After a season spent mostly clutching at the straws of individual achievement, the Wizards finally did something pretty darn significant, at least in the franchise’s recent annals, defeating Detroit, 107-105, for their first three-game winning streak since the first week of April 2008. When John Wall was still a junior in high school. When Barack Obama was still a candidate for president. When exactly one Wizards player on the floor in the game, Andray Blatche (Nick Young is among the injured), was on the roster.
It was also Flip Saunders’s first win against his old team – in seven tries. The other takeaways and need-to-knows:
*Things couldn’t have come much closer to actually ended in horrific fashion for the Wizards, as Austin Daye’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer literally looked like it was through the hoop before somehow rimming out.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a shot go all the way in and come back out,” Wall said, “and it was over JaVale [McGee]. It was a tough shot.”
“The basketball gods were with us,” Jordan Crawford said. “I guess we living right. That’s what that meant.”
Former Georgetown center Greg Monroe (22 points, 14 rebounds, four assists) also helped out with two missed free throws that spoiled an otherwise impressive first return to Washington since his days with the Hoyas.
Monroe (@G_Monroe10) tweeted about his performance afterward: “@jimmywa11 [John Wall] good game son. U welcome btw. Smh”
*That was a mighty impressive fourth quarter for Wall, who had 16 of his 26 points in the period, and not with hopeful jump shots but tough, determined drives to the bucket repeatedly down the stretch.
“Tonight, what impressed me, he didn’t go out and have a great first half,” said Maurice Evans. “But he showed mental toughness and he persevered. He came back and was aggressive and made plays in the second half, which helped us secure the victory.”
“Earlier in the year, when we fell behind with a minute and a half, a lot of times, we would’ve panicked,” Saunders said. “We didn’t, and John, instead of taking the jump shot, put his head down and got to the basket, put the pressure on them to stop him and not settling. Those are learned things so I’m happy with how our young guys are coming.”
Wall, who appeared disinterested throughout much of the first half, seemed to turn the corner just before halftime, when he went through two rows on the baseline to save a ball headed out of bounds, then went for a steal immediately after getting back into the court and ended up spilling across the scorer’s table – exceptional effort for a guy who’s first NBA season is set to end a week from today with little success or fanfare.
“I still have to leave my trademark on the league,” Wall said. “As a rookie, I proved myself a little bit, but I still have a lot to do. I just want to be a person that’s going to go out there and play every minute I’m on the court. Just wanted to hustle.”
*Another night in April, another solid performance from Andray Blatche (26 points, 10 rebounds, six steals. Saunders was asked afterward to compare Blatche over this last week to Blatche last spring.
“He’s had really good energy,” Saunders said. “I think he’s been much more patient, and he hasn’t got frustrated. I think last year – [against the Pistons] he got off to a great start, he had 9, 10, 11 points early. We went through a tough time, through a stretch there when we looked like we were having problems throwing the ball all over the place, and last year he might’ve gotten a little bit frustrated because he wasn’t getting the ball. He kept doing the things that he was supposed to do defensively, tried to rebound, and I think he knew we’d come back to him. He made some big plays down the stretch and made big free throws.”
Wall also complimented his changed big man, who has averaged 29 points and 15.3 rebounds in the last three games, even if it is has been against lesser competition.
“I think after he got hurt with his shoulder, he dedicated himself to getting in better shape, no matter if it’s the end of the season, no playoff run for us,” Wall said. “He wanted to get in better shape. He’s a totally different player, the player he was before I got drafted.”
*The Wizards might not have even been in the game if it wasn’t for another clutch showing from Evans (20 points on 9-for-13 shooting), who in many ways has become the glue that has helped bring the team together. There’s no doubt the front office, when it starts to plan for next season, has to take notice.
“I think, for me, personally, I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunity,” Evans said. “It’s been like that throughout the course of my career. nothing’s really been easy. To go from a playoff team to a team that’s really struggling, was probably nothing new for me. I just tried to come here and play hard from day one. And I’m fortunate that I did have an opportunity to get some minutes.”
*Crawford’s biggest problem is that some reporters can’t help but get his name wrong or mistake him for someone else, usually someone with whom he shares the same last name. When someone accidentally called him Jamal after the game last night, Crawford made it pretty clear what he thought: “Who?!”
The Wizards, meanwhile, want him to be exactly who he is because he understands exactly what the Wizards need. Crawford, despite a bad back that’s going to plague him until things finish up next week, said he was proud to be a part of ending Washington’s streak of futility trying to win three games in a row.
“You a man at the end of the day,” he said. “You don’t want to just go out and lose. That ain’t what nobody about. I know it ain’t what I’m about so it’s not about the future. It’s about trying to win right now.”
Crawford didn’t stop either, when was challenged on Twitter by the Paul George (@King24George), whose Indiana Pacers will host the Wizards tonight with a chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Crawford (@jcraw55): 3 in a row!!!
George: It ends tomorrow bro
Crawford: Can’t let to do that family
George: Shii its a ball game then
Indeed, it could be.
