March 4, 2013
Ceci Ferrerra
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
After two tough losses at home against the Pistons and Knicks, the Wizards (19-39) were able to outplay and outlast the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, 90-87.
John Wall was the deciding factor, scoring six points in the fourth quarter after teammate Bradley Beal left with a sprained ankle. Beal has had a phenomenal rookie season, leading the team in scoring with an average 14.2 points per game. But Sunday night it was Wall’s late game effort that won it and snapped Washington’s two-game losing streak. Wall ended the night with sixteen points and six assists; Beal scored fourteen points, including two three-pointers, before his injury sidelined him.
While Beal did not suffer a significant injury, his left ankle is sprained, and his status is listed as “day to day”.
Though the Wizards lost Beal Sunday night, they welcomed the return of Nene, who had sat out the previous two games with a sore right shoulder. While he said he was not feeling one hundred percent yet–“Still hurting, but I play with pain,” he told reporters–his performance was solid. The Brazilian forward scored fifteen points and nabbed nine rebounds.
Coach Randy Wittman acknowledged that Nene and AJ Price, who missed Friday’s match-up against the Knicks, were crucial to the win. “We need our team intact and healthy and when we are, we’ve been pretty resilient, pretty tough,” he said after the game. “Obviously, having those two guys back was a big lift for us, no question.”
The Wizards next head to Milwaukee and Brooklyn before returning home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers this weekend. Washington will need to either improve their road record (5-22) or win almost all of their remaining home games to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Capitals
Much like the Wizards, the Caps (8-11-1) have struggled on the road this season.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the Caps had a road record of 2-6-1 and were in last place in the Eastern Conference. Both teams were scoreless through one and a half periods, until a Matt Hendricks goal put Washington ahead 1-0. Troy Brouwer and Mike Ribeiro added two goals in the third, and Braden Holtby was able to stop all thirty-five shots. It was a blow to the Jets, who had scored first in their previous seven games.
Shutting out the Jets, Washington left the MTS Centre with a much-needed win. The 3-0 victory was not just a moral win, but a chance to move up in their division. While they normally top the Southeast Division, they are currently fourth, trailing Carolina, Winnipeg and Tampa Bay. The points were vital in increasing their odds at a playoff berth.
Coach Adam Oates, the Capitals’ third coach in three years, was proud of his team. “It was obviously good to bounce back, playing a team that has been hot and in a tough barn. The guys came out and handled the pressure early. I thought we did a really good job with that.”
The players seem to be adjusting to his system, and will have a chance to prove it when they head home for a two-game series.
