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Wizards vs. Bulls: Nene is ejected as Washington loses on its home floor Wizards vs. Bulls: Nene is ejected as Washington loses on its home floor
(35 minutes later)
Dormant for nearly six years, silent for most of the season, and waiting patiently – and at times, angrily – for a team to get behind, Washington Wizards fan arrived at Verizon Center on Friday night in anticipation of a show. Playoff basketball hadn’t been played in this building since LeBron James crushed the last first-round flameout of the Gilbert Arenas-Antawn Jamison-Caron Butler era and the lean years in between set the stage what unfolded as a sellout crowd, separated only by red, white and blue T-shirts came prepared to wear out their lungs. Dormant for nearly six years, silent for most of the season, and waiting patiently — and at times, angrily — for a team to get behind, Washington Wizards fans arrived at Verizon Center on Friday night in anticipation of a show. Playoff basketball hadn’t been played in this building since LeBron James crushed the last first-round flameout of the Gilbert Arenas-Antawn Jamison-Caron Butler era, and the lean years in between set the stage for what unfolded as a sellout crowd, separated only by red, white and blue T-shirts, came prepared to wear out their lungs.
The noise was at times deafening, the enthusiasm lasting until the closing as they witnessed an electrifying John Wall dunk and Nene getting ejected for an MMA-level exchange with Bulls guard Jimmy Butler but unfortunately, they were unable to experience a win. Determined not to go down three-games-to-none, the gritty Chicago Bulls, a heavy favorite in this series before losing the first two games at home, played a game more suited to their preferred style and pulled out a 100-97 win. The noise was at times deafening, the enthusiasm lasting until the closing seconds as more than 20,000 fans witnessed a thrilling, physical battle that was highlighted by Nene’s ejection after an MMA-level exchange with Bulls guard Jimmy Butler. But with Nene sent to the showers early, the Wizards were unable to reward the dedication of the fans with a win.
The Wizards still have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 Sunday, but they lost their edge just as they lost their best big man in the fourth quarter. Nene’s status for the game is in question after an ugly, heated exchange with Butler ended with him getting tossed with 8 minutes, 28 seconds left in the game. Butler (15 points) stuck around and later buried a go-ahead three-pointer to give the Bulls a 94-91 lead that they never relinquished. Desperate not to go down three games to none, the gritty Chicago Bulls, a heavy favorite in this series before losing the first two games at home, played a game more suited to their preferred style and pulled out a 100-97 win.
Bradley Beal scored a team-high 25 points and Wall had 23, but he missed two crucial free throws before Butler’s three-pointer. Five Wizards scored in double figures but they were held below triple digits for the first time this series. “This was everything that my teammates and I have been waiting for. Especially me for four years,” John Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in 2010 said after his first home playoff game. “The sad part is that we didn’t get the win.”
Chicago were the worst-scoring team in the NBA this season but it was able to stay with the Wizards by riding the hot hand of Mike Dunleavy, who scored a playoff career-high 35 points and matching the Wizards’ total from three-point range (eight) on just 10 attempts. Limited to just 20 points combined in the first two games, Dunleavy couldn’t be contained and had the Wizards running through punishing screens and coming up a step too late each time. Dunleavy’s former college teammate at Duke, Carlos Boozer, filled the other offensive lulls with 14 points and Bulls reserves Taj Gibson and D.J. Augustin both scored 13 points. The Wizards still have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 Sunday, but they lost their edge just as they lost their best big man in the fourth quarter. Nene’s status for the next game remains in question after an ugly, heated exchange in which the Brazilian forward locked heads with Butler, grabbed him by the back of the neck with both hands and appeared to swing as he was being pulled away. Nene got tossed, but Butler (15 points) stuck around and later buried a go-ahead three-pointer to give the Bulls a 94-91 lead that they never relinquished.
Joakim Noah only scored six points but was effective in being a menace for Nene. “When you play physical both ways, things get hot. It’s over,” Nene said. “Not only me, but the whole team, we’re thinking about Game 4 and stepping up for real in a big series. Things don’t go fair for both sides, you need to move on.”
Nene had a frustrating night, with defensive player of the year Joakim Noah refusing to let him get the best of him for the third straight game. Noah wrapped him up, slam down on him and used every trick he could to bump Nene out of position and make him work inside. When asked if he thought he would be available for Game 4, Nene replied, “I don’t know, you know the rule.”
After going several trips without collecting a foul, Nene angrily glared at the officials. Marcin Gortat (13 points, 11 rebounds) stepped on the floor and appeared to head toward the altercation before heading back to the bench. Players are given an automatic ejection for leaving the bench, but Coach Tom Thibodeau called a timeout, which makes the situation a tad cloudy.
Before getting tossed, Nene scored 10 points, on just 5 of 15 shooting, and grabbed four rebounds. He brought the Wizards within 78-76 when hit a jumper and caught a pass from Andre Miller for a layup. But as he ran down the floor, Nene bumped into Butler, who thought the contact was excessive. Bradley Beal scored a team-high 25 points and Wall had 23 with seven assists, but he missed two crucial free throws before Butler’s three-pointer. Five Wizards scored in double figures, but they were held below triple digits for the first time this series.
Butler shoved Nene on the hip and Nene turned an angrily approached him. Eventually, the two players pressed their foreheads against each other and got into a stare down. Tired of the dance, Nene grabbed Butler by the neck and pulled him away before being separated. Chicago was the lowest-scoring team in the NBA this season but it was able to continue the trends of the road team winning each game behind an otherworldly shooting performance from Mike Dunleavy, who scored a playoff career-high 35 points and matched the Wizards’ total of eight three-pointers on just 10 attempts. Limited to just 20 points combined in the first two games, Dunleavy couldn’t be contained and had the Wizards running through punishing screens and coming up a step too late most times.
“That man was hot. He was in the zone. The hoop looked like an ocean to him,” Beal said of Dunleavy.
Dunleavy’s former college teammate at Duke, Carlos Boozer, filled the other offensive lulls with 14 points, and Bulls reserves Taj Gibson and D.J. Augustin both scored 13 points. Joakim Noah only scored six points but was effective in being a menace for Nene.
As he walked down the hallway after the game, Noah mocked Nene by stating, “Looks like you’re going to lose Nene for a game. What a bummer.”
Nene had a frustrating night, with Noah, the defensive player of the year, refusing to let the Wizards big man get the best of him for the third straight game. Noah wrapped him up, slammed down on him and used every trick he could to bump Nene out of position and make him work inside.
After going several trips without collecting a foul, Nene angrily glared at the officials. Before getting tossed, Nene scored 10 points, on just 5 of 15 shooting, and grabbed four rebounds. He brought the Wizards within 78-76 early in the fourth quarter when he hit a jumper and caught a pass from Andre Miller for an acrobatic layup. But as he ran down the floor, Nene bumped into Butler, who thought the contact was excessive.
Butler shoved Nene on the hip, and Nene turned and angrily approached him. Eventually, the two players pressed their foreheads against each other and got into a staredown. Tired of the dance, Nene grabbed Butler by the neck and pulled him away before being separated.
As the referees huddled, Nene calmly sipped from his Gatorade and got ready to re-enter the game before he was informed that he was being assessed two technical fouls, which meant an automatic ejection.As the referees huddled, Nene calmly sipped from his Gatorade and got ready to re-enter the game before he was informed that he was being assessed two technical fouls, which meant an automatic ejection.
Butler was given a technical foul but remained in the game, knocking down a three-pointer in front of the Wizards’ bench to put his team up, 81-76. D.J. Augustin extended the lead to seven with a driving layup, forcing the Wizards into a difficult uphill climb to the finish. “We had scuffles all three games, basically,” Coach Randy Wittman said. “We have to make sure we don’t lose our composure where we get thrown out of a game like that. It doesn’t matter who, we just can’t afford that. It makes it tough on us. You have to be able to maintain, so don’t lose your cool. You have to learn from this.”
Beal scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, giving the Wizards an 88-86 lead. Dunleavy answered with a three-pointer and Beal came right back with a three-pointer of his own to give the Wizards a 91-89 lead. Butler was given a technical foul but remained in the game, knocking down a three-pointer in front of the Wizards’ bench to put his team up, 81-76. Augustin extended the lead to seven with a driving layup, but Beal — who scored 13 points in the fourth quarter — led the charge back and gave Washington an 88-86 lead with less than four minutes to play. Dunleavy answered with a three-pointer, and Beal came right back with a three-pointer of his own to give the Wizards a 91-89 lead. With the game tied at 91 with 1 minute 27 seconds remaining, Wall missed two free throws, and the Bulls responded with a three-pointer from Butler.
With the game tied at 91 with 1 minute, 27 seconds remaining, Wall missed two free throws and the Bulls responded with a three-pointer from Butler. “My teammates told me to keep my head up, that’s not the reason we lost the game,” Wall said of his missed free throws. “But in my opinion, that is the reason we lost.”
The Wizards finished tied with the best road in the Eastern Conference with 22 wins, but they also had the worst home record of the 16 playoff teams, which meant that nothing was given with the series shifting to Washington. Wall and his teammates all said the right things about not getting caught up in having a series lead because they only won two games. They still have to win two more games to advance. The Wizards finished tied with the best road record in the Eastern Conference with 22 wins, but they also had the worst home record of the 16 playoff teams, which meant that nothing was given with the series shifting to Washington. Wall and his teammates all said the right things about not getting caught up in having a series lead because they only won two games. They still have to win two more games to advance.
Wall brought the fans to their feet early when he stole the ball from Jimmy Butler and dribbled up the length of the floor for a lefty slam dunk. Beal then rebounded a Carlos Boozer missed jumper and got the ball out ahead to Wall, who made a dribble juke to get Kirk Hinrich to stumble and got fouled as made a falling shot off the glass. Wall hopped up, nodded and glared at his admiring audience.
The Wizards went ahead 15-8 on a Beal jumper but Dunleavy responded by hitting three-pointers on consecutive possessions. When the Wizards went up 28-22 on a turnaround jumper by Marcin Gortat, Boozer helped the Bulls go on a 6-0 run to tie the game. Dunleavy put the Bulls ahead 39-37 with a traditional three-point play. Gibson would put the Bulls ahead, 48-42, but the Wizards responded by scoring nine straight points to enter the locker room with a 51-48. Dunleavy had a game-high 16 points in the first half and Beal vowed that the Wizards would shut him out in the second half. Beal was 19 points off.
More on the Wizards:More on the Wizards:
Box score: Bulls 100, Wizards 97Box score: Bulls 100, Wizards 97
Wizards go down with a fight in Game 3Wizards go down with a fight in Game 3
Wise: Another milestone for WallWise: Another milestone for Wall
Wizards Insider: Game 3 postgame wrapWizards Insider: Game 3 postgame wrap
D.C. Sports Bog: Game 3 best and worstD.C. Sports Bog: Game 3 best and worst