[Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports]
Wizards 112
Warriors 108
February 28, 2016 – Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
In our pregame poll on fan’s expectations for tonight's game, 35 percent of voters said the Wizards would shock the country implying they would give Golden State their first double-digit loss of a season in over two years.
Washington got off to a fiery start and hung tough down the stretch, which impressed Scott Brooks most because the team stuck together instead of growing apart once momentarily relinquishing the lead. The Wizards arguably had their best regular season game in the John Wall era with a 112-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
1st quarter
Let me remind you that Bradley Beal was not an All-Star this season and it was a major travesty for the game of basketball. The Florida Gator had 16 points in the first quarter on 6 of 7 shooting with three three-pointers as well as two assists. At multiple times, Beal was single-handedly beating Golden State including at 16-14 with 4:46 to remain in the quarter. Washington had their largest lead of the game at an astounding 39-20 mark against the NBA Champion favorites, which had everyone on bloggers row looking at each other like ‘is this really happening?’.
#HouseOfGuards showing off that chemistry.
No matter what you think of Kevin Durant for spurning the Wizards last offseason, you should not wish any ill will on a player and hope he gets injured. The DMV native left the game after just 1:33 of action with a hyper-extended left knee that he left the arena with to get a MRI. Durant’s absence was the first domino to fall in what was a huge Washington victory as the Wizards led 40-26 after one quarter. Not only was 40 the most Washington scored in a quarter all year, but it was more than the 39 points they had in the entire first half against Utah on Sunday.
2nd quarter
Washington maintained a double-digit lead on the defending Western Conference champion throughout the second quarter and a lot of that was due to Bojan Bogdanovic’s lift off the bench. The trade deadline acquisition scored nine points and hit two three-pointers in the quarter. Here are some thoughts from Bogdanovic, nicknamed by his teammates ‘Bo’ and ‘Bogie’ himself after the game.
On his comfort level:
“When you play with those guys that are All-Star players, it’s easy to adjust and easy to give your impact to a game.”
On playing with John Wall as a three-point shooter:
“To play with a team with an All-Star point guard who averages more than 10 assists, today he had like almost 20, it’s great for all of us to be around him.”
The Warriors went on a mini-run midway through the quarter to cut a 17 point Washington lead to 11 as David West had six points in the first four minutes. Like a good coach does, Scott Brooks sensed his team was reeling and immediately called a timeout. Golden State would not get closer than 11 for the rest of the half as both sides through hands like a heavyweight battle. Washington maintained a 61-49 advantage at halftime.
3rd quarter
This was a bad quarter for Washington. Golden State rattled off an extended 31-16 run from 11:19 to 2:11 remaining in the quarter. The road team also had a 10-0 run in that stretch. The Warriors took their first lead of the game and in classic fashion, Wizards Twitter blew up with “well, it was fun while it lasted.” Headed to the fourth quarter, Washington was tied with Golden State at 85 and some of the bandwagon away fans were starting to make some noise.
Amid the bad stretch was this gem: a Wall-to-Keef alley oop.
Another game, another occurrence of the Wizards not getting foul calls. In the ESPN 30 for 30 voice, what if I told you John Wall did not shoot a free throw when he averages over six attempts per game? In the third quarter, Golden State had 13 free throws and Washington had 1 (ONE!!!). Even that one was simply on a delay of game technical call that was clear as day.
“I knew it was coming,” Wall said. “I’m gonna save my money so no comment ... see I got a new scar, war wound.”
Patrick McCaw (4), Shaun Livingston (4), and JaVale McGee (2) all had more free throw attempts than Wall.
“This is really getting out of hand,” Beal said.
4th quarter
If anyone thinks that Markieff Morris was not worth the 2016 first round pick that Ernie Grunfeld sent to Phoenix, you can see me in the back alley. Morris is the biggest personnel difference from the Washington Wizards at the beginning of the 2015-16 season. The DC franchise is 52-36. In the quarter, Morris scored 11 points and had five rebounds including the biggest one of the game to secure the biggest victory of the season.
On his clutch two free throws to put Washington up four:
“My wife tells me all the time. I got big nuts so I stepped up, put my nuts on the line for the team and we did it.”
In front of their fourth home sellout of the season, the Wizards escaped with a 112-108 victory over the favorite to win this year’s NBA Finals. Many Golden State players admitted it was a playoff atmosphere in DC as there were 10 (TEN!) lead changes in the final quarter of action. This is a game Washington does not even come close to winning last year and a sign of even brighter times in the near future.
#WizWarriors in a Tweet
The Game’s Top Performer
John Wall – 12 points, 19 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
DC’s point guard had a bad night shooting, just 6 of 20, and did not get to the free throw line, which can be debated as to whose fault that was, but he did so many other things to impact the game. A career-high tying 19 dimes, which he has done twice previously, was setting up his teammates with all kinds of good looks. Wall had six helpers in the first quarter, which led to his teammates shooting 14 of 19, 74 percent, in the opening frame that allows the Wizards to control the first half. Wall is usually not in the conversation for best point guard in the NBA behind the likes of Westbrook, Harden, and Curry, but he should be.
A forgettable night for…
Klay Thompson
Similar to Bradley Beal, Thompson cooled off after a productive first quarter. The sharpshooter finished the game 5 of 20 for 16 points and missed 10 of his 13 three-point attempts, which is certainly an anomaly for him. Considering he started the game 3 of 5 with two deep ones in the first quarter, and the fact that Washington was able to adjust and hold him to just 2 of 5 from the field and 1 of 9 from beyond the arc is astonishing and worthy of incredible praise.
Key Stat of the Night
For the 23rd time this season, the Washington Wizards starting five all scored in double figures. I have said before and it is worth saying again that this team has one of the best starting fives in the country, possibly on par with Golden State and Cleveland with their recent injuries to Kevin Durant and Kevin Love, respectively. Similar to the two seasons under Randy Wittman when Washington made the playoffs, the Wizards had a balanced starting five that meant any given player could go off for 25 points in a game. It creates matchup problems when the Wizards can also switch 1 through 5 and, no, that is not a typo. Marcin Gortat has proven to be a capable defender on guards even when Golden State repeatedly went to that switch. “He does a good job of guarding smaller players and making them take tough shots and not giving up threes,” Brooks said about his Polish Machine.
What’s next?
Washington flew out for Toronto shortly after their heart-pounding victory over the Golden State for a home-road back-to-back with last season’s Eastern Conference runner ups. After talk of the Wizards potentially losing five in a row to start the post-All Star break, Washington has a chance to give themselves a bit of a cushion against Toronto. A sweep of the home-and-home series would give the Wizards a three-game lead on the fourth seed as they would secure the season series tiebreak, which is enormous. With Toronto dealing with life without Kyle Lowry, Washington must take advantage.