Raptors-Wizards Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Feb 05 2012 10:12PM

The Washington Wizards haven't earned many wins this season, but recorded a decisive one at home against the Toronto Raptors last month.

The Raptors turned the tables on the Wizards in lopsided fashion last week.

That loss is part of a four-game skid that Washington will try to end when Toronto visits the Verizon Center on Monday night.

Washington (4-20) ended an 0-8 start with a 93-78 home victory over Toronto on Jan. 10, but fell 106-89 at the Air Canada Centre on Friday.

Friday's win was the only one in the last four games for the Raptors (8-17), whose comeback attempt in Miami fell short Sunday in a 95-89 defeat. Toronto cut a 15-point deficit to three with 3:23 remaining but missed six of its final eight shots.

"It just shows that we can play with anybody, even the best players in the league," said swingman DeMar DeRozan, who had a team-best 25 points. That was a challenge for us and we definitely stepped up. It (stinks) that we didn't get the win, but it just shows what we're capable of."

The Raptors will try to bounce back by snapping a three-game losing streak at the Verizon Center. These teams have split their last six overall meetings since the start of last season.

Washington heads into this one after suffering another blowout defeat Saturday. One day after the loss to Toronto, Washington fell behind by 24 points at halftime in its return home en route to a 107-81 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Wizards scored just 38 points in the first 30 1/2 minutes Saturday, and were outrebounded 53-32 for the game. Their 17 assists were barely half the Clippers' total of 32.

"We all should have been embarrassed. We were on our home court - and they came out and did what they wanted," said starting forward Rashard Lewis, who finished with two points to match his season low. "As a unit, none of us came to play."

Lewis scores 15 points in last month's win over the Raptors, when he was one of four Wizards in double figures. Toronto's leading scorer from that game, Andrea Bargnani, is now out indefinitely with a strained left calf.

Toronto's bench shined during Friday's victory over Washington, with Leandro Barbosa scoring 19 points despite dealing with flu-like symptoms. Amir Johnson added 18 points and 13 rebounds, and starting guard Jose Calderon had a season-high 17 assists.

The Raptors topped 100 points for only the third time this season, but have done so only once in their last six visits to Washington. They've scored at least 102 in 12 of the last 14 matchups between these teams in Toronto.

Wall, Young help Wizards beat Raptors 111-108

Posted Feb 07 2012 1:01AM

WASHINGTON (AP) The Washington Wizards rarely win, and when they do, it's a big deal - even if they blow an 18-point lead in the process.

For the first three quarters, the Wizards dominated the Toronto Raptors, and in the fourth they nearly lost the game. In overtime, Washington held Toronto without a field goal and won 111-108 Monday night.

It was just the fifth win in 25 games for the Wizards, and for most of the game, it looked like an easy win.

It wasn't.

Washington led 79-61 with 3:02 to play in the third quarter, and then Jerryd Bayless got hot - scoring 16 fourth quarter points to force overtime.

In the extra five minutes, Toronto missed all eight of its shots. Washington made just one of six and still outscored the Raptors 6-3.

"A win is a win - and we will take it," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said, stretching out each word to punctuate his relief.

Dwane Casey, who was once replaced by Wittman as the Minnesota Timberwolves' coach, was none too pleased with his team's loss - even if they did nearly engineer an unlikely comeback.

"That was a bad exhibition of basketball," Casey observed. "We had an unprofessional start."

The Raptors trailed by 10 after the first quarter, 29-19, and by 57-42 at halftime.

Casey ripped his team at halftime, and they responded by falling even further behind before cutting the deficit to 82-72 after three.

"You have to go off on them at halftime to get them to play. It shouldn't have to ever get to that, and that's why I was disappointed, even with the second-half comeback," Casey said.

The uneven performance came a day after one of Toronto's better games - a six-point loss in Miami on Sunday.

In the fourth quarter, the Raptors outscored the Wizards by 33-23, and it was 105-all after regulation.

Nick Young's two free throws with 1:06 to play gave Washington a 109-106 lead. The Raptors' Amir Johnson hit two free throws with 27.2 seconds left to make it 109-108.

Trevor Booker hit the first of two free throws with 6.7 seconds left. Young rebounded Booker's miss, was fouled and hit the second of two free throws with 1.5 seconds left to make it 111-108. Linas Kleiza's 3-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

John Wall led Washington with 31 points and in a 16-second sequence in overtime, he blocked two of Amir Johnson's shots and Booker blocked another.

Young had a season-high 29, Booker a season-high 19.

Bayless and Kleiza both had a season-high 30 points for Toronto.

While Casey was displeased, Wittman wasn't - even with Washington's narrow escape.

"I'm not disappointed - not for this team. If this is another team, and we're 20-5, we should be. We're taking steps here. I'm not disappointed. I can't be disappointed. We got a win. This team needed a win - both mentally and physically," Wittman said. "These young kids have to learn to play in the fourth quarter when it becomes hectic."

Wall, who likened the 2 hour, 52 minute game to a playoff contest, wasn't unnerved by the fourth quarter.

"I don't get nervous. Those are the best times. Those are the times to shine," Wall said.

Kleiza tied the score at 98 with a jumper as the shot clock hit ran out with 1:41 to play. Booker hit two free throws with 1:30 left for a 100-98 lead. Kleiza hit a 3-pointer to give the Raptors a 101-100 lead with 57.5 seconds to play.

Wall answered with a layup, Bayless hit two free throws, and Wall scored on a runner and was fouled with 25.2 seconds to play. He missed the free throw, but Washington maintained possession. Jordan Crawford hit one of two free throws with 17.3 seconds to play for a 105-103 Wizards lead. Johnson's dunk with 10.2 seconds left tied it at 105.

The Wizards lost their previous four games and improved to 5-20. Of Washington's five wins, two each have come against Charlotte and Toronto - who have a record of 11-39 - and one against Oklahoma City - which has the league's best record. The Wizards lost their previous two games by 43 points.

Washington had been outrebounded 114-69 in its last two games. Toronto set a franchise record with 61 points against the Wizards last Friday night. Washington held its own on the boards, outrebounded by just one.

NOTES: Wizards F Rashard Lewis was a late scratch with a sore left knee. It's the third time he's missed a game with the injury. Wittman said he was unsure if he'd play on Wednesday against New York. ... The Raptors played their 17th road game - tied for the most in the NBA. They begin a seven-game homestand - tied for the longest in franchise history on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Toronto's next road game won't be until Feb. 28 in Houston. ... Washington C Ronny Turiaf is getting his broken left wrist examined this week. Turiaf was injured on Jan. 1.

Notebook: Wizards 111, Raptors 108

Posted Tuesday February 7, 2012 12:18AM

By Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: John Wall had 31 points and Nick Young added a season-high 29 points as the Washington Wizards blew an 18-point deficit and hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors 111-108 in overtime on Monday night.

Washington held Toronto without a field goal in overtime and outscored it 6-3. It was the Wizards' fifth win in 25 games. Trevor Booker added a season-high 19 points.

Jerryd Bayless and Linas Klieiza each had a season-high 30 points for the Raptors. Bayless scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to help force overtime.

QUOTABLE: "That was a bad exhibition of basketball."
-- Toronto coach Dwane Casey on his team's loss

THE STAT: After the Raptors outrebounded Washington 61-34 in Friday's loss, Toronto had just one more rebound than the Wizards -- 42-41. The 61 rebounds was a franchise high.

TURNING POINT: Young hit two free throws with 1:06 to play to give Washington a 109-106 lead.

QUOTABLE II: "You have to go off on them at halftime to get them to play. It shouldn't ever have to get to that -- and that's why I was disappointed -- even with that second-half comeback."­
-- Casey on his halftime tirade

HOT: Kleiza was 11-for-16 from the field. His 3-pointer with 57.8 seconds left in regulation helped force overtime.

NOT: Amir Johnson. He missed six of seven from the field. The one he hit, a dunk with 10.5 seconds left in regulation, tied the score at 105. In overtime, he had three shots blocked in 16 seconds -- two by Wall and one by Booker.

GOOD MOVE: Wizards coach Randy Wittman told Wall to relax, and he responded. Wall was 10-for-19 from the field and 11-for-14 from the line. "That's as good a game I've had with him," Wittman said.

BAD MOVE: Casey played Aaron Gray for the first eight minutes -- and then sat him in favor of a shorter lineup the rest of the way.

NOTABLE: Wizards forward Rashard Lewis was a late scratch with a sore left knee. It was the third time he missed a game with the injury. Wittman said he was day-to-day.

IN THE ARENA: The announced attendance was 14,687, but most of the seats were empty.

UP NEXT: For the Raptors: Wednesday vs. Milwaukee, Friday vs. Boston, Sunday vs. L.A. Lakers. For the Wizards: Wednesday vs. New York, Friday vs. Miami, Sunday @ Detroit

• Raptors: Alabi, Bargnani
• Wizards: Blatche, Turiaf

• Raptors: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #35 Kane Fitzgerald, #64 SirAllen Connor
• Attendance: 14687
• Duration: 2:51