Calling it “Game 51” is the lone generic way to describe what happened Monday night in Verizon Center. That indicates the middle of the sleepy part of the NBA schedule, just after the midpoint of the season, when play is mired in the drudgery before the All-Star Break.
However, there was nothing ordinary or staid when the Washington Wizards played the Cleveland Cavaliers. Every antonym for “average” could be attached to the rollicking evening, a 140-135 overtime win by Cleveland that left Washington feeling respected and dejected.
For two months, the Wizards did not lose at home. They swept through December and January, winning 17 consecutive home games and setting up anxiety for Monday night’s showdown with the best team in the Eastern Conference, who was also the defending NBA champions.
The game exceeded drummed-up hype that trickled in throughout the day in between can-you-believe-it Super Bowl talk. It left the Wizards “pissed” afterward. It made their coach label the evening an “instant classic.”
Washington thought it had opportunity seized. LeBron James, eternally the antagonist, had missed a layup after the referees had missed him traveling. John Wall was then fouled. He made both free throws. Just 3.4 seconds sat on the clock with Washington in front by three points, so close to an 18th consecutive home win, so near surviving a night of manic surges, right next to walking off the floor with a stern announcement to the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Instead, Kevin Love drew from his singular skill of throwing long passes. James caught it, pivoted toward the Wizards’ bench and team owner, Ted Leonsis. He faded away, pulled his shoulder and head around, then launched. His season-high sixth 3-pointer angled off the backboard and in, like a drunkard’s wayward shot at the eight ball which was blessed by luck and a soft bumper.
“Kind of got to chalk it up to the basketball Gods,” Kelly Oubre said.
That led to overtime, which always feels like a fit in a game that spent most of the evening as a stalemate. Washington’s largest lead was nine points. Cleveland led by seven points. The difference in rebounds was three. The gap in free throws made was zero. Washington scored more than 30 points in a quarter twice. Cleveland did so twice. Each team received a technical to help round out the symmetry.
In overtime, a separation was finally found after Bradley Beal’s challenged 3-pointer bounced away and was recovered by Cleveland. Beal had pulled apart the Cavaliers throughout the evening on his way to 41 points. His final attempt, with Washington trailing by three following two Kyrie Irving free throws with 10.2 seconds to play in overtime, was needed to keep the night going. Instead, it was off, the Wizards had to foul after a five-point lead had slipped away, and a large sigh with opposing emotions was delivered.
“It was an instant classic — a great basketball game by two really good teams,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “A lot of great plays throughout the 53 minutes of basketball, on both ends. Both teams were hard to stop, a lot of guys made a lot of really great plays. Unfortunately, we didn’t make one last one at the end. It would have been nice. James [hit] an amazing shot, a fall-away three off the board and I didn’t think I heard him call it.”
Longing for more national attention, the Wizards had this game marked. They had not lost in Washington since Dec. 6. The progress at home and on the road had launched them up the Eastern Conference standings, putting them in position to claim the sliver of ground behind Cleveland that everyone else in the conference is jousting for.
If they didn’t leave with a win, or satisfaction, they felt they at least part ways with the Cavaliers having earned respect. Wall said James mentioned to him multiple times that the Wizards were playing a quality level of basketball. Beal said Irving, who led the Cavaliers in overtime after a rare foul out by James, told him the same thing.
“We know we play again,” Beal said. “We’re definitely going to see them down the line. We embraced it. It was a great atmosphere, a great game. Competitive on both sides. It was clean. It was exciting. That’s the fun about this game. You have the best players in the world competing every night. I’m happy that I was part of it. And happy that we were able to compete. We have nothing to hang our head about.”
To find an issue for the evening, and for Washington against Cleveland, look at the 3-point line. Cleveland outscored the Wizards by 21 points from there Monday night, dispatching new weapon Kyle Korver for four 3-pointers, James for his six, and a Minnesota version of Love for six more. Back in November, Cleveland used the same tactic for its other win in Washington.
Two of Cleveland’s 19 3-pointers proved most crucial. James and Love claimed they practice the final play that led to the game-tying 3-pointer, likely minus the banking in of the shot. Love is a prodigious length-of-the-court passer. He told Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue he can make the connection. When he saw James being opposed by only Beal, he tossed the ball 50 feet toward one of the greatest players in NBA history. It’s a risk worth taking.
The Wizards chose not to gamble there. They discussed fouling anyone who caught the pass, but decided against it. Afterward, Beal said he probably should have fouled James despite the awkward circumstance and unlikelihood of such a shot going through the basket.
Irving, who scored 11 of the Cavaliers’ 20 overtime points, sunk a wing 3-pointer reminiscent of his shot from the right slot in last season’s NBA Finals during the extra five minutes. That busted a 133-133 tie. Cleveland would not trail again.
“This is a game we should have won,” Wall said. “LeBron made a heck of a shot that he will probably make one out of a million times. Kyrie came and threw up a big shot to go up three and we had an opportunity to go into double overtime. So we fought, didn’t ever quit and we have to keep this momentum going even though we lost a tough game.”
Wall sat down when he was done talking, detaching the rib protection he wears each game and lamenting a play here, a play there with veteran guard Marcus Thornton. They were close. But, there are only sayings about that, none of which anyone wants to hear.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
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