Rockets defeat Wizards 123-118 as Trae Young ejected before debut
Mar 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates with Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) against the Washington Wizards in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets overcame a late Washington surge to defeat the Wizards 123-118 on Monday night, powered by dominant displays from their key players. Alperen Sengun led the way with an impressive double-double of 32 points and 13 rebounds, while Kevin Durant added 30 points in a near-perfect shooting performance.
Durant showcased his veteran excellence, converting all 11 free throw attempts while contributing seven assists and six rebounds. The performance was particularly meaningful as it marked his only game close to his Maryland home this season. Amen Thompson provided crucial support with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Reed Sheppard achieved his first career double-double with 19 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and six steals.
Young’s ejection overshadows Wizards effort
The night’s most dramatic moment came in the third quarter when Trae Young was ejected for leaving the bench to confront a referee during an altercation between Houston’s Tari Eason and Washington’s Jamir Watkins. Eason was also thrown out during the confrontation. Young’s ejection came just days before his expected Wizards debut, with coach Brian Keefe stating before the game that the All-Star point guard was « trending toward being ready to play Thursday against Utah. »
Young, who was limited to just 10 games this season with Atlanta due to knee and quadriceps injuries, was acquired by Washington in January but has yet to make his debut for his new team.
Despite the setback, Washington showed fight throughout the contest. Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 23 points, while Sharife Cooper contributed 21 points. The Wizards demonstrated their 3-point shooting prowess in the first half, connecting on 12 of 19 attempts from beyond the arc, though they struggled inside with just 6 makes on 28 attempts.
Houston built momentum in the third quarter, with Thompson scoring 12 points and Durant adding 11 to push their lead to 18. The Rockets extended their advantage to 19 points in the fourth quarter before Washington mounted a late comeback with a 38-point final period that made the score respectable.
The game also marked the NBA debut of Washington center Julian Reese, brother of WNBA star Angel Reese, who started and played 28 minutes before fouling out with two points. The Rockets will next host Golden State on Thursday, while the Wizards travel to Orlando on Tuesday.
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