|
 It took them three overtime periods, but Washington came out on
top 134-129 Thursday behind 31-point efforts from guard John Wall
and center Marcin Gortat.
The Wizards (30-28) extended their winning streak to five games
while avoiding being swept by the Raptors in the four-game season
series.
Wall, who had nine assists and seven turnovers, made a driving layup
late in the third overtime to give the Wizards a four-point lead,
and they never looked back. Gortat added 12 rebounds before fouling
out in the final minute of the third overtime.
"My feet and back are hurting, and I didn't even play," Wizards
coach Randy Wittman said. "It's hard to put this game into words,
there were so many changes in emotion, ups and downs."
"I like the way the guys battled," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey,
whose team trailed by 12 points in the third quarter. "I thought we
were flat in the first half again."
The Raptors (32-26) in saw their three-game winning streak end, and
they suffered their ninth consecutive overtime loss at home dating
to March 2009.
Forward Trevor Ariza added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards
before fouling out in the third overtime. Forward Chris Singleton
had 13 points, while guards Andre Miller and Bradley Beal each
scored 11. Beal added 10 rebounds.
"We owed them, we need to come in here and set the tempo," said
Washington forward/guard Martell Webster, who scored seven points in
37 minutes. "Now they have something to look forward to because this
is a potential matchup in the playoffs. Now they have to go back to
their tape and really focus on the way we played tonight."
Guard DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 34 points, and reserve
guard Greivis Vasquez scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth
quarter. Vasquez added eight assists, but he committed six
turnovers.
Toronto forward Amir Johnson contributed 16 points and nine rebounds
before fouling out in the first overtime, and guard Kyle Lowry added
18 points and 10 assists before fouling out in the third overtime.
Lowry played with an ankle injury during overtime. Raptors forward
Patrick Patterson also fouled out in the first overtime.
Raptors guard/forward Terrence Ross scored 11 points before leaving
the game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle.
"We lost three key players," Casey said. "Losing Terrence Ross, you
don't know what you have until you lose it. Gives us one more
defender, shot-maker, that was a huge blow for us."
"They seemed to have control and then we seemed to have control,"
Wittman said. "We kept after it and we were lucky enough, we got
three stops in a row down the stretch and converted at the other
end, and that gave us a boost."
[to top of second column] |
"I feel really bad right now. We've got to learn from mistakes,"
said Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, who had seven points and 10
rebounds. "I feel I could have done much better job than I did. I'm
going to watch the film and learn from it. We lost the game, that's
the biggest thing."
DeRozan scored the Raptors' first four points of the third overtime
to give Toronto a 122-120 lead, but he missed two free throws that
would have extended the lead. Beal tied it before Vasquez hit a
3-pointer.
The Wizards came back to tie on a layup and a free throw by Gortat
as Lowry fouled out.
Ariza and Webster followed with layups, and the Wizards led 131-127.
Forward Tyler Hansbrough missed two free throws on Gortat's sixth
foul. The Raptors got to the line again when Ariza fouled out, and
DeRozan made both shots. Wall restored Washington's four-point lead
with 28.9 seconds left.
DeRozan gave Toronto a 116-114 lead to open the second overtime.
Gortat tied it with a dunk. Gortat made two free throws with 43.1
seconds left to put Washington ahead 118-116. Each team missed a
shot before DeRozan tied the game on a layup with 2.7 seconds left.
The Wizards then put the ball in the basket but after time expired,
sending the game to the third overtime.
"I definitely thought it was good," Ariza said. "Earlier in the
season, we probably would have dropped our heads, but tonight shows
that we're growing and getting better."
The game was tied at 106 after regulation. Gortat tied the game on a
layup with 5.2 seconds to play, and Lowry missed a driving layup to
send the game to overtime. Lowry fell heavily on the attempt.
"He stayed in the game, but he turned the ankle real bad," Casey
said.
NOTES: Wizards F/C Nene (left knee MCL sprain) did not play after
being injured Sunday. He is expected to be out for six weeks.
...Washington C Kevin Seraphin (sore right knee) did not take part
in the shootaround on Thursday, and he was ruled out for the game.
He is listed as day-to-day. ... F Drew Gooden was available to play
in his first NBA game of the season after the Wizards signed him to
a 10-day contract. He did not get into Thursday's game, however...
The Raptors' victory at Cleveland on Tuesday made them 7-4 for
February, assuring them of three consecutive months with a winning
record for the first time since 2007. ... The Raptors continue their
three-game homestand Sunday against the Golden State Warriors and
end it March 7 against the Sacramento Kings. ... Washington plays
the 76ers in Philadelphia on Saturday.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
