WASHINGTON: John Wall nailed a clutch three pointer with three seconds remaining to lift the Washington Wizards to a 92-91 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their NBA playoff series.
Wall’s late game-winning shot sets up a deciding Game 7 on Monday with the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference final against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wall said he was motivated Friday by some gamesmanship on behalf of the Celtic players, who decided to come to the Verizon Center arena wearing all black outfits.
“Don’t come into my city wearing all black talking about it is a funeral,” said Wall. “I got too much heart. I put in too much work.”
Wall’s heroics came after Al Horford’s jump shot with seven seconds left put the top-seeded Celtics ahead 91-89.
Washington’s Bradley Beal had 33 points and Wall scored 26 despite shooting nine of 25 from the field.
Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley each scored 27 points for the Celtics. Horford finished with 20 points.
The Wizards’ win continues a home court advantage pattern in the season series between the two teams. The teams have played 10 games this season with the home team winning each time.
The Wizards also exorcised some elimination-game demons by snapping a streak of seven straight elimination game losses at home.
Thomas scored five straight points to put Boston up 87-82 with 94 seconds remaining.
Washington countered with the help of a superb backcourt. Beal drained a shot from three point range and Wall tied the game by hitting two free throws with 41 seconds left.
Markieff Morris had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Washington.
“That was a heck of a basketball game between two teams playing very well,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.
The Celtics won games one and two — the first playoff series between Washington and Boston since 1984 — by at least 10 points.
After the Wizards won games three and four by 27 and 19 points, respectively, the Celtics roared back with a dominating 123-101 victory in Boston on Wednesday.
Asked what it means to force a Game 7, Wall said, “It is my life. This is what I asked for, down 2-0 to win.”
In Game 6, Wall continued his trend of slow starts. The four-time All-Star missed 11 of 12 field goals Friday before hitting three in a row in the third. He scored 13 in the period as Washington entered the fourth trailing 69-66.
“He’s a winner. He plays to win,” said Wizards coach Scott Brooks of Wall. “He’s not worried about his stats, he’s worried about winning the game.”
After quieting talk of a funeral on Friday with his game winner, Wall hopes to put final nail in the Celtics’ coffin on Monday.
The winner of Game 7 will tip off in the NBA semifinal series Wednesday in Cleveland.
Wall nails game winner as Wizards force Game 7
Wall nails game winner as Wizards force Game 7
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
