Ceci Ferrara
May 4, 2015
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
It seems apt that the Washington Wizard’s slogan is “dcrising”, considering the team just keeps getting hotter and hotter.The Wizards extended their playoff win streak to five on Sunday, after coming from behind to edge the Atlanta Hawks 104-98 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The victory, against No. 1 seed Atlanta, cemented Washington as a true playoff contender. They proved they are a team to be taken seriously–not just one the higher seeds can breeze past.
“Last year, we were just happy to be in the playoffs. We were happy we moved on,” said Washington guard Bradley Beal. “And we didn’t really have any high goals after the first round. This year, we expect more out of ourselves. We expect to get out of the second round.”
The Wizards entered the series with a week of rest, while the Hawks played just two days after eliminating Brooklyn in the first round. But despite the time off, it was Atlanta who jumped out to an early start, leading by 11 points at the end of the first quarter and 10 by the half.
Trailing 53-63 at the start of the third quarter, Washington took control. They outscored Atlanta 51-35 in the second half, led by Beal who put up 28 points–21 of which came in the second and third quarters. Veteran Paul Pierce contributed 19, while John Wall added 18 and a game-high 13 assists.
Though the Wizards emerged victorious, both Beal and Wall endured injuries that were cause for trepidation. Beal sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter and ended the game on the bench, while Wall hurt his wrist on an awkward landing. The team announced on Monday that X-rays for both injuries came back negative, and both players plan on staying in the lineup. “We two guys that’s going to fight until the end,” Wall said after Sunday night’s victory. “If it ain’t broke, you can’t get us off the court.”Whether or not the injuries will have an impact or are cause for concern, remains to be seen. The series resumes with Game 2 Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Capitals
After Joel Ward scored in the final seconds of Game 1 to give Washington the victory, the Caps were hoping some of that magic would follow them to Game 2. Instead, they fell behind early, trailing 2-0 after the first period, and were unable to mount a comeback. Evegeny Kuzntsov and Alex Ovechkin each scored a goal for Washington, and Braden Holtby made 32 saves, but it wasn’t enough for the Caps who fell to the Rangers 3-2. “A slow start hurt us,” Capital Jason Chimera said. “Anytime you dig yourself a 2-0 hole in a building like this, it’s hard to come back…You have to have a short memory in the playoffs. Hopefully we can come back in our barn. We have home ice and we have to take advantage of that.” The Caps look to bounce back as the best-of-seven series moves to Washington for Games 3 and 4, beginning Monday night.
