Anthony Davis Scores 34 in Wizards Debut, Ties Franchise Mark

Anthony Davis finally made his Washington Wizards debut Wednesday night, and the wait ended with a franchise-level performance. Davis scored 34 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and added four assists and two steals as Washington defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 128-116. His 34 points tied Antawn Jamison’s mark for the most points in a Wizards debut, and Davis became the first player to begin his Washington career with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

The performance came 257 days after Washington acquired Davis, who was injured at the time of the trade and never appeared for the Wizards last season. Washington trailed for much of the opener before exploding in the second half, shooting 63 percent after halftime and using a 21-4 fourth-quarter run to take control. Trae Young added 20 points and 13 assists while No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa sat out with an ankle injury.

For Washington, the biggest story was not simply one opening-night win. Davis looked healthy enough to immediately change the ceiling of a roster built around veterans Young and Davis while Dybantsa develops. The Wizards waited nearly nine months to see their star big man in a meaningful game, and his first night delivered both a victory and a record-tying introduction.