Wizards vs. Blazers Final Score: Wizards fall in overtime to Blazers 116-109

The Wizards came into tonight's game sitting uncomfortably at the tenth spot in the East after back-to-back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers and they did little to help their playoff chances tonight, losing their first game on a three-game road trip to the hot streaking Portland Trailblazers. These are tough times to be a Wizards fan, react accordingly.

First Quarter

There's something about Dame, he is orbiting the Steph Curry cloud right now and can score from anywhere on the basketball court. Lillard scored 14 of the Blazers 29 points on 5/5 shooting, all while leading his team on a 12-0 run.

The Wizards couldn't score a basket. A lot of overthinking happened, and Washington could not capitalize on the 5 Portland turnovers. Garrett Temple finally came alive and made both of his three-pointers. The telling moment of the quarter was a Wall alley-oop pass to Porter that never had a chance.

Second Quarter

Dudley and Nene set the tone for the second quarter and allowed the Wizards to cut into the Blazers lead. They were able to connect on open shots and even converted on a few "I can't believe he made that" plays. The Wizards played the best defense that they possibly could on Damian Lillard by keeping a man on him at all times, granted they were called for the foul in most instances but it worked. Dame went 0 of 6 from the field in the second.

The best sequence of the quarter was when John Wall nailed a three to give the Wizards the lead but Portland pushed the ball quickly down court and the man in the middle could not stop a transition layup from Brian Roberts on the other end before halftime

Third Quarter

Poised to play better, the Wizards built a 13-point lead, capped off by a pretty Wall to Morris alley-oop play.

This is becoming a thing by the way.

Otto Porter also delivered some solid play. He scored his first points of the game in this quarter on a baseline three, and Gortat found his rhythm as well utilizing that hook shot and roll to perfection. The Wizards were on a 29-8 run on Portland throughout the third quarter but that quickly changed because of these three things: offensive fouls, moving screens and poor shot selection. Missed shots, more like airballs, in this quarter hurt the Wizards pretty bad and went into the fourth down four instead of up ten or thirteen. Story of the season.

Fourth Quarter

We saw Kelly Oubre Jr. start the fourth, who's been in Wittman's doghouse as of late, and it looked like the doghouse has finally taken its toll on our favorite rookie Wave Papi as he had quite a few Shaqtin A Fool plays tonight. Poor Kelly.

Much like the first quarter, the Wizards played from behind most of the quarter, but Sessions and Dudley kept the Wizards in this thing, while Leonard and McCollum paced the Trailblazers in the Moda Center.

John Wall gave the Wizards a two-point lead with thirty seconds to play

But C.J. McCollum came back on the other end and tied the game at 104.

Pivotal stretch: with five seconds left to play, the Wizards had a pair of chances to win but came up short on both shots:

Overtime

This was the first overtime game of the season for the Washington Wizards, but the Blazers had been here before and it showed. The Wizards offense went cold and their defense followed the same pattern. Portland followed the lead of Dame, which ultimately led to them winning the game. Damian Lillard scored 9 of the Blazers 12 points in OT.  John Wall settled for jumpers and referred to his teammates rather than take control of the game, like he did prior to the start of OT. Wall and Sessions were the only Wizards who were able to register a made basket in overtime for five Wizards points. Game Over.

Alan Anderson Ejected

After getting tangled up with Gerald Henderson and throwing (el)bows, the referees (who love the Wizards so much) called a double technical on Anderson for initiating the altercation. However, if you watch the replay he was the more physical of the two. Oh well.  Henderson was only assessed a technical. Henderson stayed in the game and finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds 1 huge block on Marcin to end regulation.

Anderson played one minute of action, leaving the Wizards' with yet another man out.

Free Throw Woes Continue

In a game where the Wizards desperately needed to make their free throws, they didn't make their free throws. The Wizards missed twelve free throw attempts, and shot 48 percent as a team on FREE throws (11-23). It doesn't make sense. Steve Buckhantz said it better than anyone, "The Wizards are self-destructing at the free throw line, it's unbelievable."