Warriors-Wizards Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Mar 04 2012 10:54PM

The Washington Wizards finally took advantage of some strong performances from two of their young players last time out. In their next game, the Wizards might benefit from the absence of one of Golden State's young stars.

A foot injury has Stephen Curry's status unknown for the struggling Warriors' visit to the Verizon Center on Monday night.

John Wall has averaged 22.3 points over Washington's last eight games, and Jordan Crawford has contributed 21.8 per game over that same span while moving into the starting lineup.

The Wizards, though, earned their only victory in the first game of that stretch before edging Cleveland 101-98 on Saturday. Crawford led the way with 31 points, one shy of matching his career high set against Sacramento on Feb. 22, and Wall chipped in 24 points.

"We were on a six-game losing streak and we needed to end it. Tonight happened to be the night. We did the things we needed to do, we got stops and got rebounds," said Crawford, who made a career-high 13 field goals and matched another mark with five 3-pointers.

Crawford and the Wizards (8-28) will next face a Golden State team that's lost its scoring touch as Curry has dealt with a strained tendon in his right foot.

The point guard has played only three seconds during a 1-3 stretch, and his team has averaged 80.3 points on 37.9 percent shooting in those four games. That's far below its 99.2 point average and 45.9 percent shooting over the first 30 contests this season.

The Warriors (14-20) were 29 of 80 from the field (36.3 percent) and 4 of 19 from 3-point range in their worst scoring performance of the season Sunday, an 83-75 loss in Toronto. David Lee (22 points, 12 rebounds) was one of only two players in double figures for Golden State, which scored 11 points in the third quarter and 28 in the second half during the fifth of a season-high six consecutive road games.

"It hurts really bad," rookie swingman Klay Thompson said. "This was a very winnable game, a team that we thought we were better than."

The Warriors have been better than the Wizards lately, having won the past two matchups and six of the last nine. While they've averaged 113.3 points over those nine meetings, their defense hasn't provided much help by giving up 113.1 per game.

Golden State has allowed at least 98 points in each of the last 12 matchups and an average of 114.2.

Washington, though, enters this first meeting of the season scoring 92.9 points per game - 4.4 fewer than last season.

The Wizards are seeking their fifth win in seven home meetings but might need to do a better job containing Monta Ellis. Golden State's leading scorer averaged 29.0 points on 52.3 percent shooting against Washington last season and 27.5 over his last four matchups.

The Wizards, meanwhile, could benefit from Andray Blatche's return from a strained left calf. He's averaged 19.2 points against Golden State since the beginning of the 2008-09 season for his best mark against any opponent over that span.

Ellis scores 25 in Warriors' blowout 120-100 win

Posted Mar 05 2012 11:04PM

WASHINGTON (AP) The Golden State Warriors found the perfect remedy for a team struggling through a long road trip: the Washington Wizards.

The Wizards, on the other hand, seem to have no answers after a performance their coach termed "unprofessional."

Golden State found the 3-point shooting touch that had been missing for the previous five games of the road swing and routed the Wizards from the opening quarter in a 120-100 win Monday night.

The Warriors were 15 for 23 on 3-pointers, a season-best 65.2 percent.

"It was like the basket was big for everybody. Everybody was making shots," Monta Ellis said.

Ellis led the Warriors with 25 points and was 10 for 16 from the floor, including 2 for 4 on 3-pointers. He didn't play at all in the fourth quarter as both teams emptied their benches.

The long-range barrage was a sharp turnaround from the previous five games, when the Warriors shot 24.2 percent from 3-point range.

"I wish they would have came a little bit earlier, but we're going to take this one, go home and see what happens," Ellis said.

Klay Thompson scored 18, and David Lee had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which had six players in double figures. It was Golden State's highest-scoring game since beating Toronto 138-100 on March 25, 2011.

Nick Young scored 25 points, 15 in the fourth quarter, and John Wall had 20 points and 14 assists for Washington, which lost for the seventh time in eight games.

"We get one win and come into a situation where we have a team at the end of a road trip, in a back-to-back and we come in with that effort to start the game," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "Inexcusable, and that's on me. ... That is unprofessional. I apologize to everybody that had to watch it and had to come here tonight."

Golden State had run into problems in the second half their previous two games, scoring a then season-low 36 second-half points in a 105-83 loss at Philadelphia Friday. The Warriors had an even worse showing Sunday at Toronto, scoring 28 points and losing 83-75 despite taking a nine-point halftime lead.

This time, Golden State jumped out to a lead so big there was no chance of giving it up in the second half. Ellis hit a running 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer to put Golden State ahead 41-24. The Warriors shot 71.4 percent from the field in the quarter, and were 5 of 6 from 3-point range. It was Golden State's highest-scoring quarter this season, and the most points the Wizards have allowed in a quarter.

"Some guys knew, we lost the game before we came on the court," Wall said. "Too much joking in the locker room. Too much joking through warm-ups."

It never got better for Washington. The Warriors extended the lead, going on a 19-2 run that started late in the opening quarter and into the second to make the lead 48-24, and they led by as many as 25 in the second quarter.

The Verizon Center crowd of 17,843 let the Wizards know they were unhappy with one of the team's worst home performances this season. Forward Andray Blatche has been the target of fans' ire for much of the season, and playing in his second game after missing more than a month with a strained left calf he was booed as soon as he checked into the game in the first quarter, and heard more throughout the game.

"You're home and people that's supposed to have your back don't have your back. Instead of encouraging you to get better, they push you down and hope you do worse," Blatche said. "Every time I touch the ball, I'm second-guessing. I'm trying to avoid the boos. Trying to play a perfect game so I don't have to hear it so I can help my team win."

Ellis made sure Golden State didn't have another second-half collapse, scoring 10 of the Warriors' 24 points in the third quarter and ensuring Washington never built momentum for a comeback. Both teams looked like they were on cruise-control for the final period with most of the starters on the bench.

The Warriors finished the road trip 3-3 and will return home confident their long-range game is back.

"I'm not a coach that's going to tell them to stop shooting. Fortunately tonight they started falling," Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. "This was a great win, and it certainly does make the trip back home a little easier."

NOTES: Warriors G Stephen Curry (strained tendon in his right foot) had his first significant playing time in five games, scoring 12 points in nine minutes. Curry had played just 3 seconds in the previous four games. "If it was a closer game I would have kept him out there a little bit longer, but it made no sense to risk anything," Jackson said. "He jumped in the pool and he got out." ... Wizards G Nick Young (bruised right knee) returned after missing Saturday's game. ... It was Wall's third double-double in five games. .... It was the 100th win of the series for the Warriors. Golden State is 100-80 all-time against Washington.

Notebook: Warriors 120, Wizards 100

Posted Monday March 5, 2012 11:12PM

By Ben Standig, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Monta Ellis scored 25 points and Klay Thompson added 18 points to pace six double-digit scorers as the Golden State Warriors scored their most points this season in a 120-100 rout over the Washington Wizards.

The Warriors knocked down 15-of-23 attempts (65.2 percent) from beyond the arc, shot 54.2 percent overall and made 15-of-16 free throws. David Lee finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who snapped a two-game losing streak and concluded a six-game road swing.

Nick Young scored 22 of his 25 points in the second half for the Wizards, who have lost seven of eight games. John Wall finished with 20 points and 14 assists for his third double-double in five games.

QUOTABLE: "That's about as disappointed as I've been. I'll take full responsibility for this one. I had a sense before the game we weren't ready to play. But I ain't going to put up with that again. We get one win and come into a situation where we have a team at the end of a road trip, in a back-to-back and we come in with that effort to start the game. Inexcusable and that's on me. That's on me. I'll take responsibility for that, because I'm going to clean that up. That is unprofessional. I apologize to everybody that had to watch it and had to come here tonight. Next question."
-- Wizards head coach Randy Wittman.

THE STAT: Six different Warriors made at least two 3-pointers and the Golden State reserves sank 10-of-14 overall led by Thompson's four. While the Warriors made 15 shots from long distance, the Wizards missed 16 free throws, finishing 20-of-36 overall.

TURNING POINT: The Warriors made 5-of-6 shots from beyond the arc in the first quarter, including Ellis' running 36-footer at the buzzer. That shot capped a 12-2 run to close the quarter, put the Warriors up 41-24 and helped establish Golden State's season-high for points scored in any quarter this season.

QUOTABLE II: "It was a great game. We came out, stuck with the game plan - we made shots, That was the biggest thing. We slowed them down in transition as much as we could, and we ran the ball back at them.
- Ellis.

HOT: Ellis scored 14 points in the first quarter, sinking 5-of-7 shots including two of three 3-point attempts. The combo guard finished 10-of-16 overall and doled out eight of the Warriors' 27 assists despite not playing in the fourth quarter.

NOT: After scoring 31 points Saturday night in the Wizards win over the Cavaliers, Jordan Crawford finished with only five points while missing 11 of 13 shots.

GOOD MOVE: Despite Stephen Curry's return from injury, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson kept Dominic McGuire in his starting lineup. The 6-foot-9 swingman harassed Crawford relentlessly in the first quarter, forcing the 6-foot-4 guard into difficult shots. Crawford entered the game shooting 52.8 percent over his previous eight games, but missed his first five shots while the Warriors offense exploded early.

NOTABLE: After playing only three seconds in the Warriors previous four games due to a tendon strain in his right foot, Curry returned to action, scoring 12 points in just nine minutes. Curry sank 5-of-7 shots including a Hail Mary 3-pointer to close the third quarter.

UP NEXT: For the Warriors, Wednesday vs. Memphis, Saturday vs. Mavericks, Sunday @ Clippers. For the Wizards, Wednesday vs. Lakers, Saturday vs. Portland, Monday vs. San Antonio.

• Warriors: Brown, Tyler
• Wizards: Turiaf

• Warriors: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #79 Kevin Scott, #23 Jason Phillips, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 17843
• Duration: 2:03