Toronto, ON–
Story By: Richard Thomas
Photos By: Sol Tucker
For a Wizards team that was swept 3-0 in the regular season, you wouldn’t have even guessed that was the scenario after today’s convincing 117-106 Game 2 victory over Toronto, but like the box score reads, 2-0 lead is better than nothing at all.
Perhaps it was the trash talking by Drake in the regular season, or Paul Pierce’s comments prior to Game 1 that have ignited this tear, whatever it is, this team is playing with a passion we have not seen since the start of the season.
Wall (26) and Beal (28) combined for 54 points, each shooting over 50 percent from the field. Scoring wasn’t the only thing Wall did well, as he put together a monster double-double with 17 assists.
“They think that we’re some punks, they think they can push us around,” Beal said of the Raptors. “But we’re not rolling.”
“It’s hard winning four games in a series,”Wizards Head Coach Wittman said. “And as you continue to move on, the harder it gets. Game 3 on Friday is going to be harder to play in than these first two games. It just gets that way as the series moves on.”
For the Raptors, their stroke of luck seems to not be favoring their style of play the last few games. They put themselves in deep deficits and make it challenging in the fourth quarter to run off 20+ point deficits. Twice they have had to come back in the second half only to fall short in both games.
The Raptors, led by 20 points apiece from DeMar DeRozan and Lou Williams.
Washington continues to have a strong game from their bench behind players such as Otto Porter ,who went 6 for 8 from the field for 15 points.
The Raptors did have a few bright spots in the game today, especially when they opened the third quarter with a 12-3 spurt, cutting the deficit to 63-61, but Washington responded with 10 straight points to restore its double-digit lead. Wall scored 10 points in the third as the Wizards took a 97-75 lead into the fourth which was more than enough to keep the Raptors at bay.
Game 3 is back in Washington at 8pm on Thursday night.
