The Washington Wizards beat the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers 127-115 to make a statement.
Washington Comes Ready To Play
The Wizards traveled to Cleveland knowing this was a big game. The came out on all cylinders with a 40 first quarter points, stunning the home team. The game started off really close with both teams going back and forth. Washington ended the quarter on a 28-14 run to take a 14-point lead into the second quarter. John Wall showed why he was an all-star with 18 points and five assists in the first period. Cleveland would not be embarrassed on their home court and put up 35 second quarter points. Despite that, Washington came right back with 31 points. The Wizards put up a 71-point half and went into halftime with a 10-point lead.
Finishing Strong
The Cavaliers would not give up and cut the lead all the way down to three points. With them being the home team, they were taking the momentum from Washington. After outscoring the Wizards 30-25 in the third, the Wizards went into the final quarter with a five-point lead. With Washington best role player Bojan Bogdanovic not playing in this game, Cleveland was looking to make a comeback. Although things were looking up for the Cavaliers, Washington never let them take the lead. They ended the game on a 20-13 run to go home with a huge road win.
Wall led the show with 37 points and 11 assists. Bradley Beal had 27 points and six assists. The Wizards frontcourt combined for 34 points and 17 rebounds. Kelly Oubre had a solid game of the bench with 16 points and seven rebounds. For the Cavaliers, the big 3 (LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving) combined for 64 points, 12 assists and 20 rebounds.
Things Looking Bright for the Future
This was the biggest win for Washington this season. They beat the team that could possibly stand in their way of a NBA Finals. The Wizards got a win over the NBA champions and did it without one of their best scorers in Bogdanovic. Washington have now won three games in a row and starting to heat up at the right time. After losing two straight, they bounce with three straight and are climbing the ladder in the Eastern Conference. They are two games back of second place and two and a half games back of first place. With many team resting players at this point, Washington could go into the playoffs as the number one or two seed.
Although this was a great win, the next four games are on the road. The Los Angeles Lakers are next in line for Washington on their five-game road trip. The first time these two met, Washington took home a eight-point victory. This time should be no different. Over the past month, the Lakers have been the worst team in the NBA. They have lost 14 of their last 16 games. The Lakers are tanking this season and letting the young players get some minutes on the floor. Doing this has put them at the bottom go the league. Washington should have no problem beating them unless they take them lightly. After this game the Wizards face three playoff teams in the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors. So they need to keep this winning streak going before the real games come.
