Raptors Vs. Wizards: Positive And Negative Pixels From Monday's OT Win

Raptors Vs. Wizards Quick-Hit Recap: Take 100 seconds to catch up on the news, notes and must-see from last night's Wizards action -- good and bad -- with 'Postive Pixels, Wicked Pixels.' It's your morning-after Wizards hangover cure.

Positive Pixels

• John Wall: 31 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks and an emphatic shout of "This is my city!" Monday night was a neat reminder of who Wall is and what he can be. His ability to create offense -- either for himself off the dribble or with the attention/doubles he demands -- was huge for the Wizards late in the fourth quarter when every possession was critical. My favorite Wizards play: any time Wall goes to the basket -- he shot 14 free throws tonight.

"John led it with his play on both ends of the floor," interim head coach Randy Wittman said. "The pace of the game in that first quarter, to me, was incredible. His decisions, going all the way to the basket, his defensive pressure, we just kind of all fell in right behind that."

• First Three Quarters: The Wizards were sharp early, opening up a 10-point lead after the first quarter and extending the lead to 15 points at halftime -- they're second-largest lead at intermission this season. The Wizards backcourt of Wall and Nick Young had 30 of the Wizards 57 points at the break. That cushion allowed Washington some breathing room when Toronto made a run late (more on that later).

This dunk was pretty cool, too:

• OT Defense: After blowing an 18-point lead to let the Raptors force overtime, the Wizards clamped down during the extra period. Toronto did not register a made field goal in OT, scoring three points, all at the foul line. Highlight: John Wall blocking consecutive shots by Raptors 6-foot-11 forward Amir Johnson, followed by Trevor Booker emphatically stuffing Johnson all on one possession -- 16 seconds -- in overtime.

"I think those were the key in tonight's game," Booker said. "It got the team hyped, it saved a couple of baskets and it helped us win."

Wicked Pixels

• Today in Must-See JaVale McGee GIFs

(via Truth About It's @JohnCTownsend)

• Late game lull: The Wizards put together perhaps their best three quarters of basketball this season and led by 18 with 3:02 left in the third quarter. But from that point, the Raptors got closer, and closer and closer until -- what, what? -- Washington had to come from behind with 30 seconds left.

Washington is a) *very* young and b) relatively inexperienced at winning, let alone holding a big lead. After the game, Booker and Kevin Seraphin stressed that this would be a learning experience, but the coaching staff can't be overly pleased about letting Jerryd Bayless and Linas Kleiza shoot Toronto back into this basketball game.

• The Verizon Center Crowd: It is an actual fact* that the first half of Monday night's game game was also an episode of Silent Library. Listen for yourself:

*Note: Not actually an actual true fact.

For more on this game, scan our Raptors vs. Wizards StoryStream. Get the latest fan perspective at our Wizards blog, Bullets Forever.

The Washington Wizards got their fifth win of the season on Monday night, defeating the Toronto Raptors 111-108 at Verizon Center. Just three days after Jose Calderon and Toronto ran Washington off the floor in Canada, the Wizards responded with a solid first half on Monday to jump out to a 15-point halftime lead. Randy Wittman was as discouraged and frustrated as he's been since taking over when he spoke to the media on Friday after the loss. On Monday, Washington led by as many as 18 points but a sluggish fourth quarter and Jerryd Bayless made this one too close for comfort in the final minutes.

With just under a minute remaining, Linas Kleiza hit a three-pointer to give Toronto a 101-100 lead - their first since it was 2-0. Kleiza had a season-high for Toronto, scoring 30 points. Bayless also had a season-high 30 points and went on a personal run in the fourth quarter that got Toronto back in the game

Down 103-102, John Wall drove the lane and drew a blocking foul on Bayless while hitting the continuation floater. He missed the and-one free-throw but Washington was there to grab a long rebound. Jordan Crawford was immediately fouled and made only one of two to give the Wizards a 105-103 lead with 17 seconds left. The Wizards missed 11 free throws.

The missed free throws enabled Toronto to tie the score at 105-105 on an Amir Johnson follow-up dunk. With ten seconds remaining, the Wizards failed to get off a shot as Nick Young was blocked by James Johnson. In an ugly overtime, the Wizards only made one field goal, but held the Raptors to just three points to escape with the win. The visitors had a chance to send the game into double overtime, but Calderon's three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer.

Nick Young and John Wall were extraordinary for Washington, building the first half lead and creating penetration in overtime. Young finished with 29 points while Wall scored 31 and had 7 assists. Wall had a couple huge blocks in overtime, as Toronto failed to make a field goal in the extra session. Trevor Booker supported the guards, adding 19 points and a huge stuff of Johnson in overtime.

The Wizards now host the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, looking to make it two in a row.

For more on the Wizards, please check out Bullets Forever. And for more on the Raptors, head over to Raptors HQ. For more on this and every NBA game, check out the SB Nation NBA Basketball hub.

The Washington Wizards are looking to avenge last week's ugly loss to the Toronto Raptors and improve to 2-1 this season against the league's only Canadian team. After 24 minutes at Verizon Center, things are looking good for the Wiz as they lead 57-42. Guards John Wall and Nick Young led Washington in a big 29-point first quarter in which the club shot 65 percent from the floor. They extended their ten point lead to 15 in the second quarter.

Wall finished with the half with 13 points and four assists while Young added 17 points on 7 of 12 shooting from the field. As a team, Washington is shooting 59.5 percent from the floor - a high mark for any team in any season, but especially abnormal for this team. In addition to the guards, Trevor Booker had an efficient first half hitting five of six shots to get into double figures.

On defense, the Washington backcourt has held Jose Calderon in check. The Spaniard has no points and only one assist so far tonight, just days after cutting up the Wizards for 17 dimes on Friday. Washington will look to keep the pressure on Calderon and keep up the hot shooting to get their fifth win of the season.

For more on the Wizards, please check out Bullets Forever. And for more on the Raptors, head over to Raptors HQ. For more on this and every NBA game, check out the SB Nation NBA Basketball hub.

The last time the Toronto Raptors visited D.C. the big story was the $0.30 tickets available on the secondary market. If the tickets were that cheap on Monday, it sounds like no one bought them.

Have a listen to the live-action at the Verizon Center. It's *so* quiet that it kind of feels like a high school game.

Sounds like a good environment ... for a nap! (*High five!*)

Last time out, Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan had jokes about the price of tickets: "When I was young, Clipper tickets were pretty low -- but not no *dollar*."

I wonder if the high school basketball games at Compton High School were louder than this?

As for the game, the Wizards have been in control (so far) and it looks like the Raptors, if anyone, are having trouble getting energized given the lack of buzz in the arena.

For the latest updates, game notes and analysis on the game, follow our Raptors vs. Wizards StoryStream. Get even more terrific fan perspective at SB Nation's Wizards blog, Bullets Forever.

UPDATE: Looks like the Wizards will make a lineup change after all, although not for a veteran presence. Chris Singleton will start in place of Rashard Lewis, who is sitting out with a sore knee.

***

WASHINGTON -- Interim coach Randy Wittman said he wanted to "sprinkle in" a new veteran presence to help balance the Wizards youth on the court, but that doesn't mean a change in the starting lineup for tonight's Raptors vs. Wizards game. Instead, he will try more subtle tinkering.

"Maybe different rotations," Wittman said before the game. "Things of that nature. I'm looking at a lot of different things. That's what you try to do."

The last time the Raptors visited the Verizon Center, then-head coach Flip Saunders inserted Trevor Booker and Chris Singleton into the frontcourt for Rashard Lewis and Andray Blatche, a move that helped spark the Wizards to a 93-78 win, Washington's first of the season.

But with his veteran bench options limited to wing players Roger Mason and Mo Evans -- and rebounding a primary concern -- Wittman said he'll leave the lineup intact Monday night.

In-Game Focus: Rebounding

Here's a simple stat: The Wizards have been outrebounded 114 to 69 in their last two games, including a 61-37 by the Raptors on Feb. 3 (in fact, the Raptors had more defensive rebounds in that game -- 38 -- than the Wizards had rebounds total).

Yup, that's going to be a point of emphasis.

"The last couple games we've gotten totally destroyed on the boards," Wittman said. "Then you couple that with 37, 36, 38 percent shooting — you're not going to beat very many teams with that.

"Shooting comes and goes," he added. "Rebounding is something that's got to be a constant."

Player Spotlight: JaVale McGee

If rebounding is the focus, the spotlight is going to fall on the Wizards pivot. McGee has just 10 rebounds total in the last two games, which isn't going to get it done for Washington.

Wittman spoke before the game about getting McGee to rebound better without taking away his aggressiveness on the defensive end.

"Sometimes his shot-blocking takes him off the rebound," Wittman said. "That's something that he's got to be a little careful of."

For updates from this game, follow our Raptors vs. Wizards StoryStream. For more on the Wizards, check out Bullets Forever.

The Washington Wizards are looking to pick up their fifth win of the season and snap a four game losing streak as they welcome in the Toronto Raptors to the Verizon Center. The Wizards actually picked up their first win of the season over the Raptors back on Jan. 10 at home, beating Toronto 93-78.

The Wizards aren't the only team struggling to pick up wins however as the Raptors have just eight wins on the season and have lost three of their last four games. The only game the Raptors have won in this four game stretch was against the Wizards on Feb. 3, when the Raptors won at home 106-89.

Game Date/Time: Monday, February 6; 7:00pm ET

Location: Verizon Center, Washington D.C.

TV Schedule
Washington: CSNB
Toronto: TSN

Radio Schedule
Orlando: The Fan 106.7 FM
Toronto: The FAN 590 AM

We'll have plenty more on this game throughout the day here on SB Nation D.C., so keep it locked to this StoryStream. For more on the Wizards, please check out Bullets Forever. And for more on the Raptors, head over to Raptors HQ. For more on this and every NBA game, check out the SB Nation NBA Basketball hub.