowski contributed a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. For Washington, Julian Reese made his own statement with 18 points and 20 rebounds—the highest rebound total by any rookie this season. The brother of WNBA star Angel Reese, who was signed to a two-way contract last week, became Washington’s first rookie with 20 rebounds since Tom Gugliotta in 1993.
Though Washington made late pushes, cutting the deficit to single digits in the third quarter and getting within 117-111 on a Bilal Coulibaly layup with 1:23 remaining, Collier’s crucial 3-point play on the ensuing possession sealed the victory for Utah. The win was particularly significant for both franchises battling near the bottom of the standings, with Washington entering the game just 1.5 games behind Utah for the NBA‘s fourth-worst record.
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