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End of the road: Wizards officially eliminated with 112-99 loss at Detroit End of the road: Wizards officially eliminated with 112-99 loss at Detroit
(35 minutes later)
AUBURN HILLS, MICH. — Reggie Jackson sensed the sliver of space, squared up, and launched a rainbow inside The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday night. At the end of its arc, the basketball swished cleanly, sparking a frenzy from the postseason-starved collection of fans. Jackson jogged back, simulating shooting a bow and arrow toward the Detroit Pistons bench. It was late in the fourth quarter of the Pistons’ 112-99 victory and the Washington Wizards’ playoff chances were shot down. AUBURN HILLS, MICH. — Reggie Jackson sensed the sliver of space, squared up and launched a rainbow inside The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday night. At the end of its arc, the basketball swished cleanly, sparking a frenzy from the postseason-starved collection of fans. Jackson jogged back, simulating shooting a bow and arrow toward the Detroit Pistons’ bench. It was late in the fourth quarter of the Pistons’ 112-99 victory and the Washington Wizards’ playoff chances were shot down.
Detroit’s $80 million point guard had spent the evening capitalizing on John Wall’s absence. While Wall watched from the Wizards’ bench with a sore right knee, Jackson carved Washington’s defense en route to 39 points and a playoff spot for the Pistons. Detroit’s $80 million point guard had spent the evening capitalizing on John Wall’s absence. While Wall watched from the Wizards’ bench with a sore right knee, Jackson carved Washington’s defense en route to 39 points and a playoff spot for the Pistons.
The loss dropped the Wizards to 38-41 and mathematically eliminated them from postseason contention. They needed to win their four remaining games and have the Pistons lose their three to clinch a berth for the third straight year. Detroit improved to 43-37 and will appear in the postseason for the first time since 2009.The loss dropped the Wizards to 38-41 and mathematically eliminated them from postseason contention. They needed to win their four remaining games and have the Pistons lose their three to clinch a berth for the third straight year. Detroit improved to 43-37 and will appear in the postseason for the first time since 2009.
The Pistons jumped out to a 19-point lead in the second quarter with hot shooting, then pushed the margin back to 16 in the third quarter before the Wizards roared back to take their first lead in the fourth quarter. But Jackson and backup center Aron Baynes fueled a 12-3 run to put away Washington.The Pistons jumped out to a 19-point lead in the second quarter with hot shooting, then pushed the margin back to 16 in the third quarter before the Wizards roared back to take their first lead in the fourth quarter. But Jackson and backup center Aron Baynes fueled a 12-3 run to put away Washington.
Jackson shot 14 of 20 from the field and added nine assists, while Tobias Harris added 17 points. Markieff Morris, playing against his twin brother Marcus for the third time since joining the Wizards, recorded 29 points, his most in a Wizards uniform. Bradley Beal, who assumed some primary ball-handling duties with Wall out, contributed 25 and had six turnovers. Ramon Sessions, Wall’s replacement in the starting lineup, finished with 12 points and six assists. Jackson shot 14 of 20 from the field and added nine assists, while Tobias Harris added 17 points. Markieff Morris, playing against his twin brother, Marcus, for the third time since joining the Wizards, recorded 29 points, his most in a Wizards uniform. Bradley Beal, who assumed some primary ballhandling duties with Wall out, contributed 25  points but had six turnovers. Ramon Sessions, Wall’s replacement in the starting lineup, finished with 12 points and six assists.
Wall underwent an MRI on his right knee after sitting out Wednesday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets — his first missed game of the season — and the results revealed no tear or sprain. After the Wizards got their team photo at Verizon Center on Thursday morning, he went to a doctor and had the knee drained. That remedied the swelling, but the pain remained after treatment all day Thursday and Friday morning before the team rode the bus to Auburn Hills for shootaround. Wall underwent an MRI exam on his right knee after sitting out Wednesday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets — his first missed game of the season — and the results revealed no tear or sprain. After the Wizards got their team photo Thursday morning at Verizon Center, he went to a doctor and had the knee drained. That remedied the swelling, but the pain remained after treatment all day Thursday and Friday morning before the team rode the bus to Auburn Hills for shoot-around.
“It took all the fluid out but it’s just still sore and numb to move,” Wall said after shootaround Friday morning. “It’s just sore. It’s still sore.” “It took all the fluid out, but it’s just still sore and numb to move,” Wall said after shoot-around Friday morning. “It’s just sore. It’s still sore.”
Wall also said he still doesn’t know how he hurt the knee. He woke up with it swollen Wednesday morning. He recalled his day Tuesday, mystified: Practice, shooting workouts, usual maintenance treatment, shower, media availability, home. Wall also said he still doesn’t know how he hurt the knee. He woke up with it swollen Wednesday morning. He recalled his day Tuesday, mystified: practice, shooting workouts, usual maintenance treatment, shower, media availability, home.
“Nothing was wrong,” Wall said.“Nothing was wrong,” Wall said.
Without Wall to deal with, Jackson tormented the Wizards with 14 first-quarter points as Detroit crushed Washington with a barrage of three-pointers. Three-point shooting isn’t the Pistons’ strength. They take plenty of threes — Detroit began the night ranked 11th in attempts — but were ranked 23rd in the league in percentage. Without Wall to deal with, Jackson tormented the Wizards with 14 first-quarter points as Detroit crushed Washington with a barrage of three-pointers. Three-point shooting isn’t the Pistons’ strength. They take plenty of threes — Detroit began the night ranked 11th in attempts in the NBA — but were ranked 23rd in percentage.
Detroit made its first six three-point attempts and 9 of 11. Jackson’s third pushed the Pistons’ lead to 19 points with 5:56 remaining in the second period. But when it cooled from beyond the arc, Detroit’s margin evaporated. Detroit made its first six three-point attempts and 9 of 11. Jackson’s third pushed the Pistons’ lead to 19 points with 5 minutes 56 seconds remaining in the second period. But when the team cooled from beyond the arc, Detroit’s margin evaporated.
Three-pointers from Jared Dudley and Beal sparked a 12-3 run that shrunk the deficit to 10 points. The Wizards closed the half with a 6-2 run and trailed by just seven at intermission.Three-pointers from Jared Dudley and Beal sparked a 12-3 run that shrunk the deficit to 10 points. The Wizards closed the half with a 6-2 run and trailed by just seven at intermission.
The Wizards’ surge didn’t carry into the third quarter, as Marcus Morris’s three-point play with 4:58 remaining in the period pushed the lead back to 16.The Wizards’ surge didn’t carry into the third quarter, as Marcus Morris’s three-point play with 4:58 remaining in the period pushed the lead back to 16.
The Wizards closed the period on a 21-5 spurt and did it behind Markieff Morris, who tallied 20 points in the quarter — one fewer than his previous high in a game with Washington — and capped the dominant stretch with a half-court heave at the buzzer that cut Detroit’s lead to 86-84 entering the final frame. It was Washington’s first 20-point quarter since Trevor Ariza recorded points in a period against the Philadelphia 76ers in March 2014. The Wizards closed the period on a 21-5 spurt and did it behind Markieff Morris, who tallied 20 points in the quarter — one fewer than his previous high in a game with Washington — and capped the dominant stretch with a half-court heave at the buzzer that cut Detroit’s lead to 86-84 entering the final frame. It was Washington’s first 20-point quarter since Trevor Ariza recorded 24 points in a period against the Philadelphia 76ers in March 2014.
Washington seized its first lead of the game, 87-86, with 10:16 left when Reggie Bullock was called for a technical foul and Beal made the ensuing free throw. The Pistons then climbed back on top before the Wizards opted to employ a foul strategy on Andre Drummond, a 35.5 percent free throw shooter. Drummond missed both attempts, airballing the second. The display forced Pistons Coach Stan Van Gundy to replace Drummond, an all-star, with backup Baynes. The move paid dividends: Baynes closed the game and scored eight points down the stretch to help Detroit hold on. Washington seized its first lead of the game, 87-86, with 10:16 left when Reggie Bullock was called for a technical foul and Beal made the ensuing free throw. The Pistons then climbed back on top before the Wizards opted to employ a foul strategy on Andre Drummond, a 35.5 percent free throw shooter. Drummond missed both attempts, air balling the second. The display forced Pistons Coach Stan Van Gundy to replace Drummond, an all-star, with backup Baynes. The move paid dividends: Baynes closed the game and scored eight points down the stretch to help Detroit hold on.
Now the question is whether Wall will play again this season. Wall said he hadn’t thought about being shut down for the remainder of the season before Friday, but acknowledged that if Washington had lost it would become an option. Now the question is whether Wall will play again this season. Wall said he hadn’t thought about being shut down for the remainder of the season before Friday, but he acknowledged that if Washington had lost it would become an option.
“If we lose tonight there’s probably no point,” Wall said before the game. “I don’t know.” “If we lose tonight, there’s probably no point,” Wall said before the game. “I don’t know.”