Washington Wizards played like a playoff team in loss to Cavaliers
By Ben Palmer
The Washington Wizards lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 140-135 in overtime on Monday night, but even though they lost, the Wizards proved that they can play like a playoff team.
The Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers played an incredible game Monday night. It was fitting that the game was featured in prime on TNT, because it may very well be one of the best games we’ve seen this NBA season.
Ultimately, the Cavaliers prevailed in overtime, winning 140-135, but the game was not without its incredible highlights from both teams. The game felt like Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals, the way these two teams were playing, and it came down to the last few seconds.
John Wall drove the basket to try and put the Wizards up, but missed. Luckily, Markieff Morris was there to clean up and put the Wizards ahead 118-117 with 12.2 seconds left.
The Cavs then got the ball down the court quick, passed it to LeBron James, who gets past John Wall and misses a wide-open layup. At that point, Washington Wizards fans were feeling pretty good.
The Cavs intentionally fouled, both free throws were made, and the Wizards were up 120-117 with 3.4 seconds left. And then this happened:
A miracle three-point shot by LeBron that sent the game into overtime. After that, despite the Wizards best effort, the Cavs were able to overcome 140-135, but the Wizards showed with this game that they can contend with the best teams out there.
The Washington Wizards took the NBA Champions to overtime, and would have beaten them had it not been for a Paul Pierce-style miracle shot from Lebron.
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The performance all-around was incredible, Bradley Beal ended the game with 41 points and eight assists, John Wall ended up with his 31st double-double on the year with 22 points and 12 assists.
The matchup was excellent, both the Wizards and the Cavaliers toyed around with different moves, the Wizards forced Kyrie Irving to guard Bradley Beal often by sending Wall on a run, Otto Porter was getting hit with pick and rolls like it was his job to run into walls, it was a chess match, and it made for arguably the game of the year.
In a loss, a team looks to what they can learn, and if there’s anything we’ve learned from the Washington Wizards/Cleveland Cavaliers game, it’s that this could easily be the Eastern Conference Finals this year, and it would be an amazing series.
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The Wizards are for real, and they’re going to be an exciting team to watch in the East this season.