In a Game 1 battle typified by stout defense and missed shots, the Toronto Raptors pushed the visiting Washington Wizards to overtime before forgetting how to score and falling, 93-86. Both teams shot below 40 percent for the game, and DeMar Derozan was the only Raptors starter in double figures with 15 points, as none of the other four managed more than seven.
Despite a deafeningly raucous crowd inside Air Canada Centre to start the game, Paul Pierce eventually responded to their booing with made shots, and he drove Washington's offense while John Wall and Bradley Beal struggled. That elite backcourt combined to miss 30 of their 41 shots.
Reserve Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez briefly played the hero, drilling a game-tying three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining to force overtime. But the Raptors offense suffocated in the extra period and got outscored, 11-4.
After the Raptors led by seven points during the second quarter, they trailed by 15 in the fourth. Their rally included a 16-3 run, but just forcing overtime seemed to require all they had left i ...
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Article written by Sean Hojnacki
Washington Wizards vs. Toronto Raptors: Postgame Grades and Analysis
April 18th, 2015 by Sean Hojnacki Leave a reply »
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