Wizards win to conjure Game 7
Wall hits 3-pointer with seconds left
WASHINGTON — John Wall stood atop the scorer's table, popping his jersey, yelling and celebrating his 3pointer with 3.5 seconds left for the go-ahead basket that put his Washington Wizards into a Game 7 against the visiting Boston Celtics.
After Washington's 92-91 victory-extended the Eastern Conference semifinal, Wall offered his thoughts on Boston's failure to back up its fashion statement of wearing all black clothing to the arena Friday night.
“It was just funny to me. It was kind of copy-catting what we did,” said Wall, whose Wizards donned dark outfits before a regular-season game between these teams that are building a rivalry.
“It was in my mind throughout the game that I didn't want them to come here, wear all black, and basically call it a funeral,” Wall added.
Thanks to him and backcourt mate Bradley Beal, Washington's season will last at least one more game.
Wall finished with 26 points, Beal scored a gamehigh 33, and they combined for 23 of Washington's 26 points in the back-and-forth fourth quarter.
“All we asked for was one more game,” Wall said, “and we got it.”
Game 7 is at Boston Monday night. The winner will face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East finals starting Wednesday.
The host has won all 10 games between the Wizards and Celtics this season — four in the regular season and six in the playoffs.
“Twobest words in playoffs is ‘ Game 7,'” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “Seems like itwas meant to be.”
Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley each scored 27 points for Boston, the conference's No. 1 seed.
“Their season was on the line,” Thomas said. “They should have been motivated by everything else.”
Boston, which won Game 5 at home by 22 points, led Game 6 by 69-66 entering the fourth quarter, when a relatively blah game became much more compelling.
The final period was tight throughout, featuring six ties and nine lead changes.
Boston was up 87-82, but did not hold on.
“We put ourselves in position to win the game,” said Al Horford. “Couldn't finish it. ... We can't dwell on this.”