Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
Coming into the game tonight against the Raptors, the Wizards knew exactly what they needed to do… win! With a victory tonight, the series is now knotted at 2-2 and heads back to Toronto for Game 5 on Wednesday.
This game didn’t see any extracurricular activities on court, but it did see one of the Wizards stars, Bradley Beal, foul out of the game with just over 5 minutes remaining. Beal, thought like most in the game the foul was a no call, but he was hit anyway and voiced his concerns after taking one for the team.
“I was beyond emotional. Beyond mad. Frustrated. Pretty much any synonym you can add,” Beal said. “I told my team that we were going to win, regardless. Especially if we’ve got John still in the game, I love our chances.”
Wall responded by taking over in the final minutes and the Wizards as a team responded with some impressive defense that forced the Raptors into several shots that they would not liked to have put up in the final few minutes.
This was a game the where Raptors led by 14 points early in the second half. But as their offense was forced to put up errant shots, the Wizards came back hard.
It was 92-all when Beal — who led Washington with 31 points — drew his sixth foul on a play in which he and DeRozan collided while Toronto had the ball.
Asked whether the official told him why that call was made, Beal replied: “He wasn’t explaining that one. There was no explaining to do.”
The Wizards took their first lead of the game with just over two minutes remaining. A lead that seemed like it never was going to come.
After the game, Toronto Head Coach Dwane Casey spoke about the play of the team.
“Taking care of the ball is our No. 1 priority.” And then his team went out and had 18 turnovers, only one fewer than in Game 3. “You can’t explain them,” Casey said. “They’re out of character.”
Next stop for the Wizards is back North of the border for a Game 5 on Wednesday night.
