Raptors overcome technology to beat Wizards
WASHINGTON -- Just like their home scoreboard, the Wizards offense malfunctioned in their first game after the All-Star break. Apparently, not even technological chaos can slow down the streaking Raptors.
Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan each scored 24 points as the Toronto Raptors fought through an uneven game and peculiar circumstances for a 96-88 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Kyle Lowry added 11 points and 10 assists as the Raptors (22-32) matched their season-high with their fifth straight victory. Toronto surged ahead with a 16-6 run closing the second quarter and fended off various Washington rallies.
Bradley Beal scored 25 points, and Martell Webster had 16 for the Wizards (15-37), who have dropped two straight games. John Wall committed seven turnovers and finished 1 of 12 from the field, finishing with nine points.
"It wasn't pretty," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "After the All-Star break it's usually ugly ... I really liked the fight, togetherness our guys showed throughout the game."
Casey also likes looking overhead or above the backboard for various in-game updates, but that was not an option. The shot clock and portions of the Verizon Center scoreboard malfunctioned throughout the game.
Temporary shot clocks were placed on the floor in corners of the court and a scoreboard was setup in front of the scorer's table. Air horns were used to signal substitutions and timeouts while the public address announcer stated the score and shot clock status -- at least sometimes.
"They forgot a few times to do a countdown," Casey said. "In the NBA, those things happen. I thought it was just as hard on the officials as it was us. You get in the habit of looking for the clock and you don't see it. That was the main thing."
DeRozen scored 15 points in the first half. The wing guard nailed jumpers ending the first and second quarters, receiving time status updates from the Raptors' full-throated bench.
Beal, the Wizards 19-year-old rookie described the scenario, "like AAU ball, shot clock on the baseline. It's just like playing pick-up.
"That didn't have anything to do with us losing either."
Washington turned around its season with a recent strong effort at home, winning three straight and eight of nine entering the break. Against the Raptors, the Wizards simply turned the ball over as their 17 turnovers led to 24 points for Toronto.
The Raptors led 73-65 after three quarters. Twice in the fourth, the Wizards closed within four points and trailed 83-78 following a Martell Webster 3-pointer. Toronto countered with a 7-1 run capped by Gay's thunderous dunk and third 3-pointer of the game with 2:22 remaining.
"I told them the whole fourth quarter, 'You're down five, you're down four, you're down six and we hadn't played worth a crap leading up to that,' " Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. "You got to stay with it. It can turn like that, but I don't know if we always give ourselves chance to let it turn."
John Lucas III added 10 points for the Raptors. Toronto finished 18 of 20 from the free throw line.
Emeka Okafor had 12 points and Trevor Booker had 10 for the Wizards, who shot 38.5 percent from the field.
"We can score a boat load of points, but we want to win by our defense at times," Lowry said.
The Wizards are 10-9 since Wall returned from a knee injury on Jan. 12.
Both teams exchanged lengthy scoring runs in the first half, but the Raptors had more of them and led 55-46 at halftime. With Toronto trailing 39-36, Gay scored seven points during a 9-0 spurt and finished the half with 14 points.
Jordan Crawford, Washington's leading scorer for most of the season, did not play for the fourth straight game. After the final buzzer, the third-year guard removed his jersey and flung it into the stands. Crawford exited the locker room before reporters entered.
"He's got to stay with it. His opportunity is going to come again," Wittman said of Crawford, whose name has been floated in reported rumors ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.
NOTES: Beal returned to the starting lineup for the first time since January 28. The rookie came off the bench for the final three games before the All-Star break after missing the previous five with a sprained right wrist. ... After coming off the bench for the final game before the break, Raptors forward Amir Johnson re-entered the starting lineup, replacing Landry Fields. ... Acquired from Memphis on Jan. 30, Gay nailed game-winning baskets against the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers. "It's like the baseball player (Mariano) Rivera. You've got to have a closer," Casey said. "He gives us confidence in those situations whether he makes or misses it. You feel like you have a legit chance of getting that shot down." ... Gay plays his former team Wednesday night when Toronto visits Memphis. Washington continues its three-game homestand Friday against Denver.
