Washington
Wizards beat Pelicans for fifth straight win

The Washington Wizards beat the New Orleans Pelicans 113-103 on Saturday evening. Listed here are 5 takeaways from what went down…
5 in a row
The Wizards are within the midst of a massively essential five-game highway journey with the Feb. 9 commerce deadline shortly approaching, and they’re rising to the problem. They beat the Pelicans on Saturday evening for his or her fifth straight win total, tying a season-high, and their third consecutive win to start this highway swing.
The Wizards have now gained 12 of 18 video games since their 10-game shedding streak that spanned throughout November and December. On this sport, they bought revenge on a New Orleans workforce with out Zion Williamson that blew them out in D.C. earlier within the month. The Pelicans are at present on a seven-game shedding streak.
Washington is now 23-26 on the season, tied with the Chicago Bulls for the Tenth-best document within the East, i.e. the ultimate spot within the play-in match. The Wizards are simply two video games again from the eight-seed now with solely six video games left till the commerce deadline.
Gafford went off
Taking part in for the third straight sport with out Kristaps Porzingis subsequent to him within the beginning lineup, Daniel Gafford got here via with one among his greatest video games of the season. He was a monster within the first half with 14 factors, setting the stage for a ultimate stat-line of 21 factors (season-high), 12 rebounds (tied season-high) and 5 blocks.
Gafford was in all places on each ends of the ground, often making spotlight performs. He had an enormous alley-oop dunk within the first half arrange by Bradley Beal, who threw a cross he needed to attain again for. Not lengthy after, he rejected a Jose Alvarado floater try into the stands on the sideline. Gafford has been actually good for the Wizards ever since he was promoted to the beginning lineup and the actual fact he is achieved it each with and with out Porzingis is a testomony to him. Washington is now 6-2 with out Porzingis this season.
Kuzma performed to win
This sport was instance of how Kyle Kuzma’s worth extends past his numbers. He performs the best method as a prepared passer and defender, and on this specific evening that got here on the expense of his scoring. Kuzma went scoreless within the first half on simply 4 shot makes an attempt. He solely had two subject objective makes an attempt till there was simply over a minute to go within the second quarter. Have in mind he’s each in a contract 12 months and making his closing argument to be a first-time All-Star.
Kuzma was passing up his personal seems to be to make the additional cross and get others higher photographs. He was additionally expending a variety of power defending All-Star Brandon Ingram, his former teammate on the Lakers. Ingram got here out scorching, making his first three photographs. However Kuzma helped maintain him to 1-for-8 within the first half. Ingram ended up with 22 factors on 8-for-22 taking pictures with six turnovers, an evening the Wizards will take contemplating the expertise he’s.
Kuzma, in the meantime, got here out way more aggressive in search of his shot within the third quarter. He had 10 factors within the second half to associate with 9 rebounds, 5 assists, a block and a steal for the sport.
Bench enhance
The Wizards traded away their greatest bench scorer earlier within the week, however within the three video games since have seen others step as much as fill the void. On this sport it was a collective effort, because the 4 gamers who appeared off the Wizards’ bench mixed to attain 44 factors, besting New Orleans’ second unit which contributed 39 factors.
Deni Avdija led the way in which with 15 factors and 9 rebounds, as he lived within the paint off aggressive assaults in transition and off catch-and-go’s driving to his proper. Taj Gibson had 9 factors, 10 rebounds, three assists and a block. Kendrick Nunn added 12 factors and Delon Wright had eight factors.
The bench contributions had been important given Kuzma did not rating at his standard price and Beal actually struggled whereas battling Herb Jones for a lot of the evening. He had 16 factors on 5-for-17 taking pictures with 5 turnovers. Beal, although, made some large photographs on the finish to seal the win.
Valanciunas ejected
Gibson was a part of the second unit scoring effort and he additionally took one for the workforce within the first half. Whereas defending within the put up, he took an elbow to the aspect of the top from Pelicans large man Jonas Valanciunas. The unique name was a foul on Gibson, however a evaluation by the officers decided Valanciunas to have dedicated a flagrant 2. That bought him ejected from the sport.
Valanciunas will not be a star, however he is a heck of a participant and the Wizards know that firsthand. He has given them bother through the years on account of his dimension, physicality and talent. So, getting him out of the sport was an enormous break for the Wizards. Gibson simply may be just a little sore tomorrow.

Washington
Washington Spirit Defender Rebeca Bernal Called Up to Mexico Women’s National Team

Bernal will represent Mexico in upcoming friendlies against Uruguay
Washington, D.C. (05/17/2025) – Washington Spirit defender Rebeca Bernal has been called up to the Mexico Women’s National Team for the federation’s May/June friendlies, the Mexican Football Federation announced this week. The side will take on Uruguay in Puebla and Tlaxcala beginning later this month.
Bernal has appeared in over 60 matches, scoring eight goals for Mexico since making her senior team debut in 2017. The defender helped Mexico capture the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile and was named to the tournament Best XI for her performance at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. At the club level, Bernal helped C.F. Monterrey become the second-most decorated club in Liga MX Femenil with four trophies before winning the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup in her first match with the Washington Spirit.
Mexico’s May/June Friendly Schedule:
- vs Uruguay | Friday, May 30 at 8 p.m. EDT (Estadio Olímpico BUAP, Puebla, Mexico)
- vs Uruguay| Tuesday, June 3 at 8 p.m. EDT (Estadio Tlahuicole, Tlaxcala City, Mexico)
The Spirit will take the pitch at home again this Saturday, May 17 when the side faces off with Utah Royals FC in the club’s annual Salute to Service match. Single match tickets are available here. Fans can secure their spot to see the Spirit in all the team’s matches at Audi Field by becoming 2025 Season Ticket Members here.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Washington
2 killed by falling trees in Northern Virginia

Two deaths from trees falling on cars were reported in Northern Virginia Friday evening as severe thunderstorms quickly passed through the D.C. area.
A woman was killed when a tree fell on her car in the area of Mount Vernon and Woodlawn.
Another person died after a tree fell on a car in the area of GW Parkway and Morningside Lane.
Fast-moving severe thunderstorms whipped the DMV with lightning, hail and strong winds Friday evening.
Some storms were designated “destructive” with winds of 80 mph capable of toppling trees and downing power lines.
Several severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in for D.C. and surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia.
A severe thunderstorm watch for D.C. and counties including Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George’s was canceled by about 6:30 p.m. after the storms cleared the DMV.
Another round of potentially severe storms is expected between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. but won’t be as strong as the evening storms.
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Washington
DC Council chairman optimistic about stadium deal — but hurdles remain

The chairman of the D.C. Council said he believes the Council will approve the deal to bring the Washington Commanders back to D.C. — but it’s going to take longer than the team and the mayor have agreed to.
After months of delays, Mayor Muriel Bowser sent her 2026 budget to the Council. It includes funding for the stadium development and her 2025 supplemental budget, which includes $400 million in cuts imposed by Congress.
Since the announcement that Bowser and Commanders owner Josh Harris reached a deal to bring the team back to D.C., the big question has been: Will the D.C. Council approve the deal to spend more than $1 billion of D.C. taxpayer money?
On Thursday, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson — who has opposed public funding for the stadium — said a stadium deal will likely be approved.
“Let me be clear. I think that we, I think that ultimately, the Council will agree with the stadium. But I think that we can make the deal better,” he said. “It’s what the Council has done with every stadium proposal in the past. But this all takes time. We don’t even have the documents concerning the stadium.”
Mendelson warned there are still some obstacles, with the first being timing: The deal signed by the mayor and the team calls for Council approval by July 15 or the Commanders can pull out.
Mendelson said he doesn’t see a way the Council can approve the Commanders deal — and the budgets — until late July or early August.
“I think the July 15 deadline, which was negotiated without any collaboration or discussion with the Council, is going to be very difficult,” he said. “The members met yesterday to discuss what the budget schedule would look like, and that’s going to be difficult.”
Mendelson also expressed concerns about the financial impact of the deal for taxpayers, but he is optimistic those can be worked out.
“I have found the Commanders to be very cooperative, and they want to get this deal done, and we want to get this deal done,” Mendelson said.
The Commanders deal is far from the biggest issue facing D.C. residents in the budgets just submitted by the mayor. Both budgets will include hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts, including about $400 million in cuts imposed by Congress that have to be made before October.
Mendelson has a sober warning to D.C. residents about what those cuts will mean: “I think they should be bracing for bad news, but I don’t know exactly what that looks like. And when I say bad news, that there will be service reductions. There’ll be contracts frozen and probably some furloughs.”
The Council plans to hold public hearings on both the stadium deal and the budget cuts in coming weeks.
If the District misses that July 15 deadline to get the Commanders deal approved, the team and the District could agree to extend that deadline, or the team could opt to restart negotiations with Maryland or Virginia.
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