By Stephen D. Riley
AFRO Staff Writer
Wizards star Gilbert Arenas struggled with his shots all night, but was able to give 10 assists and a buzzer-beating shot. (Courtesy Photo)
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(November 15, 2009) - The Washington Wizards started out slow in their game against the Detroit Pistons then couldn’t finish once they finally took a lead. The Wizards fell 106-103 to the Pistons on Nov. 14 after jumping to a 78-69 lead with just under three minutes left in the third quarter.
Washington trailed by as many as 12 in the second quarter before newly signed Earl Boykins caught fire. Boykins scored 11 points in the second quarter and helped the Wizards close the first half trailing only 55-47. Boykins − signed Nov. 12 − finished his first game as a Wizard tied for the team lead with 20 points. At times throughout the night, Boykins was the main source of offense and his quickness up and down the court forced his Washington teammates to add some extra pep in their steps.
“He’s a good player,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. “He has a high basketball IQ.”
The Wizards were expecting a boost to their lineup with the return of shooting guard Mike Miller and power forward Antawn Jamison from injuries. While Miller’s return yielded a 20-point night, Jamison was forced to sit out the contest after the two-time All-Star came down with a headache and fever that forced him to miss Friday’s practice. Jamison is expected to play Wednesday when Washington hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gilbert Arenas struggled shooting for most of the night, shooting only 7-for-18 and scoring 19 points. Arenas still managed to hand out 10 assists and nailed another buzzer-beating shot; making a 33-foot three pointer to end the first half. Arenas also pulled down six rebounds but missed key baskets down the stretch that could’ve tied the game or gave Washington the lead.
While the loss gave Washington their sixth-consecutive defeat, Saunders was encouraged with his team’s effort and believes that good things are ahead.
“[When] you’re not playing very good, you don’t all of the sudden just play well,” Saunders said. “This is the best we’ve played within the last two weeks. There’s [no] moral victories but you do have to build on that.”
Key Players:
Earl Boykins tied for team lead with 20 points off the bench. Mike Miller led the Wizards starters with 20 points after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury. Miller knocked down four three pointers in his return. Gilbert Arenas struggled with his shot much of the night but handed out ten assists while nailing four three pointers.
Ben Gordon was unguardable on the night. The ex-Bull posted 29 points and shot five-for-eight from three-point range. Fellow starter Charlie Villanueva added 25 points and seven rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Will Bynum led all Pistons reserves with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Key Stretch:
Leading 78-69, Washington missed four consecutive shots and committed one turnover that allowed the Pistons to cut the lead to 78-74.
Next Up:
Washington will face the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday Nov. 18 at the Verizon Center. Detroit will travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Tuesday Nov. 17 at the Staples Center.