Jason Smith

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Photos: Ryan Darby's Wish - 4/6/18

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Jason Smith - 1/27/18

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Photos: Wizards vs. Clippers - 12/15/17

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John Wall returned to the lineup after missing the last nine games in the Wizards' 93-87 win over the Grizzlies. Wall scored 13 points and dished out four assists in his return in 27-plus minutes, while Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 18 points and seven assists. Returning from a 10-day, five-game road trip, the Wizards beat the Grizzlies with their defense. Six players scored in double figures for the shorthanded Wizards, who were missing Markieff Morris (hip) and Ian Mahinmi (knee) on Wednesday night. Both players are considered day-to-day with three games at home coming up.

The Wizards held the Grizzlies to only 12 points in the first quarter, Washington's best defensive quarter of the season. Memphis only shot 5-for-21 (23.8%) from the field and turned it over six times in the first quarter. All eyes were on Wall, who had a personal 9-0 run over 3:40 late in the second quarter. Otto Porter Jr. made it a 12-0 run to give the Wizards a 14-point lead, and the Wizards went into the half up 41-29. The 29 points is the lowest number of points the Wizards have given up in a half all season, and the fewest the team has given up in less than six years in the first half.

Washington opened up a 17-point lead at one point in the third quarter. Still, the Grizzlies dominated the third quarter, scoring 28 points in those 12 minutes after only 29 in the first half. Free throw issues plagued the Wizards all game, as they only made 12-of-24 (50.0%) shots from the free throw line. In the fourth quarter, the Wizards were able to turn on the jets and put away the Grizzlies, even after Memphis took their first and only lead of the game of 67-65 with 8:53 to go. The Wizards responded with a 13-0 run, with Beal scoring 11 of his 18 points in the final quarter. Kelly Oubre Jr. made big plays down the stretch, including the dagger 3-pointer with 1:10 left in the game.

In Morris's absence, Mike Scott started his first game in three seasons. Scott would finish with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, grabbed five rebounds, and played tough defense. With Mahinmi out, Jason Smith stepped up, scoring seven points and playing tough defense on Marc Gasol, who was held to 5-of-16 shooting. Smith and Marcin Gortat, who had 12 points and eight rebounds, protected the paint especially well in the first half.

Most importantly, Wall said he felt good during his return, besides missed some free throws. He knows the biggest challenge will be playing his game while not thinking about his knee soreness.

“If I’m going to be out here thinking about it, then I don’t need to be out there playing,” Wall said postgame "I’m limiting what myself can do and thinking about that too much is hurting my teammates."

The Wizards (15-13) will host the Clippers on Friday night at 7:00pm in the second game of a four-game homestand.

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Wizards beat Grizzlies in Wall's return, 93-87

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In a game of runs on Saturday night at Capital One Arena, it was the Blazers who came back to win, 108-105. The Wizards led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter, but Portland went on a 31-11 run in the final 7:56 of the game to win. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 26 points, while Otto Porter Jr. recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 55 points to lead the Blazers to victory.

The Wizards had a strong first half in their return home from a three-game road trip. With a 17-4 run midway through the first quarter, the Wizards won the first quarter, 30-27. Tim Frazier started for John Wall, who will miss approximately two weeks after receiving PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and viscosupplementation injections to reduce the inflammation in his left knee. Frazier and Beal combined for 19 points in the first quarter, pacing the Wizards. Lillard and McCollum were held to only five points in the opening period.

In the second quarter, Washington dominated defensively. Portland only made 6-of-22 shots and turned it over three times, as the Wizards' bench lineup of Tomas Satoransky, Jodie Meeks, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jason Smith, and Ian Mahinmi was able to stifle the Blazers. The second unit had 13 points in the quarter, but it was all about defense. McCollum picked up his third foul with 8:05 left in the second quarter, and would not return until the second half. The Wizards held Lillard and McCollum in check in the first half, but that would quickly in the second half.

Washington went into the locker room up 52-41 at the half. Washington would open up a 15-point lead early in the third, but Portland went on a 14-2 run to get back within two points. Porter led the Wizards with 13 points in the third quarter on 5-of-7 shooting. Porter finished the game 9-of-15 from the floor with those 10 rebounds, including three offensive, and three steals. The Wizards made all five of their shots in the paint in the third, but would only go 7-of-23 the rest of the game. Even with Portland coming back with that big run, the Wizards edged out the Blazers 13-7 in the final 3:45 of the third, and led by 10 heading into the fourth.

The Wizards kept it going in the beginning of the fourth quarter, with Porter running with the second unit. Washington led by 17 points with 8:28 remaining in the game, but Portland would come charging back. The Blazers brought the game within four points with 3:29 to go, but Markieff Morris and Beal hit big shots to bring the lead back to seven with 2:30 left. From there on, the Wizards would not score again.

A pivotal flagrant foul was called on Morris with 1:32 left, which gave Jusuf Nurkic two free throws and the Blazers possession. Nurkic hit one of two free throws, and then McCollum hit a triple to bring the game within three. Beal had a chance to take the lead on a wide open 16-footer with 6.5 seconds left, but the shot bounced out. After hitting two free throws, the Blazers stopped Beal's 28-foot 3-point attempt as time expired and came away with the win. Portland closed the game on a 10-0 run, including seven points in the final two minutes from McCollum.

"We have to find ways to just be solid, especially with four minutes to go," Porter said after losing Saturday's game late. "We just really have to find ways to lock in and play for each other."

The Wizards will head to Minnesota next for the first of a road back-to-back with the Timberwolves on Tuesday.

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Wizards lose late to Blazers, 108-105

Wizards - Heat Postgame Locker Room - 11/17/17

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After taking the first game of a home-and-home series with the Heat on Wednesday, the Wizards rallied from down 25 points on Friday, but could not complete the comeback after Bradley Beal's jump shot fell short with 2.6 seconds to go. Beal scored a game-high 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and anchored the Wizards' comeback in the 91-88 loss. Hassan Whiteside's 22 points and 16 rebounds and James Johnson's 20 points off the bench paced the Heat to victory.

The Wizards simply started flat in the first half, scoring only 29 points to Miami's 50. Washington only shot 12-of-42 (28.6%) from the floor in the opening half, missing all 13 3-pointers. The Wizards turned it over nine times and lacked energy and effort in what was an overall team struggle. The Heat would open up a 25-point lead in the second quarter and go into the half up 21. At the half, it appeared the Wizards had dug themselves too deep of a hole early.

Out of the locker room, the Wizards came right back with a 10-3 run to gain some momentum in the second half. Beal started to heat up in the third, scoring 14 of his 26 points in the period. Jason Smith, who had not seen time in recent games, gave the Wizards a big boost of energy off the bench when he entered with 2:58 left in the third. The Wizards held the Heat to only 5-of-20 (25.0%) shooting in the third quarter and won the quarter 28-16. Washington would be within nine points heading into the fourth, in much better pressure than 12 game minutes earlier.

In the fourth quarter, the Wizards were chipping away defensively, with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Smith putting a lot of pressure on the Heat's now stagnant offense. When Whiteside checked back in, the Heat began to get some offense going again, but the Wizards hung in there. John Wall, who was held scoreless until 5:25 left in the game, came to life with eight points and three assists, and would hit a huge 3-pointer with 1:11 to go to bring the game within three points. Now within realistic striking range, the Wizards traded 3-pointers with the Heat and would get the ball down three with 17.3 seconds to go.

Wall missed a 3-pointer, but Otto Porter Jr. rebounded the ball and drew a foul with 11.3 seconds left. Porter hit both free throws to bring the game within one point. The Wizards wasted some time trying to foul the Heat out of the timeout, and James Johnson hit one of two free throws with 6.5 seconds left as the Heat now led by two. Beal would take the last shot for the Wizards looking to tie it, but missed a midrange jump shot with 2.6 seconds to go. Miami rebounded the ball and would secure the victory, 91-88.

After the Wizards had been exceptional the paint defensively during their four-game winning streak, the Heat dominated them on Friday night. The Heat scored 46 points (23-of-38) to the Wizards' 28 (14-of-34 shooting) and out-rebounded the Wizards 52-46. Marcin Gortat had 11 points and 13 rebounds in his 27-plus minutes and Smith played a pivotal role in the second half, but Whiteside was still too much to handle with 11 of his points in the fourth quarter.

Beal's performance was once again at All-Star level for the Wizards. After he only scored four points on 2-of-7 shooting in the first half, Beal had 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting in the second half, including five 3-pointers. Beal was scoring everywhere and put in almost 40 minutes of tough work, especially on the glass with his first double-double of the season.

The Wizards (9-6) will head to Toronto to start a three-game road trip before Thanksgiving. Tip is set for 3:30pm on Sunday against the Raptors.

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Wizards' comeback falls short against Heat, 91-88

The Wizards tipped off a four-game home stand against the Mavericks on Tuesday on a sour note. Dallas led from start to finish, and defeated Washington 113-99 behind Harrison Barnes' 31 points. John Wall returned after missing one game with a left shoulder sprain and led the Wizards with 23 points and 14 assists, while Bradley Beal also added 23 points. The Mavericks have now beat the Wizards nine straight times in D.C., and have won 16 of the last 18 games in the series.

Dallas got off to a hot start, scoring 36 points on 62.5% shooting from the field, the most points they've put up in a quarter all season. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. scored nine of his 22 points in the first. Wall paced the Wizards with 12 points and five assists, scoring or assisting on 22 of Washington's first 34 points. The Wizards still put up 34 points of their own on 61.1% shooting, but the defense was unfortunately trending in the wrong direction.

The Mavericks began the second quarter on a 9-0 run, and would lead by as many as 15 points in the period. The Wizards' bench struggled against the Mavericks' veteran group, going 0-for-7 from the field in the quarter. Washington had five turnovers to the Mavericks' zero, and scored six second chance points and seven points off turnovers. Dallas would bring an 11-point lead into the half.

Beal had nine of his 23 points in the third quarter, but it was more of the same for the Wizards. Despite making 4-of-5 triples in the quarter, they struggled to take care of the ball and could not string together stops. Smith Jr. and Barnes combined for 13 points in the quarter and the Mavericks took advantage of their offensive rebounding to maintain a 14-point lead heading into the fourth.

With a 12-0 run to start the fourth quarter, the Wizards fought back and brought the game within a possession in the fourth quarter. With a lineup of Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks, Kelly Oubre Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and Jason Smith, the Wizards were getting stop after stop. Smith in particular was a spark off the bench with two key blocks, and Scott Brooks praised him and that lineup postgame.

“We were down 12, 13, 14 points and the only way we were going to make an effort was to bring some energy," Brooks said. "One thing Jason [Smith] does is he plays hard and he plays his butt off for the team. I got to figure out how to play him more. That’s been on me the last few days and my job is to figure out how I get him more minutes. He deserves it.”

Wall and Beal checked back in with 7:37 to go, but the Mavericks went on a 9-1 run to regain control of the game. Dallas would not look back and put the Wizards away for good in the final five minutes.

The Mavericks out-rebounded the Wizards 53-39, including 11-3 on the offensive glass, dominating second chance points 18-7. The Wizards really struggled to stop the Mavericks, even when their offense was flowing. It's been a problem through the team's first 10 games, and Beal expressed that postgame.

"It’s pretty much the same as all our losses," Beal said. "We didn’t play hard. They outworked us. We didn’t defend. That’s plain and simple. You don’t win if you don’t defend.”

Even with the loss, Wall's return was a great sign for the Wizards. His 23 points and 14 assists paced the team offensively on a night that Beal and Oubre shot poorly. Wall made 11 of his first 12 free throw attempts, but then missed two of his last six. Still, he got to the line 18 times and was attacking the rim at will.

Washington is now 5-5 in the team's first 10 games of the season after starting last season 2-8. Despite some disappointing early season games, Beal had a good message about how the Wizards are handling their frustration.

“Still positive (emotions), that's one thing I will say," Beal explained. "We are all little frustrated, but we are still together, sticking together through it. We are the ones playing, we are the ones who are going to get ourselves out of it.”

The Wizards will host the Lakers, who will be coming to town off a back-to-back in Boston, on Thursday at 7:00pm.