Ceci Ferrara
January 26, 2015
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
After a disappointing loss in Portland, the Wizards snapped a two-game skid with a 117-115 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. While the Nuggets (18-26) seemed to be an easy opponent for Washington (30-15) on paper, the game wasn’t easily won. Ty Lawson was a headache for the Wizards, putting up an impressive 31-points and 12 assists on the night. But Denver’s biggest threat also came up short; he missed the tying shot that would have forced a second overtime.
“I think he thought the time was running out and he shot a fadeaway,” John Wall said. “I was like, ‘Thank you.’ I thought it was still going to go in because he was making just about everything he put up tonight.”
The Wizards almost didn’t make it past regulation. After heading into half-time in a tie, the game went back and forth into the very end. With the game tied at 105 with 21.5 seconds remaining, Wall headed down the court, ready to put the game away. Instead, he had the ball stripped by Kenneth Faried who charged in the other direction until he was fouled by Bradley Beal.
With just 1.4 seconds left, Faried missed both free throws to force overtime and give Washington a second chance. While he had played well all night, Wall shone in OT. He scored six of his 19-points in overtime, leading the Wizards to victory. Paul Pierce tied Wall at 19, while Kris Humphries added a season-high 21 points in the victory, five of them coming in overtime. “That was the craziest game all year,” Wall said afterwards.
With the victory, the Wizards now have 30 wins–only the second team in the Eastern Conference to meet that milestone. The Conference leading Hawks are 37-8. But though Washington was happy to have won the game, Coach Randy Wittman wasn’t thrilled at the execution.
“We have to do a better job,” he said. “But I’m happy as heck, trust me. It’s hard to win games in this league. When you get wins, you have to be grateful.”
John Wall
John Wall, a star in Washington, will soon be honored on the national stage alongside veteran superstars LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
Wall was elected as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game which will take place on February 15th at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Wall, who is averaging 17 points and a league-leading 10 assists per game, is the first starter from Washington since Gilbert Arenas in 2007.
Though this is Wall’s second All-Star appearance, it will be his first as a starter. In 2014, he was elected to the team as a coach’s selection.
“I am honored to be named as a starer by the fans and will be proud to represent them at All-Star Weekend,” Wall said. “Their votes represent the hard work that my teammates, our coaches and the entire organization have put in so far this season and the improvement we’ve has as a team.”
