The Washington Wizards defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 97-85, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.

The Wizards (1-1) were looking to bounce back from a season-opening loss to the Dallas Mavericks that saw Bradley Beal get ejected, and they got off to a strong start by forging a 52-46 halftime lead. Washington then didn't lose any momentum going into the third quarter, managing to add another two points to their advantage heading into the final period. Ultimately, they withstood a surge by the Thunder (0-2) that saw OKC knot the game at 83 with 4:27 remaining and finished the contest on a 14-2 run.

Thomas Bryant paced the Wizards with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists, three blocks and two steals. Rui Hachimura supplied 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Beal provided 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Davis Bertans led the bench with 13 points, while Moritz Wagner offered 10 points and seven boards.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. Danilo Gallinari registered 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Steven Adams mustered just seven points but pulled down 14 rebounds, recorded one steal and posted one block. Chris Paul totaled just six points, four assists and two rebounds while committing a co-team-high five turnovers.

The Wizards remain on the road and tangle with the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, while the Thunder remain home and face off with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon.