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| Shorthanded Wizards lose, 116-109, in OT to Trail Blazers in road-trip opener | Shorthanded Wizards lose, 116-109, in OT to Trail Blazers in road-trip opener |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| PORTLAND, Ore. — Before the Washington Wizards took the Moda Center hardwood to confront the Portland Trail Blazers undermanned without Bradley Beal once again, Coach Randy Wittman highlighted Alan Anderson as an important source to overcome their second-leading scorer’s absence. Anderson was sidelined the last time the two teams had met and has exceeded expectations since making his debut late last month. | PORTLAND, Ore. — Before the Washington Wizards took the Moda Center hardwood to confront the Portland Trail Blazers undermanned without Bradley Beal once again, Coach Randy Wittman highlighted Alan Anderson as an important source to overcome their second-leading scorer’s absence. Anderson was sidelined the last time the two teams had met and has exceeded expectations since making his debut late last month. |
| Anderson didn’t have much of a chance to make an impact. He was gone by the end of the first quarter, ejected for his tussle with Trail Blazers forward Gerald Henderson to further complicate matters for a Wizards team desperate for a win as their postseason chances tick away. Further shorthanded, Washington put up a fight but could not overcome the Trail Blazers’ high-octane attack in a 116-109 overtime loss. | Anderson didn’t have much of a chance to make an impact. He was gone by the end of the first quarter, ejected for his tussle with Trail Blazers forward Gerald Henderson to further complicate matters for a Wizards team desperate for a win as their postseason chances tick away. Further shorthanded, Washington put up a fight but could not overcome the Trail Blazers’ high-octane attack in a 116-109 overtime loss. |
| The defeat, in Washington’s first overtime game of the season, was the Wizards’ third straight. They dropped to 30-33 on the season and 21/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they began a pivotal three-game road trip. | The defeat, in Washington’s first overtime game of the season, was the Wizards’ third straight. They dropped to 30-33 on the season and 21/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they began a pivotal three-game road trip. |
| [Wittman, Wizards claim officials blew crucial call in final seconds] | |
| Damian Lillard topped all players with 41 points and 11 assists in 44 minutes, including nine in overtime. C.J. McCollum, the other half of Portland’s potent back court, tallied 18 points for the Trail Blazers, who snapped a three-game skid and jumped into sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference at 34-31. | Damian Lillard topped all players with 41 points and 11 assists in 44 minutes, including nine in overtime. C.J. McCollum, the other half of Portland’s potent back court, tallied 18 points for the Trail Blazers, who snapped a three-game skid and jumped into sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference at 34-31. |
| Ramon Sessions led the Wizards with 21 points in 34 minutes off the bench. John Wall added 20 points and 11 assists in 40 minutes but shot just 8 of 25 from the floor and 1 of 4 from the free throw line as Washington made just 11 of 23 free throws. Marcin Gortat contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes but saw his layup get blocked at the end of regulation. | Ramon Sessions led the Wizards with 21 points in 34 minutes off the bench. John Wall added 20 points and 11 assists in 40 minutes but shot just 8 of 25 from the floor and 1 of 4 from the free throw line as Washington made just 11 of 23 free throws. Marcin Gortat contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes but saw his layup get blocked at the end of regulation. |
| Jared Dudley’s three-pointer with 1:48 remaining in regulation broke a 98-all tie. A jumper from Meyers Leonard pulled Portland within one before Wall missed a jump shot and Gortat was assessed a late foul on Lillard’s drive and layup attempt. Lillard converted the two free throws to set up a wild sequence. | Jared Dudley’s three-pointer with 1:48 remaining in regulation broke a 98-all tie. A jumper from Meyers Leonard pulled Portland within one before Wall missed a jump shot and Gortat was assessed a late foul on Lillard’s drive and layup attempt. Lillard converted the two free throws to set up a wild sequence. |
| Trailing 102-101, Washington began a series of disjointed tries to salvage the contest. First, the Wizards attempted to capitalize on the Trail Blazers’ decision to switch the 6-foot-3 Lillard onto the 6-9 Markieff Morris in pick and rolls by posting up Morris. But Morris couldn’t take advantage of his size edge and missed a jumper. But the ball went out of bounds off Portland to give Washington another opportunity. Wall then missed a jumper, but Sessions gathered an offensive rebound and the Wizards called a timeout with 26.4 seconds left. | Trailing 102-101, Washington began a series of disjointed tries to salvage the contest. First, the Wizards attempted to capitalize on the Trail Blazers’ decision to switch the 6-foot-3 Lillard onto the 6-9 Markieff Morris in pick and rolls by posting up Morris. But Morris couldn’t take advantage of his size edge and missed a jumper. But the ball went out of bounds off Portland to give Washington another opportunity. Wall then missed a jumper, but Sessions gathered an offensive rebound and the Wizards called a timeout with 26.4 seconds left. |
| The Wizards were disjointed again out of the break, but the ball found a wide-open Wall, who bailed them out by hitting a three-pointer with 15.8 seconds left. Portland signaled a timeout, but Henderson couldn’t find an open teammate on the inbound pass and called a timeout before a five-second violation was ruled, to the outrage of the Wizards, who believed Henderson had eclipsed five seconds. | The Wizards were disjointed again out of the break, but the ball found a wide-open Wall, who bailed them out by hitting a three-pointer with 15.8 seconds left. Portland signaled a timeout, but Henderson couldn’t find an open teammate on the inbound pass and called a timeout before a five-second violation was ruled, to the outrage of the Wizards, who believed Henderson had eclipsed five seconds. |
| Henderson, however, was awarded the timeout and when the Trail Blazers emerged, it was McCollum, not Lillard, who was given the green light to create his own shot and converted a short jumper to knot the game again. | Henderson, however, was awarded the timeout and when the Trail Blazers emerged, it was McCollum, not Lillard, who was given the green light to create his own shot and converted a short jumper to knot the game again. |
| With 5.4 seconds to work with, a stumbling Dudley penetrated and found Gortat in the middle, but the 7-footer’s layup was blocked by Henderson out to Wall, whose three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark to send the game to overtime. | With 5.4 seconds to work with, a stumbling Dudley penetrated and found Gortat in the middle, but the 7-footer’s layup was blocked by Henderson out to Wall, whose three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark to send the game to overtime. |
| Sessions netted a basket 22 seconds into the extra period to complete his 21-point effort off the bench, but the Wizards’ offense went frigid from there. A three-pointer from Wall with 3:02 on the clock was all Washington mustered until the end as Portland closed the contest. | Sessions netted a basket 22 seconds into the extra period to complete his 21-point effort off the bench, but the Wizards’ offense went frigid from there. A three-pointer from Wall with 3:02 on the clock was all Washington mustered until the end as Portland closed the contest. |
| Anderson was ejected with 1:23 remaining in the first quarter. The scuffle commenced when Anderson tried to cut away from the ball and was met by a forearm from Henderson near his face. An irritated Anderson threw an elbow in response, which missed, and turned around to push and confront Henderson, who then thrust his right shoulder and swung his right forearm into Anderson’s chest. Anderson flung his left arm at Henderson’s face before other players convened to separate the two. | Anderson was ejected with 1:23 remaining in the first quarter. The scuffle commenced when Anderson tried to cut away from the ball and was met by a forearm from Henderson near his face. An irritated Anderson threw an elbow in response, which missed, and turned around to push and confront Henderson, who then thrust his right shoulder and swung his right forearm into Anderson’s chest. Anderson flung his left arm at Henderson’s face before other players convened to separate the two. |
| The referees reviewed the play and concluded Anderson had elbowed Henderson in the face. He was ejected to the shock of the Wizards, while Henderson was assessed a personal and a technical foul. And, just like that Anderson was tossed after logging 1 minute 11 seconds of action and the already shorthanded Wizards were missing another wing player. | The referees reviewed the play and concluded Anderson had elbowed Henderson in the face. He was ejected to the shock of the Wizards, while Henderson was assessed a personal and a technical foul. And, just like that Anderson was tossed after logging 1 minute 11 seconds of action and the already shorthanded Wizards were missing another wing player. |
| Beal didn’t travel to Oregon because of a sprained pelvis he sustained in Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, but the Wizards remain hopeful he could join the team to play against the Utah Jazz on Friday or against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The Wizards were also without Gary Neal, another scoring specialist who has missed 14 consecutive games with a right leg injury. | Beal didn’t travel to Oregon because of a sprained pelvis he sustained in Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, but the Wizards remain hopeful he could join the team to play against the Utah Jazz on Friday or against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The Wizards were also without Gary Neal, another scoring specialist who has missed 14 consecutive games with a right leg injury. |