Down but not out, Wizards push Lakers to the brink, 106-104
The Washington Wizards turned back the clock Friday night. Wearing Chicago Zephyr throwback uniforms, they revisited an era when it mattered more about who they played than how.
But hosting a sellout crowd of 20,173, many who came to cheer Kobe Bryant and the powerful Los Angeles Lakers, the Wizards weren’t content to play the role of Washington Generals.
Staging a furious rally, the Wizards came from 19 points down in the final 7 minutes, 26 seconds and nearly spoiled the Lakers’ Showtime exhibition, a 3-point shot by Caron Butler was just short at the buzzer, in a 106-104 defeat.
Trailing by two points with 14 seconds left, Washington had possession. Butler dribbled for the final shot, pump faked defender Trevor Ariza, and fired from the wing. But the ball bounced off the rim and the buzzer sounded before Andray Blatche’s tip-in try.
“I had an opportunity with a clean look and it fell just short,” said Butler. “I had a lot of confidence in the shot, but it fell just a little short. It was still a good situation because the ball was in one of our hands, either myself for Antawn (Jamison) and that’s what you want down the stretch.”
Despite their divergent records, the Wizards (3-14) pushed the Lakers (16-2) to the brink. Washington pulled to within a point twice in the final minute, first with a Butler fall-away jumper, then a Blatche tip-in.
But in between, Bryant made the biggest shot of the game, losing the ball, but regaining possession, then turning and firing a 12-footer off the glass with 24.6 seconds left. It was a good finish to a game in which Bryant (23 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds) had to work hard. Guarded most of the way by DeShawn Stevenson, Bryant hit just 5 of 17 shots.
“In the fourth quarter, we didn’t execute the way we should have,” said Bryant. “We got a little complacent. The Wizards shot well with execution and got back in the ball game.”
The Lakers were relieved. The Wizards were disappointed, but also energized by their stirring comeback, when they scored 24 points in the final 7:26. Forwards Butler (26 points, 8 rebounds) and Blatche (18 points, 12 rebounds) had eight points each during the rally. Guard Antonio Daniels (10 points) triggered the comeback with a 3-point bomb and an old-fashioned 3-point play.
“We played exceptionally good basketball tonight – you can’t take that away from us,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. “But there was a period of time when Washington out-played us.”
The Lakers survived with a balanced attack. On the inside, 7-footers Andrew Bynum (19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Pau Gasol (17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) combined to hit 15 of 22 shots from the floor.
From the outside, forward Vladimir Radmanovic (14 points) and guards Jordan Farmar (11 points) and Derek Fisher (10 points) combined to hit 9 of 13 shots from 3-point range.
“I know the Lakers are the best team in basketball right now – them and the Celtics,” said Butler. “For us to come out here and compete and weather the storm in the fourth quarter, that shows a lot of character and effort on our part.”
The Lakers came out firing, hitting their first six shots, to take an 18-7 lead. Gasol scored five straight Lakers’ points near the end of the first period as Los Angeles expanded its lead to 16.
But the Wizards answered with strong transition play during a 12-0 flurry, sparked by a 3-point play by Blatche and seven straight points by Jamison (15 points, 12 rebounds). Battling the Lakers’ pair of 7-footers with their perimeter work, the Wizards stayed close, pulling to within 46-44 on a 3-pointer by Nick Young (13 points), who played well against his hometown team.
But with their starting five back on the floor, the Lakers started the second half the way they started the first, hitting seven of their first eight shots. Bynum had three of the baskets and Gasol two. When Radmanovic hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 4:28 left in the period, the Lakers’ lead swelled to 20 points.
But Washington wasn’t done.
“Right up until the last possession, I’m gonna show that tape tomorrow,” said Wizards coach Ed Tapscott. “We’re gonna show our guys when we have a good flow going, offensively and defensively, the technical things we’ve been talking about, some of those things we executed really well tonight and that allowed us to get back in.”
Wizards notes
Where’s the Cake? Wizards’ owner Abe Pollin, who turned 85 on Wednesday, celebrated with a cake, presented to him during the first period in the owner’s suite.
Up next » Wizards at Bulls
When » Saturday, 8:30
Where » United Center
TV » CSN
RADIO » 980 AM
The Wizards get their first look at spectacular Bulls’ rookie PG Derrick Rose (18.7 points per game, 5.9 apg). Chicago (8-11) has lost two straight under rookie coach Vinny Del Negro who also depends on G Ben Gordon (20.4 ppg) and F Luol Deng (13.1 ppg). The Wizards are 0-4 on the second of back-to-back games. They also are winless in four tries against rookie coaches.
