Wall, Porter Help Wizards Earn 115-111 Win Over Pistons
By Ian Quillen
WASHINGTON (AP) — John Wall scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half and added 10 assists to lift the Washington Wizards over the Detroit Pistons 115-111 on Friday night.
Otto Porter led the Wizards with 28 points, and Bradley Beal added 24. Washington won despite blowing a 15-point fourth-quarter lead.
Reggie Jackson scored 21 points for Detroit, which gave back its own 12-point lead across the second and third quarters.
Avery Bradley added 18 points as part of seven Pistons in double figures. But Andre Drummond finished with only nine points and 12 rebounds after fouling out late in the third quarter.
With the game tied late at 106, the Wizards did just enough to win. Beal converted a three-point play with 2:06 left, and then followed with a pull-up jumper to make it 113-108.
Bradley answered with a 3 from atop the arc to close it to two. But with a chance to tie, Porter stripped the ball away from Bradley in the lane on one possession, and Wall blocked Jackson on another before hitting two foul shots to seal the win.
A QUICK EXIT
Drummond had 10 rebounds and nine points by halftime but fouled out late in the third quarter after picking up his fourth, fifth and sixth personals in a stretch of just 46 seconds.
TIP-INS
Pistons: F Stanley Johnson (back) started after sitting out the team's morning shootaround. He hit his first two field goal attempts after going 0 for 13 in Detroit's season-opening win against Charlotte on Wednesday. ... Drummond outrebounded the Wizards 7-5 during the first quarter.
Wizards: F Jason Smith (right shoulder strain) was inactive but could return Monday, coach Scott Brooks said. Smith left Wednesday's opening win over Philadelphia after playing only seven minutes. ... C Marcin Gortat did not have a first-half rebound, but finished with six.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Complete their first back-to-back game set of the season at New York on Saturday night.
Wizards: Begin a four-game Western Conference trip at Denver on Monday night.
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