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Wizards will try to accomplish the impossible against the Warriors Wizards will try to accomplish the impossible against the Warriors
(about 1 hour later)
LOS ANGELES — Markieff Morris was testing out his strained right calf minutes before the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers tipped off at Staples Center on Sunday evening when he told John Wall that the leg was still sore but he could play through the pain. Wall told him not to. LOS ANGELES — Markieff Morris was testing out his strained left calf minutes before the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers tipped off at Staples Center on Sunday evening when he told John Wall that the leg was still sore but he could play through the pain. Wall told him not to.
“I was like, ‘Just sit it out. We’ll hold it down for you.’” Wall said. “I’d rather you get two more days of rest and come back for the important game we need Tuesday.” “I was like, ‘Just sit it out. We’ll hold it down for you.’ ” Wall said. “I’d rather you get two more days of rest and come back for the important game we need Tuesday.”
Morris took Wall’s advice, and the Wizards proceeded to kick off their vital five-game West Coast road trip with a breezy 101-88 victory over Kobe Bryant and Co. without him. Morris, who sustained his injury in Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, could return Tuesday when the Wizards will attempt to accomplish what no other NBA team has this season: Beat the 66-7 Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, where they are 35-0 this season and have won a league-record 53 straight home games going back to last season. Morris took Wall’s advice, and the Wizards proceeded to kick off their vital five-game West Coast road trip with a breezy 101-88 victory over Kobe Bryant and Co. without him. Morris, who sustained his injury in Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, could return Tuesday when the Wizards will attempt to accomplish what no other NBA team has this season: Beat the 66-7 Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, where they are 35-0 this season and have won a league-record 53 straight home games dating back to last season.
“They’re doing something special,” Wizards guard Garrett Temple said. “We’re looking to be that eighth loss, though.”“They’re doing something special,” Wizards guard Garrett Temple said. “We’re looking to be that eighth loss, though.”
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Ideally, Tuesday’s game against a team on pace to surpass the 1995-96 72-win Chicago Bulls for the most victories in NBA history wouldn’t classify as a must-win situation, but the Wizards (36-37) have squandered their mulligans. With nine games remaining, they are 2 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. After beginning the season with an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals as the goal, their chances of simply qualifying for the postseason for a third straight year are slim. Ideally, Tuesday’s game against a team on pace to surpass the 72-win Chicago Bulls from 1995-96 for most victories in NBA history wouldn’t classify as a must-win situation, but the Wizards (36-37) have squandered their mulligans. With nine games remaining, they are 2 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. After beginning the season with an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals as the goal, their chances of simply qualifying for the postseason for a third straight year are slim.
For the Wizards to pull off the improbable on national television Tuesday, they need to defend Stephen Curry better than they did when the teams met in the District on Feb. 3. Washington surrendered a season-high 134 points and 51 to Curry, the most a player has scored against the Wizards this season, in the loss. The reigning MVP tallied 25 and went 7 of 8 from three-point range in the first quarter, sending Verizon Center into a frenzy with each make.For the Wizards to pull off the improbable on national television Tuesday, they need to defend Stephen Curry better than they did when the teams met in the District on Feb. 3. Washington surrendered a season-high 134 points and 51 to Curry, the most a player has scored against the Wizards this season, in the loss. The reigning MVP tallied 25 and went 7 of 8 from three-point range in the first quarter, sending Verizon Center into a frenzy with each make.
“The game plan was good last time,” Wall said. “We just can’t turn the ball over. When we turn the ball over, we gave Steph Curry some wide-open looks and he got into a rhythm early. He saw his first couple shots go in and then he started taking heat-check shots and you can’t really do nothing about it when he’s coming past half court.”“The game plan was good last time,” Wall said. “We just can’t turn the ball over. When we turn the ball over, we gave Steph Curry some wide-open looks and he got into a rhythm early. He saw his first couple shots go in and then he started taking heat-check shots and you can’t really do nothing about it when he’s coming past half court.”
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The Wizards were within striking distance in the fourth quarter despite Curry’s blistering start behind Wall, who posted a season-high 41 points and 10 assists, before Curry applied the finishing touches with his 11th three-pointer. Wall will be tasked to carry the offense again and force Curry, the NBA’s leading scorer, to work on the defensive end. The Wizards were within striking distance in the fourth quarter despite Curry’s blistering start behind Wall, who posted a season-high 41 points and 10 assists, before Curry applied the finishing touch with his 11th three-pointer of the night. Wall will be tasked to carry the offense again and force Curry, the NBA’s leading scorer, to work on the defensive end.
Furthermore, the Warriors aren’t as dominant as they were earlier in the season, partly because of injuries. Golden State has been without backup center Festus Ezeli (knee) and NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala (ankle), and it looked mortal in a 12-point victory over the nine-win Philadelphia 76ers in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday despite Klay Thompson’s second straight game with at least 40 points and Draymond Green’s 12th triple-double. Furthermore, the Warriors aren’t as dominant as they were earlier in the season, partly because of injuries. Golden State has been without backup center Festus Ezeli (knee) and NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala (ankle), and it looked mortal in a 12-point victory over the nine-win Philadelphia 76ers in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, despite Klay Thompson’s second straight game with at least 40 points and Draymond Green’s 12th triple-double.
The Wizards’ previous visit to Oracle Arena was a 107-76 disaster in which they shot 1 of 18 in an eight-point third quarter last March. But Washington has posted its best wins on the road this season, including giving the East’s best team — the Cleveland Cavaliers — its first home loss of the season in December. To replicate the result against the NBA’s finest, they’ll need to perform at an even higher level. The Wizards’ previous visit to Oracle Arena was a 107-76 disaster in which they shot 1 of 18 in an eight-point third quarter last March. But Washington has posted its best wins on the road this season, including giving the East’s best team — the Cleveland Cavaliers — its first home loss of the season in December. To replicate the result against the NBA’s finest, the Wizards need to perform at an even higher level.
“It’s a bigger task,” Temple said. “Cleveland was playing well, but Golden State’s playing at a historic rate right now. It’s going to be a tough task, but we’re up for the challenge.”“It’s a bigger task,” Temple said. “Cleveland was playing well, but Golden State’s playing at a historic rate right now. It’s going to be a tough task, but we’re up for the challenge.”
Tonight, p.m., Ch.Tonight, p.m., Ch.