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Wizards Squander Huge Lead, Lose to Clippers 116-115

Story By: Sol Tucker

Photos By: Sol Tucker

Washington, D.C–

The Wizards have seen their fare share of close games this season, but none so far where they have lead by over 25 points in multiple points in a game and a team comes roaring back to win in the final seconds the way the Clippers did tonight.

Luke Kennard scored seven points inside the final 9 seconds, including a go-ahead four-point play with 1.9 seconds remaining, and the Clippers overcame a 35-point first-half deficit to stun the Wizards 116-115 on Tuesday night.

Kennard hit a 32-footer out of a timeout and then, after Washington committed a 5-second violation, sank another 3 running to his right while absorbing a foul from Beal, the Wizards’ three-time All-Star.

“This one of the wildest endings to a game I have seen in a long time,” said Kennard. “Not many of these situations happen where you can get so many chances to score in so little time.”

“What are we trying to achieve, honestly?” Beal said. “What kind of a team are we trying to be? I think that’s my biggest question to all of us as a unit.”

Beal has legitimate questions, as do some fans after this game. The Wizards, who are basically at full strength right now and the Clippers really are not without Paul George, played like two different teams in that second half. These are some answers they will have to address sooner than later.

Since the 10-3 start, the Wizards are now 13-22 and have a three-game road trip to face starting with Memphis on Saturday and clearly have a lot to look at before the All-Star break and perhaps making a second half run, otherwise this season is another waste.

Terance Mann and Isaiah Hartenstein each had 16 points for Los Angeles, which outscored Washington 40-27 in the third and 40-22 in the fourth.

Kyle Kuzma had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards but couldn’t find a way to inbound the ball late, setting up Kennard’s heroics to save his team.

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