Category: Washington Wizards Blog

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Wizards forward Otto Porter playing well against Raptors

Wizards forward Otto Porter playing well against Raptors

Here’s the Washington Post blog with a positive report on Wizards forward Otto Porter:

Wizards forward Otto Porter playing well against Raptors

A feisty Porter has emerged against the Raptors to do a little bit of everything. He is averaging 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in 34 minutes, though much of his performance isn’t represented on a stat sheet. His three-pointer with 4 minutes 23 seconds remaining in Game 3 Friday handed Washington a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He has salvaged possessions with tap-outs and been a nuisance on both ends of the floor. He does the grunt work that’s made the Wizards’ wildly successful small lineup with Pierce at power forward as potent as it is.

“He’s been the difference,” Raptors guard Greivis Vasquez declared after the Wizards’ Game 3 win.

Porter’s greatest contribution, however, may be his defense. The long-limbed Porter – he is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan — has served as a DeMar DeRozan stopper of sorts during the series and it was evident again Friday.

Paul Pierce making life difficult for Raptors

Paul Pierce making life difficult for Raptors

Here’s the Boston.com blog reporting on Washington Wizards small forward Paul Pierce, who is doing mean things to the Toronto Raptors in their first-round playoff series:

Paul Pierce making life difficult for Raptors

Paul Pierce continues to make life miserable for the Toronto Raptors.

The former Celtics star scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of three-pointers in crunch time to help clinch a 106-99 win for his Washington Wizards over the Raptors on Friday night. The win gives Washington a commanding 3-0 series lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Truth finished the night shooting 5 of 9 from the field, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc in just 27 minutes of action. Wizards’ coach Randy Wittman limited Pierce’s minutes so the veteran could be fresh in the fourth quarter and the move paid major dividends.

Marcin Gortat steps up in Wizards Game 3 win vs Raptors

Marcin Gortat steps up in Wizards Game 3 win vs Raptors

The Washington Wizards are on a roll. Now up 3-0 in their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors, the team has regained some of the swagger they enjoyed earlier in the season. Here’s the Washington Post blog reporting:

Marcin Gortat steps up in Wizards Game 3 win vs Raptors

Marcin Gortat’s season reached a nadir in Canada on Feb. 11. He had just watched his Washington Wizards play an entire fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors from the bench for the third time this season because Coach Randy Wittman had elected to use smaller lineups without him. Gortat was visibly fuming. He had signed a $60-million contract over the summer and he didn’t anticipate sitting in the fourth quarter during marquee matchups as part of the deal.

“It’s tough. It’s really tough especially the last year I played pretty much every fourth quarter,” Gortat said after the game. “It’s a coaching decision. You guys have to ask him why I’m not playing.”

Fast-forward three months and Gortat is starring – and playing fourth quarters –against the same Raptors as the Wizards have taken a commanding 3-0 series lead. The center registered team highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds in 42 minutes while adding strong rim protection at the other end in the fourth quarter of the Wizards’ 106-99 Game 3 win Friday.

Paul Pierce says John Wall is the best NBA PG

Paul Pierce says teammate John Wall is the best NBA PG

Here’s the Washington Post blog reporting good news, that Wizards forward Paul Pierce thinks Wizards guard John Wall is awesome:

Paul Pierce says John Wall is the best NBA PG

John Wall was one of the primary reasons why Paul Pierce surprisingly joined the Washington Wizards last summer. He viewed Wall and Bradley Beal as an up-and-coming back court on the brink of stardom.

After an all-star regular season and a masterful 26-point, 17-assist Game 2 performance against the Toronto Raptors, Pierce doesn’t think the Wall is just on his way to becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA. The 17-year veteran believes Wall already is at the top of the totem pole.

“Top to bottom, he’s the best point guard,” Pierce claimed Friday morning. “You talk about [Golden State Warriors point guard] Stephen Curry, the amazing things he’s done, the three-point shooting, but I just look at overall game. You look at the way [Wall] can score, the way he can pass, the way he can defend. Top to bottom I think he’s the best point guard in the league.”

A look at Bradley Beal three-point shooting

A look at Bradley Beal three-point shooting

Here’s CSN Washington reporting on Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, who through Wednesday’s games is averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 33.3 minutes per game this season:

A look at Bradley Beal three-point shooting

Beal sinks 41.4 of his 3-point attempts, ranking 11th in the NBA. His four attempts per game slot much lower.

Of the top 21 qualified 3-point shooting percentage leaders, 11 average at least 12 points per game. Of those 11, only Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton’s takes fewer 3’s per game than Beal. Kyle Korver, J.J Redick, Danny Green and Kevin Durant average six per game. Klay Thompson tries seven, one less than Warriors teammate Stephen Curry.

Overall, 46 players launch more 3-pointers per game than Beal, including James Harden and LeBron James.

Wizards sign Will Bynum to 10-day contract, waive Toure` Murry

Wizards sign Will Bynum to 10-day contract, waive Toure’ Murry

Wizards sign Will Bynum to 10-day contract

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard Will Bynum to a 10-day contract. The team has also waived Toure’ Murry.

Bynum (6-0, 185) has played seven seasons with Golden State and Detroit appearing in 353 career regular season games while averaging 8.2 points, 3.3 assists and 1.6 assists in 18.5 minutes per game. Undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2005, Bynum enjoyed his best season in 2009-10 for the Detroit Pistons when he averaged career highs with 10.0 points and 4.5 assists per game. Bynum appeared in 30 games this season for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association where he averaged 22.3 points, 7.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds while shooting .564 from the field.

Murry appeared in three games for the Wizards and averaged 1.5 points in 4.3 minutes per game.

Marcin Gortat fined by NBA for flopping

Marcin Gortat fined by NBA for flopping

Marcin Gortat fined by NBA for flopping

Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules for the second time this season.

The incident occurred with 4:31 remaining in the fourth quarter of Washington’s 88-84 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, March 18, at EnergySolutions Arena.

To view the play, click on this link.

Wizards sign Toure` Murry

Wizards sign Toure’ Murry

Wizards sign Toure Murry

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard Toure’ Murry. He is the 47th D-League “Call-Up.”

In 23 games in the D-League this season with Idaho and Rio Grande Valley, Murry has averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 29.1 minutes per game. In 16 games with Rio Grande Valley this season, he tallied three triple-doubles, including two in his last four games with the Vipers.

In parts of two seasons with New York and Utah, Murry (6-5, 195) has appeared in 52 career regular season games while averaging 2.7 points in 7.2 minutes per game. Last season with New York, he appeared in 51 games while averaging 2.7 points in 7.3 minutes. Murry appeared in one game with Utah this season after signing with the Jazz in August of 2014.

Murry was undrafted out of Wichita State in 2012. While at Wichita State, Murry averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his four-year career and helped the Shockers to the 2011 NIT title.