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| Wizards open 2016 strong as John Wall, Otto Porter spur win over Magic | Wizards open 2016 strong as John Wall, Otto Porter spur win over Magic |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Forced to navigate a grueling early-season slate with the league’s lengthiest injury list, the Washington Wizards experienced frustrating bouts of inconsistency in the 2015 portion of their schedule. They have topped some of the NBA’s best and flopped against teams bounds for the lottery. They can score in bunches, yet their defense often has yielded points just as quickly. But through the highs and lows, two things have remained constant: their domination of the Orlando Magic and John Wall’s outstanding play since Dec. 1. | |
| Both were on display Friday night at Verizon Center as the Wizards toppled the Magic, 103-91, for their 11th straight win over Orlando — and third this season — behind another dynamite performance from Wall and a strong defensive effort. After not holding a team under 100 points for 10 straight games, Washington (15-16) has done so in five of its past six. | |
| “Our defense is why we won the game today,” said Wall, who posted game highs of 24 points and 13 assists for his 18th double-double. | |
| [Drew Gooden III set for MRI exam on right calf] | |
| Wall netted half of his points in the fourth quarter, which began with the teams tied at 72. Kris Humphries, who tallied a season-high 23 points in the teams’ previous meeting, scored all 11 of his points in the final period, and Otto Porter Jr. added 20 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. | Wall netted half of his points in the fourth quarter, which began with the teams tied at 72. Kris Humphries, who tallied a season-high 23 points in the teams’ previous meeting, scored all 11 of his points in the final period, and Otto Porter Jr. added 20 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. |
| Marcin Gortat contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds for his 13th double-double, and rookie Kelly Oubre Jr. enjoyed what Coach Randy Wittman called “his best defensive game” as a pro, though he flubbed two alley-oop dunks because he said he lost one of his contacts and had difficulty seeing. | Marcin Gortat contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds for his 13th double-double, and rookie Kelly Oubre Jr. enjoyed what Coach Randy Wittman called “his best defensive game” as a pro, though he flubbed two alley-oop dunks because he said he lost one of his contacts and had difficulty seeing. |
| DeMatha product Victor Oladipo paced the Magic (19-14) with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting off the bench, and Nikola Vucevic added 14 points and seven rebounds. One of the NBA’s biggest surprises, Orlando shot just 5 for 20 from beyond the arc, and Washington was able to convert defensive stops into 24 fast-break points. | DeMatha product Victor Oladipo paced the Magic (19-14) with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting off the bench, and Nikola Vucevic added 14 points and seven rebounds. One of the NBA’s biggest surprises, Orlando shot just 5 for 20 from beyond the arc, and Washington was able to convert defensive stops into 24 fast-break points. |
| “I thought we really, for 48 minutes, start to finish, defensively stayed in tune with what we had to do,” Wittman said. “And that paid off in the fourth quarter.” | “I thought we really, for 48 minutes, start to finish, defensively stayed in tune with what we had to do,” Wittman said. “And that paid off in the fourth quarter.” |
| The Wizards entered the new year having accumulated a league-high 129 games missed because of injury. Next on the list were the three-win Philadelphia 76ers at 115 games. | |
| Drew Gooden III, sidelined the previous 21 games with a strained right calf, played Friday, but the return was short-lived: He exited near the end of the third quarter because of discomfort in the calf after picking up four fouls in four minutes. After the game, he said he is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Saturday. | Drew Gooden III, sidelined the previous 21 games with a strained right calf, played Friday, but the return was short-lived: He exited near the end of the third quarter because of discomfort in the calf after picking up four fouls in four minutes. After the game, he said he is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Saturday. |
| Even with Gooden back, Washington added another five missed games to its total. Bradley Beal (leg), Nene (calf), Alan Anderson (ankle), Gary Neal (quad) and DeJuan Blair (knee) were unavailable. | |
| “We got to keep doing it until we get healthy,” Wittman said. “The good thing about this is there are eight guys here who know they’re going to get to play right now with the injury situation. I think they’re using that opportunity.” | “We got to keep doing it until we get healthy,” Wittman said. “The good thing about this is there are eight guys here who know they’re going to get to play right now with the injury situation. I think they’re using that opportunity.” |
| Wall remains the centerpiece and overcame a series of injuries to play the best basketball of his career last month. He averaged 22.6 points, 11.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 16 December games. He was the first player to average 22-plus points, 11-plus assists, four-plus rebounds and two-plus steals in a month since Chris Paul in April 2009, according to the Wizards. | Wall remains the centerpiece and overcame a series of injuries to play the best basketball of his career last month. He averaged 22.6 points, 11.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 16 December games. He was the first player to average 22-plus points, 11-plus assists, four-plus rebounds and two-plus steals in a month since Chris Paul in April 2009, according to the Wizards. |
| In a break from the norm, Wall was the first Wizards starter taken out of the game in the first quarter Friday. It was by request. The game had assumed a breakneck pace, and Wall, always the pacesetter, was winded. Washington didn’t falter without him — it produced a 14-6 run during his first-quarter absence — and he returned with more than enough time to torment the Magic again. | |
| “This is a years-long thing,” Magic Coach Scott Skiles said. “This is not just this season. I don’t know. I don’t know if the guys are intimidated by him or something. I have no idea.” | “This is a years-long thing,” Magic Coach Scott Skiles said. “This is not just this season. I don’t know. I don’t know if the guys are intimidated by him or something. I have no idea.” |