NBA News Wire

Wizards 88, Warriors 85

Alan Draper profile picture
Sports Editor
Disclosure
We sometimes use affiliate links in our content, when clicking on those we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Washington point guard John Wall hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:28 to go, and the Wizards watched as the Golden State Warriors missed three 3-pointers down the stretch, allowing the Eastern Conference visitors to pull out an 88-85 victory Tuesday night.

In winning for the second time in three games during an ongoing Western trip, the Wizards held the Warriors to two field goals over the final 6:38 of the game. Washington never trailed in that span.

The second of the two Golden State hoops, a layup by forward David Lee, forged the game’s final tie at 85-85 with 1:47 to go.

Shooting guard Bradley Beal missed a 3-pointer on Washington’s next possession, but small forward Trevor Ariza tracked down the rebound and found Wall for the game-winner.

Golden State small forward Andre Iguodala fired an airball on a 3-point attempt on the Warriors’ next possession, and All-Star point guard Stephen Curry twice misfired from 3-point range with a chance to tie, including an off-balance left-hander at the buzzer.

Beal led Washington (22-22) with 20 points. Power forward Nene had 16, Wall 15 and backup swingman Martell Webster 10 as the Wizards won despite shooting just 37.8 percent from the field.

Beal (four), Wall (three) and Webster (two) combined for nine 3-pointers. Washington hit 10 of 22 long-range shots in the game and outscored Golden State 30-21 from beyond the arc.

The Wizards, who complete a six-day, four-game Western swing Wednesday night in Los Angeles against the Clippers, also outrebounded the Warriors 56-47, with center Marcin Gortat grabbing 12 and Ariza 11.

Curry had 23 points to pace the Warriors, who lost to Washington for the first time in seven meetings. Golden State entered the game 10-3 against Eastern Conference clubs, a record that included a 112-96 win at Washington earlier this month.

Shooting guard Klay Thompson backed Curry with 13 points despite 5-for-17 shooting, and Lee had 11 points on a 2-for-10 night. Curry hit only eight of 23 attempts from the floor.

The Warriors (27-19) shot just 37.5 percent in a game that matched teams with the sixth-best records in their respective conferences.

Down 10 in the first half, the Wizards held the Warriors to two points over the first 6:24 of the third period and used a 14-2 run to open a 59-51 lead. Beal, held to two points in the first half on 1-for-7 shooting, exploded for nine of Washington’s 14 points in the spurt.

The Warriors awoke to close within 66-65 by period’s end, then used an 11-2 burst early in the fourth period to go up 79-77. Thompson capped the run with a layup off a steal and a 3-pointer.

That was when Washington tightened the defensive screws, holding Golden State without a field goal from the 6:38 mark until Curry nailed a 3-pointer with 2:40 to go. The Wizards outscored the Warriors 8-1 in the meantime, turning the two-point deficit into a 85-80 advantage before Curry’s 3.

NOTES: The Wizards promoted SF Glen Rice Jr. from Iowa of the NBA Development League before the game. Rice averaged 2.9 points in 11 games for the Wizards earlier this season before suffering a broken right wrist. He totaled 73 points and 31 rebounds in three games for Iowa over the past week. Rice was in Oakland with the team Tuesday but was not activated for the game. … The Wizards alternated wins and losses in their previous six games, always winning when they were one game under .500 but then losing every time they had a chance to above the break-even mark. … Tuesday began a stretch in which the Wizards will play five consecutive Western Conference teams sporting winning percentages of .600 or better. Washington took a 1-12 record against Western teams with winning records into Tuesday’s game. … Warriors SF Andre Iguodala turned 30 Tuesday, and he played on his birthday for the fourth consecutive season. He averaged nearly a triple-double (11.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists) on his previous three birthdays.

Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.

Trending Now