Giving it right back See BUCKS, Page 5B
Two-game set ends with blown lead
Washington — Another fourth-quarter lead disappeared at the Verizon Center.
This time the Milwaukee Bucks had a 10-point lead with about 8 minutes left but were outplayed down the stretch in a 107-102 loss to the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards outscored the Bucks, 21-6, during that span as the teams split their back-to-back set over a fourday period. Milwaukee also lost in Washington on Dec. 10 when it also faltered down the stretch in a 110-105 defeat.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks (14-15) with 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and Tony Snell added a season-high 20 points and hit a career-high 6 three-pointers. Matthew Dellavedova had a teamhigh 11 assists.
But it all fell apart at the end, a recurring theme that is keeping the Bucks from making some strides in the Eastern Conference race.
“Threes hurt us; that’s it,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “It’s real simple. I think we gave up 4 or 5 threes with the lead in the fourth quarter, and anytime you do that it’s going to give the opponent a chance to get back in the game.”
The Wizards made 4 of 8 three-point attempts as they outscored the Bucks in the final quarter, 25-18.
A baseline jumper by Markieff Morris gave Washington a 99-98 lead with 3:08 left and the Wizards never trailed again. Jabari Parker’s dunk with 1:10 remaining brought the Bucks to
within 101-100, but Otto Porter answered with a clutch three-pointer with 49 seconds left.
Porter finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Wizards (14-16), while Bradley Beal added 22 points and John Wall had 18 points and a seasonhigh 16 assists.
The Bucks routed Washington at home, 12396, on Friday and were bidding for a sweep of the back-to-back set.
“When it’s crunch time and the game is on the line, we have to be better,” Bucks center Greg Monroe said. “When we have the lead, we have to find ways to finish out the game with a win.
“I think the ball kind of sticks late. We have to do a better job of keeping it moving. That’s when we’re at our best. Then lock in on defense.”
Antetokounmpo dunked with 22.1 seconds left to pull Milwaukee within two points, and Wall made just 1 of 2 free throws to give the Bucks an opening. But Snell missed a corner threepoint attempt that could have tied the game. Beal clinched the Wizards’ victory with two free throws with 5.5 seconds left.
“At the end of the game we just got really afraid and we couldn’t close the game, seal the deal,” Parker said. “I think we feed each other.
“Not a single person was real positive and that’s what led us to our loss. We panicked. We all looked at each other and pointed the finger. Collectively we weren’t composed; we weren’t motivated.
“I just hope we all stay together. Through thick and thin we’ve got to all stay together.”
Antetokounmpo was only three assists off a triple-double but took just three shots and scored only six points in the second half.
“I didn’t force the game,” Antetokounmpo said.
Beal said the Wizards wanted to avenge their loss to the Bucks after being run off the floor Friday in Milwaukee. Wall and Beal did not even play in the fourth quarter that night after being pulled by coach Scott Brooks.
“No doubt about it,” Beal said. “That was our mindset coming in. We didn’t even have to have a pregame today; we already knew our mindset was locked into the game. We knew that we wanted to get them back and do whatever it takes.”
The Bucks led at halftime, 57-53, behind the three-point shooting of Snell and the all-around play of Antetokounmpo.
Snell made his first 5 three-point attempts and had 15 points in the half, while Antetokounmpo contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Wall scored 11 points in the third quarter as he started to be more aggressive going to the basket and the Wizards pulled within 84-82 entering the final quarter.
Beal and Wall each had 16 points in the second half to overcome slow starts.
“A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” Beal said. “I probably would have been out of the game mentally, just not being able to make shots and help out on the offensive end.
“For me, it only takes one to get going. I just stay confident in myself, not getting down, just staying level-headed and moving on to the next one.”