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OK, so maybe this was an unfortunate headline. But I'm back to remind everyone that, after a thorough 102-79 beatdown of the Pacers in Game 5, the Wizards still...well, they're still in the series.
With their season on the line, the Wizards came through marvelously, especially Marcin Gortat (31 points, 16 rebounds) and John Wall (27 points, five assists, five rebounds), who each turned in a career-best postseason performance. Bradley Beal took a backseat but still played a very good game, with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Trevor Ariza wasn't a force offensively (10 points), but he collected 10 rebounds and limited Paul George to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
Nene was close to a non-factor, with four points, four rebounds and four assists, and the AARP unit was pretty bad this game, but it didn't matter with Wall and Gortat playing so well. The Wizards led by 30 with two minutes left in the game, and the final score only ended up being as close as it was because the Pacers went on a quick 9-0 run after Randy Wittman had pulled his starters. If you read only one thing about this game, make it the section of Mike's Bullet-in regarding Wittman and Wall's confidence heading into Game 5, and particularly Mike's take on Wittman's biggest strength as a coach. It can't be said any better.
Onto Game 6, guys. Regardless of how it goes, I think it's safe to say we should all be very proud of this team. They've made it further than basically anybody reasonably thought they could to begin this season (and postseason, really). If Indiana wins and takes the series in D.C., at least it will give the home crowd a chance to send the Wizards to the offseason with a deserved standing ovation. If the Wiz take Game 6...well, who wouldn't love their chances on the road at this point?
KEY LINKS
Road team recaps: BF StoryStream | SB Nation (recap, Gortat sidebar) | Washington Post (gamer, sidebar, JReid column, Wise column, Wall sidebar) | DC Sports Bog (best-worst, Gortat/Shaq luv, Game 6 shirts, homecourt disadvantage?) | Washington Times (gamer, column) | CSN Washington (recap, Wall sidebar, rebounding sidebar, adjustments, by-the-numbers) | Truth About It | Wiz of Awes | District Sports Page (recap, analysis) | DC Sports Box | Grantland | SI | CBS Sports (recap, Gortat sidebar) | Bleacher Report | NBC Washington | Fansided | ESPN | Vavel | Wizards.com | Monumental Network
Home team recaps: Indy Cornrows StoryStream | Indy Star (gamer, sidebar, column) | Fox59 | 8 Points 9 Seconds (recap, grades) | Pacers Pulse | ESPN | FiveThirtyEight | CBS Sports | NBA.com | Pacers.com
Postgame interviews: Randy Wittman | Marcin Gortat | John Wall | Bradley Beal | Trevor Ariza | Drew Gooden | Otto Porter | Frank Vogel | Paul George | David West | George Hill | Lance Stephenson
KEY STATS
62 - There really is only one stat from this game, and it's that the Wizards outrebounded the Pacers, 62-23. Don't worry, I checked, and then triple-checked, and that's not a typo. The Wizards grabbed damn-near three rebounds for every board the Pacers collected.
39 - Indiana's shooting percentage against the Wizards, who themselves shot 50 percent in Game 5.
6 - Combined points (4) and rebounds (2) for Roy Hibbert in Game 5.
TWEETS OF THE NIGHT
Let's Go @WashWizards #dcRising
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 13, 2014
See, now if Wall's beard grew in full, he wouldn't have been so bothered by that chin-check.
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) May 13, 2014
John Wall now has two "around-Roy-Hibbert's-back" assists in this series. The first came in Game 1. The Wizards won that game. Just sayin'
— Conor Dirks (@ConorDDirks) May 13, 2014
Gortat/Wall 54, Pacers 52. Geesh.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) May 14, 2014
My guy @John_Wall ain't ready to go home.. I know the feeling bra
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 14, 2014
Let that marinate, bruhs. pic.twitter.com/lEF5LaicaN
— Hoop District (@HoopDistrictDC) May 14, 2014
EVERYBODY THROW OUT THEY MERKINS & SHAVE THEY PITS 2NITE IN HONOR OV THE POLISH BANANA
— WzzzzzzzNtzzzzzzzzzz (@wzzntzz) May 14, 2014
TEACH US HOW TO DOUGIE, COLIN "@ESPN_Colin: The John Wall fans, who disappeared for a week, have suddenly rediscovered twitter."
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) May 14, 2014
#Wizards finish with +39 rebound edge. That's the largest by any NBA team in any game (reg season/playoffs) since NYK (+40) on March 7, 1992
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) May 14, 2014
Gortat: "When Nene goes back and barks at those two young guys, they listen"
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) May 14, 2014
Was planning for this to be a season-ending beer. Now, it's for a different reason. pic.twitter.com/WHTrfCGQh1
— Mike Prada (@MikePradaSBN) May 14, 2014
I've had bowel movements that put up more fight than the #Pacers did tonight.
— Michael Rubino (@MARubino) May 14, 2014
Thrilled about that Wizards win. A loss/de facto series sweep would've wiped away the Round 1 sweetness. Now it's all gravy, and a Game 6.
— Mr. Irrelevant (@MrIrrelevantDC) May 14, 2014
The text of Marcin Gortat's soliloquy on John Wall after the #Wizards' Game 5 victory over the Pacers: pic.twitter.com/rLf5lGK1oG
— Zac Boyer (@ZacBoyer) May 14, 2014
Decent Game for Gortat. #Wizards pic.twitter.com/2xDEuR3IE4
— Danny (@recordsANDradio) May 14, 2014
VIDEO(s)/GIF(s) OF THE NIGHT
(H/T GD & Dawk Ins)
FIRST HALF GAMETHREAD COMMENT(s) OF THE NIGHT
SECOND HALF GAMETHREAD COMMENT OF THE NIGHT
GAME RECAP COMMENT(s) OF THE NIGHT
FIRST HALF GAMETHREAD ROLL CALL
| # | Commenter | # Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | qthaballa | 59 |
| 2 | NewCavsfan | 49 |
| 3 | lobster11 | 38 |
| 4 | DCrez | 36 |
| 5 | BEALiever | 35 |
| 6 | TheBackCourt | 32 |
| 7 | Yeti60 | 29 |
| 8 | Rice2012 | 27 |
| 9 | terpsDC | 24 |
| 10 | khrabb | 23 |
| 11 | Astilita | 20 |
| 12 | the new Bradfather | 19 |
| 13 | Knowledge92 | 16 |
| 14 | dc_chilling | 15 |
| 15 | ryanwadams | 14 |
| 16 | novadada | 14 |
| 17 | LRJ | 13 |
| 18 | ywlee22 | 12 |
| 19 | Craig_ | 12 |
| 20 | nesby8 | 11 |
| 21 | murtd1 | 9 |
| 22 | Baird15 | 9 |
| 23 | EarlBoykinsII | 8 |
| 24 | LeRibLover329 | 8 |
| 25 | LezBoules | 7 |
| 26 | Nickdogggmoneycash | 7 |
| 27 | pplchamp | 6 |
| 28 | oakhillsteeze | 6 |
| 29 | KappakidToo | 5 |
| 30 | satchmore | 5 |
| 31 | t0Shihiro | 4 |
| 32 | Mahlerh | 4 |
| 33 | BackScreenLob | 4 |
| 34 | WizADeveryday | 3 |
| 35 | John Wall Stan | 3 |
| 36 | Chetho | 2 |
| 37 | PAClark11 | 2 |
| 38 | tw10 | 2 |
| 39 | DCSportsGuy | 1 |
| 40 | tengis | 1 |
| 41 | Mike Prada | 1 |
| 42 | RCpige | 1 |
| 43 | ExcuseMeDearSir | 1 |
| 44 | KurisuDevil | 1 |
| 45 | Emmet O'Neal | 1 |
| 46 | WindyRindy | 1 |
| 47 | g zeller | 1 |
| 48 | WizardFan | 1 |
| 49 | g_andal16 | 1 |
| 50 | TeamDC | 1 |
| 51 | DiffFan08 | 1 |
| 52 | BadMoveSmoove | 1 |
| 53 | Hulk_07 | 1 |
| 54 | natsbat4ws | 1 |
| 55 | daca | 1 |
| 56 | spotless | 1 |
| 57 | Mandark | 1 |
| 58 | Horcasitas4 | 1 |
Gortat!
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