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Wizards’ playoff hopes dealt another blow with loss against Clippers Wizards’ playoff hopes dealt another blow with loss against Clippers
(about 2 hours later)
LOS ANGELES — The Washington Wizards found themselves back at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon to conclude a five-game road trip that had started with a win a week earlier in the same arena, needing a victory to keep alive their bleak chances of advancing to the postseason. LOS ANGELES — The Washington Wizards found themselves back at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon to conclude a five-game road trip that had started with a win a week earlier in the same arena, needing a victory to keep alive their bleak chances of advancing to the postseason.
But this time the opposition was not a Lakers franchise flailing through its worst season in decades with Snapchat folly and a retirement tour overshadowing the dreadful on-court product. This time, the Wizards were facing the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that has gone through its own off-court shenanigans but has overcome the backlash with plenty still on the line.But this time the opposition was not a Lakers franchise flailing through its worst season in decades with Snapchat folly and a retirement tour overshadowing the dreadful on-court product. This time, the Wizards were facing the Los Angeles Clippers, a team that has gone through its own off-court shenanigans but has overcome the backlash with plenty still on the line.
And on Sunday the Clippers welcomed back Blake Griffin, the lead character in the latest off-court episode, and they proved too much for the Wizards, who fell, 114-109, to conclude their pivotal West Coast swing 2-3 and, likely, their playoff prospects. And on Sunday the Clippers welcomed back Blake Griffin, the lead character in the latest off-court episode, and they proved too much for the Wizards, who fell, 114-109, to conclude their pivotal West Coast swing 2-3 — and likely end their playoff prospects.
Washington isn’t mathematically eliminated from postseason contention at 37-40, but the odds are long. With five games remaining on the schedule, the Wizards are 3 1/2 games behind the Indiana Pacers, though it is essentially a four-game margin because the Pacers own the tiebreaker after claiming the teams’ season series. Washington isn’t mathematically eliminated from postseason contention at 37-40, but the odds are long. With five games remaining on the schedule, the Wizards are four games behind the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, who are currently tied for the final two playoff spots.
“The fat lady hasn’t started singing yet,” Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. “Some crazy things have happened at the end of the season. So anything can happen.”“The fat lady hasn’t started singing yet,” Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. “Some crazy things have happened at the end of the season. So anything can happen.”
On Sunday, Beal and John Wall were outplayed by the Clippers’ back court. Wall finished with 15 points and 13 assists for his 49th double-double but was plagued by early foul trouble and shot just 5 of 14 from the field. Beal scored eight points on 2-for-16 shooting to become the third player in the NBA to make two or fewer field goals on 16 or more attempts this season. On Sunday, Beal and John Wall were outplayed by the Clippers’ back court. Wall finished with 15 points and 13 assists for his 49th double-double but was plagued by early foul trouble and shot just 5 for 14 from the field. Beal scored eight points on 2-for-16 shooting to become the third player in the NBA to make two or fewer field goals on 16 or more attempts this season.
Washington’s front court did the heavy lifting: Marcin Gortat tallied a team-high 21 points, Markieff Morris scored 18, and Otto Porter Jr. posted 14 for his 13th straight game in double figures.
“I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean today,” Beal said.“I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean today,” Beal said.
On the other side, Chris Paul had a game-high 27 points and J.J. Redick finished with 18, while Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench for the Clippers, who were without former Wizards forward Paul Pierce because of a sprained ankle. Griffin had six points and five rebounds in 25 minutes in his first action since Christmas Day after missing 45 games because of a partially torn left quadriceps, which remains torn, and a broken hand he sustained in an altercation with a Clippers equipment manager. Washington’s front court did the heavy lifting: Marcin Gortat tallied a team-high 21 points, Markieff Morris scored 18, and Otto Porter Jr. posted 14 for his 13th straight game in double figures.
On the other side, Chris Paul had a game-high 27 points and J.J. Redick finished with 18, while Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench for the Clippers, who were without former Wizards forward Paul Pierce because of a sprained ankle. Griffin had six points and five rebounds in 25 minutes in his first action since Christmas Day after missing 45 games because of a partially torn left quadriceps, which remains torn, and a broken hand he suffered in an altercation with a Clippers equipment manager.
Playing a Sunday matinee to conclude a five-game road trip after a Saturday night in Los Angeles isn’t ideal, and the Wizards played like it wasn’t early. Washington looked out of sorts — how it has looked often this season — from the tip. Wall’s foul woes didn’t help.Playing a Sunday matinee to conclude a five-game road trip after a Saturday night in Los Angeles isn’t ideal, and the Wizards played like it wasn’t early. Washington looked out of sorts — how it has looked often this season — from the tip. Wall’s foul woes didn’t help.
The all-star point guard picked up his second foul with 7 minutes 41 seconds left in the first quarter and was promptly replaced. A couple minutes later, he was slapped with a technical foul from the bench. Wall has been perturbed by officials’ treatment of him all season, but claimed he simply told referee Rodney Mott to “wake up.” But that was enough for his 12th technical this season, and Paul made the gifted free throw to give the Clippers a 21-8 edge. The all-star point guard picked up his second foul with 7 minutes 41 seconds left in the first quarter and was promptly replaced. A couple minutes later, he was slapped with a technical foul from the bench. Wall has been perturbed by officials’ treatment of him all season but claimed he simply told referee Rodney Mott to “wake up.” But that was enough for his 12th technical this season, and Paul made the gifted free throw to give the Clippers a 21-8 edge.
“If that’s what you’re getting techs for nowadays then I guess you can’t say nothing at all,” Wall said. “If that’s what you’re getting techs for nowadays, then I guess you can’t say nothing at all,” Wall said.
The Clippers (48-28) capitalized on Wall’s absence and miserable shooting from Beal, who started 1 of 12 from the floor, to take a 17-point lead late in the second quarter as the Wizards shot a dismal 36.5 percent from the field in the first half. But Washington was able to stay within 11 points at halftime for a reason that has usually been a weakness this season: rebounding. The Wizards entered the day tied for last in the league in rebounding with the Philadelphia 76ers and tied for 27th in offensive rebounding. But they owned the offensive glass in the first half and came away with 13 offensive rebounds. Washington outrebounded the Clippers 29-23 in the half and 51-44 for the game. The Clippers (48-28) capitalized on Wall’s absence and miserable shooting from Beal, who started 1 for 12 from the floor, to take a 17-point lead late in the second quarter as the Wizards shot a dismal 36.5 percent from the field in the first half. But Washington was able to stay within 11 points at halftime for a reason that has usually been a weakness this season: rebounding. The Wizards entered the day tied for last in the league in rebounding with the Philadelphia 76ers and tied for 27th in offensive rebounding. But they owned the offensive glass in the first half and came away with 13 offensive rebounds. Washington outrebounded the Clippers 29-23 in the half and 51-44 for the game.
“We missed a lot of good looks, but we stuck with it,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman said. “I felt pretty good about the shots we missed, and I knew if we kept getting those shots in the second half that we would make a game of it.”“We missed a lot of good looks, but we stuck with it,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman said. “I felt pretty good about the shots we missed, and I knew if we kept getting those shots in the second half that we would make a game of it.”
The Wizards then stormed out on a 10-0 spree to begin the third quarter to change the game’s complexion. The Clippers then responded with an 8-0 jab before the Wizards countered again with the notorious Hack-a-DeAndre strategy. The Wizards then stormed to a 10-0 spree to begin the third quarter to change the game’s complexion. The Clippers responded with an 8-0 jab before the Wizards countered again with the notorious Hack-a-DeAndre strategy.
Washington began intentionally fouling Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, one of the NBA’s worst free throw shooters, down by 10 points with just over three minutes remaining. Jordan missed the pair of free throws, and Wall hit a three-pointer on the ensuing possession before Washington fouled Jordan again. A couple minutes later, Wall sank another three-pointer with 47.4 seconds remaining to trim the Wizards’ deficit to three.Washington began intentionally fouling Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, one of the NBA’s worst free throw shooters, down by 10 points with just over three minutes remaining. Jordan missed the pair of free throws, and Wall hit a three-pointer on the ensuing possession before Washington fouled Jordan again. A couple minutes later, Wall sank another three-pointer with 47.4 seconds remaining to trim the Wizards’ deficit to three.
Los Angeles then called a timeout, and the Wizards appeared on their way to getting a chance to tie the game with a solid defensive possession. But after the Wizards knocked the ball out of bounds with a couple seconds left on the shot clock, Paul got Wall to jump with a pump fake to create an open three-pointer that he promptly made to double the Clippers’ lead with 22.9 seconds remaining. Los Angeles then called a timeout, and the Wizards appeared on their way to getting a chance to tie the game with a solid defensive possession. But after the Wizards knocked the ball out of bounds with a couple of seconds left on the shot clock, and Paul got Wall to jump with a pump fake to create an open three-pointer that he promptly made to double the Clippers’ lead with 22.9 seconds remaining.
“I made myself mad because I went for a pump fake,” Wall said, “and I knew there was just three seconds left on the shot clock.”“I made myself mad because I went for a pump fake,” Wall said, “and I knew there was just three seconds left on the shot clock.”
The shot was the final nail on the game and perhaps on the Wizards’ season, too. The shot was the final nail on the game — and perhaps on the Wizards’ season.