(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Sixers 120
Wizards 112
February 24, 2017 - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Headed into the All-Star break, the Washington Wizards were undoubtedly the hottest team in the Eastern Conference. They had won 18 of their last 21 games and were looking to secure a home playoff series. The DC team fell back to earth on Friday with a rather embarrassing defensive performance to a Philadelphia squad without their best player in Joel Embiid. At the end of the day, the 120-112 loss to the Sixers is not the end of the world, but certainly a tough pill to swallow with Utah, Golden State, and Toronto twice on deck.
Quick Hits:
Miscues, miscues, and more miscues.
Washington has no one but themselves to blame for losing the season-series with the 76ers. Tonight, the Wizards committed 17 turnovers that Philadelphia was able to turn into 22 points. Moreover, Washington was incapable of guarding the pick and roll tonight as Saric frequently took advantage of mismatches as a scorer and distributor. Finally, the current No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference did not take advantage of their season-high in free throw attempts, 40, by missing nine of them. Washington’s comeback came four point short with 22.9 seconds to play and there are a handful of areas they will look back on and regret.
Not much help outside the House of Guards.
It is popular to pick on the bench and that can easily be the case tonight as they shot a miserable 3 of 15, 20 percent, from the field including 1 of 4 free throw shooting from Ian Mahinmi, who did not play in the second half due to back tightness per Scott Brooks after the game. However, Washington did not get much help from the non-House of Guard players either. Wall and Beal combined for 69 points on 23 of 46 shooting, 16 assists, and 12 rebounds. Morris only played 27 minutes due to foul trouble and the duo of Porter and Gortat shot just 6 of 19 from the field for 18 points. The Wizards are best when everyone is scoring the rock, but when two or more starters go cold it will be tough for this team to win given the bench woes.
Remember the last time Washington lost to Philadelphia?
It was November 16 and the 2-8 Wizards were written off by many. Since then and before tonight’s loss, the team was 32-13. Yes, it is a bad loss that should not have happened, but maybe they take this as a serious wake-up call and put together another impressive stretch to further help their seeding in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Regardless, it is one game out of 82. Sorry to go outside of basketball, but to quote Aaron Rodgers, “R-E-L-A-X”.
Highlights:
Bogey's first points as a Wizard! (via goaltend)
Bradley Beal's stepback J is too nice. John Wall with NO regard for human life.