NBA News Wire
Wizards 101, Nets 94
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
WASHINGTON — Guard John Wall scored 33 points and forward Drew Gooden added 21 as the Washington Wizards rallied for a 101-94 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
Guard Bradley Beal added 15 points for the Wizards (34-32), who trailed by 10 points early in the final period, but closed the game with a 9-0 run. Washington won two straight games and moved into fifth place, one game ahead of Brooklyn.
Guard Marcus Thornton scored 19 points and guard Joe Johnson had 16 for the Nets (33-31). Brooklyn shot over 50 percent from the field most of the game, but went the final 6:22 without a field goal. The Nets had won three straight and seven of eight.
The Wizards swept the season series from Nets 3-0.
Thornton’s 3-pointer opening the fourth quarter gave Brooklyn an 82-72 lead. The Nets made 11 of 21 3-pointers.
Veteran forwards Al Harrington and Gooden starred in the Wizards subsequent rally. On three straight offensive possessions, Harrington had a dunk, driving layup and a steal that setup a Beal putback.
Gooden, who is on his second 10-day contract with Washington, then scored the Wizards’ next three baskets, including a jumper for an 87-86 lead. His 3-pointer with 2:37 left put Washington ahead for good before the sold out crowd of 20,356.
Gooden’s 21 points are his most since he had 21 against the Wizards on April 18, 2012 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Wall made 10 of 15 shots, including his first four to open the third quarter and a thunderous dunk to cap the scoring. Washington made 21 of 25 free throws. Wall sank 9 of 10 in his eighth game with at least 30 points this season
Forward Paul Pierce had 15 points and guard Deron Williams scored 14 points for the Nets. Williams scored 10 on four field goals in the first quarter, but went 0-for-7 from the field over the final three periods.
Beal started despite needing to be helped off the court late in Washington’s 105-101 overtime win at the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
The Nets shot 55 percent from the field in the first half and closed the second quarter on a 10-4 run for a 57-48 halftime lead. Williams had 12 points and six assists. Wall led all scorers with 13 points.
NOTES: The Wizards defeated the Nets in Washington by four points in overtime Nov. 8 and 113-107 in Brooklyn on Dec. 18. … Nets F Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and Wizards F Martell Webster (back) were both game-time decisions. Webster checked in during the first quarter, Kirilenko in the second. … Brooklyn signed C Jason Collins for the remainder of the season after two 10-day contracts. The 13-year veteran made his first appearance in Washington, where he played at the end of last season. Last month the 34-year-old Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play any of the four main U.S. sports. … Brooklyn hosts the Phoenix Suns on Monday. Washington starts a four-game Western road swing against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
