This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/wizards-pull-ahead-then-fall-behind-and-fall-to-warriors/2016/03/30/376d1a42-f5ef-11e5-9804-537defcc3cf6_story.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Wizards pull ahead, then fall behind and fall to Warriors | Wizards pull ahead, then fall behind and fall to Warriors |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| OAKLAND, Calif. — John Wall rumbled through the lane at Oracle Arena late Tuesday, determined to get to the basket and impede the seemingly irreversible surge of momentum the Golden State Warriors were riding and no other visiting team has been able to overcome in this building since January of 2015 before it was too late. | OAKLAND, Calif. — John Wall rumbled through the lane at Oracle Arena late Tuesday, determined to get to the basket and impede the seemingly irreversible surge of momentum the Golden State Warriors were riding and no other visiting team has been able to overcome in this building since January of 2015 before it was too late. |
| Wall ended up back-first on the hardwood, the result of a hard foul from Harrison Barnes, and went to the free throw line for the first time all night. It was the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 102-94 victory, their NBA-record 54th straight at home, and the Wizards, confident they would shatter history just minutes earlier, were suddenly trailing by 16 points with just over six minutes remaining. | Wall ended up back-first on the hardwood, the result of a hard foul from Harrison Barnes, and went to the free throw line for the first time all night. It was the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 102-94 victory, their NBA-record 54th straight at home, and the Wizards, confident they would shatter history just minutes earlier, were suddenly trailing by 16 points with just over six minutes remaining. |
| Then Wall missed both free throws. Eight seconds later, his counterpart, Stephen Curry, applied the excruciating final blow — a step-back hoist off the glass from a mile away for his sixth and final three-pointer of the night — and just like that, as Golden State’s 170th consecutive sellout roared, the Warriors had their biggest lead of the night and the Wizards’ hopes of a stunning victory on national television were buried. | Then Wall missed both free throws. Eight seconds later, his counterpart, Stephen Curry, applied the excruciating final blow — a step-back hoist off the glass from a mile away for his sixth and final three-pointer of the night — and just like that, as Golden State’s 170th consecutive sellout roared, the Warriors had their biggest lead of the night and the Wizards’ hopes of a stunning victory on national television were buried. |
| The Wizards (36-38) weren’t officially eliminated from postseason contention with the defeat, but they’re headed in that direction, dropping to three games behind the Indiana Pacers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight contests remaining. The Warriors improved 36-0 at home and 67-7 overall to become the second franchise in NBA history with consecutive seasons with at least 67 wins. The only uncertainty remaining is whether they will eclipse the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 wins. They can with a 6-2 finish to the campaign. | The Wizards (36-38) weren’t officially eliminated from postseason contention with the defeat, but they’re headed in that direction, dropping to three games behind the Indiana Pacers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight contests remaining. The Warriors improved 36-0 at home and 67-7 overall to become the second franchise in NBA history with consecutive seasons with at least 67 wins. The only uncertainty remaining is whether they will eclipse the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 wins. They can with a 6-2 finish to the campaign. |
| [Early Lead: The oddest of odd couples commemorated on a pin for charity] | [Early Lead: The oddest of odd couples commemorated on a pin for charity] |
| For three quarters, the Wizards appeared poised to become the first visiting club to leave the Bay Area victorious in 428 days. They led by nine points in the second frame and withstood a 12-0 storm to stay within two points late in the third. But Washington couldn’t keep pace in the fourth period as they suffered defensive breakdowns and scored just four points in the first 7 minutes 38 seconds to allow Golden State to pull away. The Wizards shot 42 percent from the field, 22 percent from three-point range, and committed 17 turnovers, which Golden State converted into 25 points. | For three quarters, the Wizards appeared poised to become the first visiting club to leave the Bay Area victorious in 428 days. They led by nine points in the second frame and withstood a 12-0 storm to stay within two points late in the third. But Washington couldn’t keep pace in the fourth period as they suffered defensive breakdowns and scored just four points in the first 7 minutes 38 seconds to allow Golden State to pull away. The Wizards shot 42 percent from the field, 22 percent from three-point range, and committed 17 turnovers, which Golden State converted into 25 points. |
| “We just had trouble putting the ball in the basket,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman said. | “We just had trouble putting the ball in the basket,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman said. |
| Curry paced Golden State with 26 points — one more than he had in the first quarter in the teams’ first meeting in Washington in February — to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. His back-court partner Klay Thompson added 16 points and made 2 of 8 three-pointers to his surpass Curry’s all-time record of 75 in the month of March. | Curry paced Golden State with 26 points — one more than he had in the first quarter in the teams’ first meeting in Washington in February — to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. His back-court partner Klay Thompson added 16 points and made 2 of 8 three-pointers to his surpass Curry’s all-time record of 75 in the month of March. |
| [Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell reportedly shunned over Nick Young video] | [Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell reportedly shunned over Nick Young video] |
| Washington’s back court was outmatched. Bradley Beal led Washington with 17 points on 6 of 16 shooting, while Wall was held to eight points on 4 of 14 shooting to go with 11 assists. The duo combined to score four points in the second half, while Marcin Gortat posted zero points and one rebound in eight second-half minutes after totaling nine points and nine rebounds in the first half. | Washington’s back court was outmatched. Bradley Beal led Washington with 17 points on 6 of 16 shooting, while Wall was held to eight points on 4 of 14 shooting to go with 11 assists. The duo combined to score four points in the second half, while Marcin Gortat posted zero points and one rebound in eight second-half minutes after totaling nine points and nine rebounds in the first half. |
| “I didn’t play well offensively,” Wall said, “and when we both don’t play well, it’s hard for us to get going.” | “I didn’t play well offensively,” Wall said, “and when we both don’t play well, it’s hard for us to get going.” |
| For nearly 24 minutes, the Warriors did not resemble the jaw-dropping machine their rambunctious fan base has been spoiled by the past 14 months. They were botching shots and carelessly tossing the basketball around. Curry, the unrivaled show’s orchestrator, was the most askew during the stretch. | For nearly 24 minutes, the Warriors did not resemble the jaw-dropping machine their rambunctious fan base has been spoiled by the past 14 months. They were botching shots and carelessly tossing the basketball around. Curry, the unrivaled show’s orchestrator, was the most askew during the stretch. |
| The reigning and likely to be back-to-back league MVP hoisted uncharacteristic bricks from three-point range. He missed an open finger-roll layup at point-blank range. He started the contest 3 of 11 from the field, drawing gasps from the crowd, a good fraction of which arrived at the arena early to watch his famed warm-up routine. It was remarkably unusual. | The reigning and likely to be back-to-back league MVP hoisted uncharacteristic bricks from three-point range. He missed an open finger-roll layup at point-blank range. He started the contest 3 of 11 from the field, drawing gasps from the crowd, a good fraction of which arrived at the arena early to watch his famed warm-up routine. It was remarkably unusual. |
| Meanwhile, the Wizards, desperate to chase down the mediocre Chicago Bulls and a couple other clubs at the bottom of the Eastern Conference’s playoff field, pounced on the whiff of mortality. After staying within five points through the first quarter despite relying on a steady diet of mid-range jumpers, shooting 38 percent from the field while registering six turnovers, the Wizards started the second quarter on an 11-4 spurt to take a 33-31 lead as Curry watched from the bench. | Meanwhile, the Wizards, desperate to chase down the mediocre Chicago Bulls and a couple other clubs at the bottom of the Eastern Conference’s playoff field, pounced on the whiff of mortality. After staying within five points through the first quarter despite relying on a steady diet of mid-range jumpers, shooting 38 percent from the field while registering six turnovers, the Wizards started the second quarter on an 11-4 spurt to take a 33-31 lead as Curry watched from the bench. |
| A few minutes later, Wall drained a mid-range jumper to ignite a 9-0 run. Gortat topped off the spurt with a layup as he was fouled, which produced an enthusiastic, and awkward, chest bump with teammate J.J. Hickson. The Wizards were giddy. | A few minutes later, Wall drained a mid-range jumper to ignite a 9-0 run. Gortat topped off the spurt with a layup as he was fouled, which produced an enthusiastic, and awkward, chest bump with teammate J.J. Hickson. The Wizards were giddy. |
| Gortat, however, missed the free throw and the Wizards went scoreless for the remainder of the half as the Warriors, the version the crowd had been nervously expecting to surface, unleashed an avalanche. First, Draymond Green made a couple free throws, then Curry began an assault. | Gortat, however, missed the free throw and the Wizards went scoreless for the remainder of the half as the Warriors, the version the crowd had been nervously expecting to surface, unleashed an avalanche. First, Draymond Green made a couple free throws, then Curry began an assault. |
| Capitalizing on the Wizards’ strategy of having defenders switch on every screen except any involving the center, Curry found himself on an island with the slow-footed Jared Dudley twice and capitalized both times on his way to nine points in the final 1:42 of the half. | Capitalizing on the Wizards’ strategy of having defenders switch on every screen except any involving the center, Curry found himself on an island with the slow-footed Jared Dudley twice and capitalized both times on his way to nine points in the final 1:42 of the half. |
| As the Warriors surged, Washington recoiled. The Wizards’ five possessions during Golden State’s blitz went turnover, missed jumper, missed jumper, missed jumper, and turnover before Curry converted a three-pointer to catapult the Warriors ahead 49-46 at the half. | As the Warriors surged, Washington recoiled. The Wizards’ five possessions during Golden State’s blitz went turnover, missed jumper, missed jumper, missed jumper, and turnover before Curry converted a three-pointer to catapult the Warriors ahead 49-46 at the half. |
| “Against a team like this, that’s fighting for history, 12-0 to end a half when you’re up nine, hurts,” Wittman said. | “Against a team like this, that’s fighting for history, 12-0 to end a half when you’re up nine, hurts,” Wittman said. |
| The Wizards held steady for much of the third quarter, absorbing blows that have knocked out previous visitors to counter with their own. Down eight early in the period, they responded with a 7-0 punch. Down 10 a few minutes later, the answer was an 8-0 run. But the Warriors kept at it and concluded the quarter with five straight points. The final three came in cruel fashion: Green nailing a long three-pointer to spoil Washington’s tidy defensive possession and amplify the margin to seven points entering the final frame. The Wizards never got any closer. | The Wizards held steady for much of the third quarter, absorbing blows that have knocked out previous visitors to counter with their own. Down eight early in the period, they responded with a 7-0 punch. Down 10 a few minutes later, the answer was an 8-0 run. But the Warriors kept at it and concluded the quarter with five straight points. The final three came in cruel fashion: Green nailing a long three-pointer to spoil Washington’s tidy defensive possession and amplify the margin to seven points entering the final frame. The Wizards never got any closer. |
| “You got to tip your hat,” Dudley said. “But I thought we played well enough to be able to win. But you can’t fall asleep those two, three minutes because they’re that good.” |