Not only had the Wizards stole homecourt advantage against the favorites, but they were on a franchise-record five-game winning streak.
"John can take over games, he can take over quarters, he can take over plays", Wizards Coach Scott Brooks told reporters after the game.
They had to change because this game forced them to do so. They need to do it again. It formed a foundation that the Wizards still relied on later in the game, when the offenses prospered. By the end, "Rocky" played over the speakers - a theme song to a boxing movie even though the shadow of the MMA hovered greatly over the game. Look at most of the traditional defensive statistics, and the Wizards usually rank between mediocre and subpar.
Young of the Boston Celtics is the only player of the seven to reach the playoffs who most likely won't see too much playing time. When they're at their best, they are good at causing mayhem on defense.
Wall and Beal did all the scoring, but Marcin Gortat did a lot of the busy work. And this particular streak went a long way in helping the Wizards secure a playoff win. They scored 38 points in that quarter after struggling to put 45 on the board in the first half.
On the season, the Wizards are averaging 109.2 points, 42.9 rebounds and 23.9 assists per game.
On Sunday, Beal shook off a slow start to score 22 points on 9 of 21 shooting, a final stat line that didn't surprise Brooks in the least. It was a dizzying exhibition of hustle on top of hustle, which led to highlight after highlight.
With the Wizards up 1-0 in the series, BPI gives them a 77 percent chance to win the series. How did the Wizards react after hearing Millsap's comments?
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But there's more to Wall than understanding how to change speeds. "He's going to push the ball".
The Warriors, aiming to get back to the NBA Finals for a third straight year and regain the crown they surrendered last season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, beat the Trail Blazers four times in the regular season. Bradley Beal talked about how the home crowd deserved a victor and what a great feeling it was to have the city of DC behind this team. "That's just the first step in us getting better".
Oubre had two steals and 11 points in the game. Wall sped up the tempo in his own way.
On the very next possession, Morris snuck backdoor on Millsap and took off for the alley-oop dunk off of John Wall's pass (and 10 assist) to keep the margin at 10. His shot is smoother. Given that almost 40-year span, some Raptors-esque Game 1 jitters would have been normal, but John Wall ensured no such letdown happened on Sunday afternoon. Early in the game, it was clear Atlanta had a problem. Shortly thereafter, Morris joined the Wizards' sideline after he was called for his third foul.
Both the Hawks and Wizards are talented teams with skilled players up and down the roster.
It was an ugly game at times that featured 55 total fouls and 71 combined free-throw attempts, but Washington did what it took to pull it out. Perhaps it was a shock that the Wizards, who don't always bring the pain, employed a more rugged style.
What to Watch For Game 2 Adjustments One of the great things about a playoff series are the adjustments made by each side from game to game.
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