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Wizards dig themselves 18-point hole and can’t climb out in 117-113 loss Wizards dig themselves 18-point hole and can’t climb out in 117-113 loss
(35 minutes later)
Drew Gooden III had just stripped the Denver Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari clean in his ascent to the basket in the third quarter of the Washington Wizards’117-113 loss at Verizon Center on Thursday night. Gooden turned, saw a red-sleeved jersey, and hurriedly fired an outlet pass. Otto Porter Jr. was the target, but he was already sprinting to the other end of the floor, not expecting Gooden’s bullet. So the ball bounced off his back — directly to Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, who found Gallinari in the corner for a three-pointer. Drew Gooden III had just stripped the Denver Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari clean in his ascent to the basket in the third quarter of the Washington Wizards’ 117-113 loss at Verizon Center on Thursday night. Gooden turned, saw a red-sleeved jersey and hurriedly fired an outlet pass. Otto Porter Jr. was the target, but he was already sprinting to the other end of the floor, not expecting Gooden’s bullet. So the ball bounced off his back — directly to Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, who found Gallinari in the corner for a three-pointer.
The six-second sequence, which dumped the Wizards into a 15-point hole, summed up Washington’s latest fumbled opportunity, a wretched defeat to a Nuggets club destined to participate in June’s draft lottery. They lacked the urgency expected from a team desperate for a victory and defense was their downfall again. It wasn’t until they encountered a 18-point deficit in the third quarter when they played their best basketball, eventually drawing even in the fourth period. But they couldn’t sustain their momentum, and suffered a third straight defeat. The six-second sequence, which dumped the Wizards into a 15-point hole, summed up Washington’s latest fumbled opportunity, a wretched defeat to a Nuggets club destined to participate in June’s draft lottery. They lacked the urgency expected from a team desperate for a victory, and defense was their downfall again. It wasn’t until they encountered a 18-point deficit in the third quarter when they played their best basketball, eventually drawing even in the fourth period. But they couldn’t sustain their momentum and suffered a third straight defeat.
“Coming out of the locker room we lost it,” Coach Randy Wittman said. “We dig ourselves a hole before we come out and play the way we’re capable of defensively.”“Coming out of the locker room we lost it,” Coach Randy Wittman said. “We dig ourselves a hole before we come out and play the way we’re capable of defensively.”
If there was ever a time for the Wizards (20-24) to flip the switch to initiate a surge up the Eastern Conference standings, it was Thursday night. The Wizards — or the Baltimore Bullets, as they were referred to as part of a throwback night — were rested, 48 hours removed from suffering their second drubbing in as many nights in Toronto on Tuesday. They were boosted by the return of Bradley Beal from a broken nose and concussion, and his inclusion gave them 13 available players for just the second time since Nov. 4. Only Kris Humphries (knee) and Alan Anderson (ankle) remained sidelined. If there was ever a time for the Wizards (20-24) to flip the switch to initiate a surge up the Eastern Conference standings, it was Thursday night. The Wizards — or the Baltimore Bullets, as they were referred to as part of a throwback night — were rested, 48 hours removed from their second drubbing in as many nights in Toronto on Tuesday. They were boosted by the return of Bradley Beal from a broken nose and concussion, and his inclusion gave them 13 available players for just the second time since Nov. 4. Only Kris Humphries (knee) and Alan Anderson (ankle) remained sidelined.
The Nuggets (18-29), losers of four of their previous five, were not fresh. They had fallen to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night to begin a three-game road trip and were 3-7 in the second games of back-to-back sets. The scenario seemingly favored the Wizards, who begin a daunting three-game stretch against the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors. The Nuggets (18-29), losers of four of their previous five, were not fresh. They had fallen to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night to begin a three-game trip and were 3-7 in the second games of back-to-back sets. The scenario seemingly favored the Wizards, who begin a daunting three-game stretch against the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors.
“We have to win,” Beal said after shootaround earlier Thursday. “We got to win.”“We have to win,” Beal said after shootaround earlier Thursday. “We got to win.”
Instead, the Wizards were dealt their 15th home loss after suffering just 12 all of last season. They have lost five of their past six to follow a four-game winning streak and surrendered at least 100 points in nine of their past 10. Adding to the setbacks, Porter, who has played with a torn labrum in his right hip, left the game in the third quarter with hip tightness and didn’t return. The Wizards capped the wretched evening with a players-only meeting in the locker room immediately after the game. Instead, the Wizards were dealt their 15th home loss after they suffered just 12 all of last season. They have lost five of their past six to follow a four-game winning streak and surrendered at least 100 points in nine of their past 10. Adding to the setbacks, Porter, who has played with a torn labrum in his right hip, left the game in the third quarter with hip tightness and didn’t return. The Wizards capped the wretched evening with a players-only meeting in the locker room immediately after the game.
“We know as players what we need to do,” Beal said. “We already talked about it after the game as a team. We had a players meeting. We know what we need to do now moving forward and we are going to do it.” “We know as players what we need to do,” Beal said. “We already talked about it after the game as a team. We had a players meeting. We know what we need to do now moving forward, and we are going to do it.”
Garrett Temple paced the Wizards with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting and Beal contributed 17 off the bench. John Wall, named an Eastern Conference all-star reserve during the first quarter, recorded 17 points on 5-of -17 shooting, nine assists, seven rebounds, and four steals, as the Wizards posted 33 fast-break points but could not slow the Nuggets down. Garrett Temple paced the Wizards with 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting, and Beal contributed 17 off the bench. John Wall, named an Eastern Conference all-star reserve during the first quarter, recorded 17 points on 5-for-17 shooting, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals. The Wizards posted 33 fast-break points but could not slow the Nuggets down.
[Wall named to Eastern Conference all-star team as reserve][Wall named to Eastern Conference all-star team as reserve]
Gallinari poured in a game-high 26 points to go with six assists and five rebounds. Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay added 20 points for Denver, who shot 50.6 percent from the field and 9 of 18 from three-point range. Gallinari poured in a game-high 26 points to go with six assists and five rebounds. Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay added 20 points for Denver, who shot 50.6 percent from the field and 9 for 18 from three-point range.
“We’re not playing defense the way we’re capable of,” Temple said, “and we have to fix it before it’s too late.”“We’re not playing defense the way we’re capable of,” Temple said, “and we have to fix it before it’s too late.”
For the fourth straight game, the Wizards stuck with Marcin Gortat and Nene as their starting front court after the pairing, Washington’s starting frontline the past two seasons, didn’t play together in the team’s first 39 games as the Wizards steadfastly transitioned to having a three-point threat at power forward. For the fourth straight game, the Wizards stuck with Marcin Gortat and Nene as their starting front court. The pairing, Washington’s starting frontline the past two seasons, had not played together in the team’s first 39 games as the Wizards steadfastly transitioned to having a three-point threat at power forward.
[So far, going back to bigger has not made the Wizards better][So far, going back to bigger has not made the Wizards better]
Entering Thursday, the Wizards were outscored by 14 points in the small sample of 47 minutes that Gortat and Nene shared the court over their previous four games. In keeping with his rotation, Wittman only used the big men together for the start of each half and the Wizards played their best when Nene and Jared Dudley partnered in the middle of the third quarter. When Dudley entered the game, he helped spark a turnaround on both ends of the floor and the front court went unchanged the rest of the game. Entering Thursday, the Wizards were outscored by 14 points in the small sample of 47 minutes that Gortat and Nene had shared the court over their previous four games. In keeping with his rotation, Wittman used the big men together only for the start of each half, and the Wizards played their best when Nene and Jared Dudley partnered in the middle of the third quarter. When Dudley entered the game, he helped spark a turnaround on both ends of the floor, and the front court went unchanged the rest of the game.
Washington tied the game at 99 with 5 minutes 41 seconds left, but the momentum proved unsustainable. The Nuggets responded with consecutive three-pointers from Gary Harris and Gallinari, and they never relinquished the lead.Washington tied the game at 99 with 5 minutes 41 seconds left, but the momentum proved unsustainable. The Nuggets responded with consecutive three-pointers from Gary Harris and Gallinari, and they never relinquished the lead.
“We aren’t going to outscore anybody,” Wittman said, “and until we take playing defense as first priority, we’re going to continue to have nights like this.”“We aren’t going to outscore anybody,” Wittman said, “and until we take playing defense as first priority, we’re going to continue to have nights like this.”