John Wall’s 19 assists help get Wizards back on track

Not this time. Not after another long night of work with ball in the hands of one of the league’s nightmare makers.

There were thoughts about it. Steph Curry was far away for an average NBA player. Even a good one. He slipped into open space, down three points and went with his rocket-fired load then a flick.

Bradley Beal was nervous. Otto Porter thought, “Whoooo.” John Wall clasped his hands and dropped to a knee in his head. “Way, way, way out,” Wall said.

Curry missed, squashing any harrowing repeat of LeBron James’ banked-in 3-pointer to spoil a night’s work against one of the league’s top teams. Instead, a 112-108 funk-kicking Wizards win against the ever-whirring Golden State Warriors followed.

Back was the balance. Wall finished with a career-high-tying 19 assists. Beal scored 25 points. Markieff Morris added 22. Porter was again on from behind the 3-point line — 2-for-3 after a combined 1-for-7 in the two downtrodden games since the All-Star break. Marcin Gortat put together a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. He also did a Kevin Love impression when encountering a defensive isolation against Curry late in the game. Off the bench Bojan Bogdanovic scored 16 points. He said afterward life in Washington is becoming easier. Even Ian Mahinmi looked the part in his active 16:25. He said his body has stabilized, allowing his flow to being to return.

“We’ve been playing some good basketball — take away right after the break,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “It’s our defense. We’re scoring off our defense, we’re moving, we’re making the extra [passes].”

There is one killjoy caveat from Tuesday night. Kevin Durant left the game with 10:26 to play in the first quarter because of an hyperextended knee. He did not return and had an MRI performed away from the Verizon Center.

Regardless, beating 50-10 Golden State was a return fluency for the Wizards who staggered through a loss at Philadelphia last week before being blasted by Utah. Following Sunday’s loss to the Jazz, Morris pointed out they “got their ass beat.” It was not the kind of insipid start Washington anticipated following two months of cranking along as one of the best teams in the league.

“We shouldn’t have had those two games out of the break,” Beal said. “This is a great retaliation for us, great focus. We know that this is kinda like a must-win for us. We wanted to get back on track and get our energy and our flow going in the right direction. What perfect game and better way to do it against a great team and at home on top of that. So, we did a great job getting back to us.”

The game was not as manic as the bonkers Feb. 6 evening against Cleveland. But, it still had its odd moments. Morris clobbered Zaza Pachulia in the first half, sending the Warriors center to the ground. Morris later noted that Pachulia has a “giant head” and is a “good dude” in his explanation that there was no ill intent on a Flagrant-1 foul. Washington scored a season-high 40 points in the first quarter. Curry pulled an offensive rebound out of Morris’ hands. One sequence included a handful of possession changes, but, strangely, no real turnovers. The ball just flew around like it was being controlled by flippers and bumpers.

Washington appeared rebooted from the start. Its lead was 14 points at the end of the first quarter, then 12 at halftime. A third-quarter flop turned the night into a match game, tied 85-85 at the end of the third. With 2:38 to play, and down 103-102, Golden State shifted to its “Death Lineup” with Shaun Livingston in Durant’s place. Washington stuck with Gortat for a portion, then put Kelly Oubre into the game to counter the Warriors’ group. Small things tilted the final minute.

One, was a typical Porter play. He saw turned heads in front of him, so he zipped toward the basket to snare an offensive rebound. Curry fouled him on the putback attempt. Porter made both free throws to put Washington in front, 110-108. Curry’s gasp-inducing three-point attempt came on the next play.

“Besides the last two games, it is a shot I normally make,” Curry said.

It was off, Morris grabbed the rebound, then made his first foul shot. Warriors coach Steve Kerr made a late substitution following the first make, which caused Morris to walk off the line and smile. He made the second. Afterward, Morris explained being from Philadelphia leaves him undisturbed in a situation like that.

More change and challenge is coming for the Wizards. They reportedly plan to sign point guard Brandon Jennings after he clears waivers on Wednesday. They will have to cut a player to do so. Those logistics will be figured out in Toronto, where Washington plays the Raptors on Wednesday night. The plane departed at 11 p.m. for the north. There was no last-second shot to grouse about.