Horford’s 3-point play is clutch in Atlanta’s 102-98 win
Three games into his tenure as interim coach, Ed Tapscott is discovering the same thing as his predecessor: It’s the Wizards veterans that he can trust most.
Last night against the Atlanta Hawks, Tapscott turned to his two most experienced reserves, Antonio Daniels and Darius Songaila, who sparked a second-half rally from 17 points down. Their efforts weren’t enough in a 102-98 loss before 18,110 at the Verizon Center, but it was at least a positive in a season that is quickly spinning out of control.
Such is the state of the Wizards (2-12), who have matched their worst start in franchise history (1966-67) — finding the good in a home loss to the formerly lowly Hawks.
“You always take the positives from a comeback,” said Caron Butler. “You bite the bullet and prepare for the next challenge.”
This was another winnable game that slipped away. The Wizards had possession in the final minute with the score tied, 98-98. But Atlanta (10-6) scored the game’s final four points.
The dagger was an and-one layup by Al Horford (19 points, 13 rebounds) with 13 seconds left. De Shawn Stevenson followed with a drive to the hoop, drawing a foul, but he missed both free throws with 6.9 seconds left and the Wizards were done.
“In this league, when you’re struggling like we are, every play, every possession becomes magnified,” said Daniels.
Forwards Butler (21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) and Antawn Jamison (26 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists) were the leaders again, with bench help from Songaila (16 points) and Daniels (10 points). But the Wizards’ other three starters – JaVale McGee, Dee Brown, and Stevenson — contributed little, hitting 2 of 14 shots and scoring 10 points. Stevenson made 1 of 9 shots from the floor.
With the starting unit struggling, the Wizards fell behind by 14 points in the first period. The struggles continued at the start of the second half, when Atlanta quickly expanded a 10-point lead to 17.
“I will speak to the team about the positives of coming back from 17 down,” said Tapscott. “But Monday’s film session will have to be about how we got 17 points down.”
The Wizards defense again was porous. Atlanta shot 50 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the arc. The Hawks perimeter trio of Mike Bibby (21 points, 6 assists), Maurice Evans (19 points, 9 rebounds) and Joe Johnson (18 points) thrived.
During the comeback, however, the Wizards buckled down with a veteran unit of Jamison, Butler, Songaila, Stevenson, and Daniels. Butler culminated the rally with a step-back 3-pointer with 70 seconds left that made it 98-98.
“Darius Songaila plays well off of our two forwards,” said Tapscott. “Darius is a veteran. He knows how to play off guys. I need some of that additional contribution from the young guys. The ball is going through those guys, you have to learn how to play off them.”
The Wizards are off until Tuesday when they travel to New Jersey to face the Nets. Home games against Portland (Wednesday) and the Los Angeles Lakers (Friday) follow.
“It’s tough. It’s frustrating,” said Daniels (10 points). “But like Caron said, ‘There’s no quit in this team.’ It would have been very easy for us to buckle after the third quarter. This team’s not going to roll over for anybody.
