It took Wall one additional outing to be absolutely certain he’ d be OK after coming back from surgery on his left knee, pointing to his 29-point, 12-assist
effort against Boston five days later.”I had a big game,” he said Monday, looking back at that victory from a couple of weeks ago. ”Kind of just started to see shots fall that I was falling
short on the couple of games I had before that.”As Wall prepares to lead the No. 8 seed Wizards into Game 5 against the No. 1 seed Raptors on Wednesday night in Toronto, it is as if he never was away for
more than two months. As if he never needed that operation in the first place.
As if he got a chance to ramp up for the postseason for more than merely four
games.And all of that outside chatter about whether Washington might just be better off without him, based on the team going 8-2 at the start of his absence in
January and February, sure seems silly right about now. Especially after Wall
carried Washington to a 106-98 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night by scoring
eight of the host’s last 14 points and adding an assist – plus tight defense on
DeMar DeRozan – after Bradley Beal fouled out with about five minutes left.Did it while playing all 24 minutes in the second half, too. Plus, Wall revealed Monday that he twisted his right ankle down the stretch Eddie Goldman Jersey , although he declared himself fine.”It’s always pulling teeth to try to get him off the court,” Brooks said. ”I like that. As a coach, you want that.”Now Washington will need to grab a victory on the road at least once to claim a series in which the home team has won every game so far.”You put John Wall on this team for 82 games,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said, ”and I guarantee they wouldn’t be eighth.”Instead, Wall appeared in only 41 games this season, missing all four that Washington played against Toronto. But he sure is looking good when the games
count the most.He is averaging 26.8 points, 13 assists and 4.8 rebounds in the series.And here’ s an obscure, yet telling, stat offered up by the Wizards: Wall joined Magic Johnson as the only players with at least 27 points Vontae Davis Jersey , 14 assists and six rebounds in two consecutive playoff games.”It was just a matter of time before he got back to himself,” Wizards forward Markieff Morris said. ”He just needed to get some games under his belt.
Basically, just get his feet under him, get his wind back, and he would get back
to how he was playing. Because he’s a competitor.”That aspect of Wall’ s persona came out when he was trading barbs with Canadian rapper Drake during the series’ first two games in Toronto, when the
Raptors were taking a 2-0 lead.”I told him to be here for Game 3. He told me he was going to be here. Didn’t show up. He told me we were getting swept and he had the broom for us,” Wall
said. ”I wanted him to know they weren’t going to sweep us.”—Associated Press writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report.—The chants for ”TJ! TJ!” grew louder each time T.J. McConnell darted through the lane for an easy basket or buried a 3 to build an insurmountable lead for
the 76ers. He wore a sheepish look as teammates rubbed his head on the bench in
appreciation, the big moment due on an undrafted guard who plugged a role in the
early Process days and morphed into a surprise postseason savior.McConnell turned an eye-popping start into the save of the season and Dario Saric scored 25 points to help Philadelphia stave off elimination in a 103-92
win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 on Monday night.”If I saw a lane, I took it. If I had an open shot, I would try and take it Patrick DiMarco Jersey ,” McConnell said.Easy enough.Yet the Sixers still face daunting odds headed into Game 5 and trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals: No NBA team has ever won a series down
3-0.McConnell had a career-high 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in only his second start of the season and meshed well in the backcourt with Ben
Simmons. The crowd chanted his initials each time he touched the ball in the
fourth and he proved why he has been so valuable even as bigger stars have
sliced his playing time.He was just what coach Brett Brown needed in a must-win game.”I can tell you the Philadelphia 76ers spirit is just fine,” Brown said.With NBA teams down 3-0 having lost all 129 series, the Sixers may need more than spirit to pull off this stunner.Joel Embiid had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Simmons had 19 points and 13 boards.Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Marcus Morris had 17.The Sixers spent the second half in control in what could be their last home game of the season.Embiid was still in the mix in his mask, stirring it up with any Celtic within his wingspan. He chirped at Marcus Morris in the third and the Celtics
forward flashed a ”3-0” with his hands. McConnell buried a 3 for a 14-point lead
that would soon make that combination obsolete.The ”TJ!” chants soon echoed throughout the Wells Fargo Center.”It was a pretty special moment,” McConnell said of the chants. ”I think we have the best fans in the NBA. They’ve been here through the dark times and
they’ve certainly been here on our rise.”So has McConnell.Brown was desperate to spark the Sixers and benched slumping forward Robert Covington (0 for 14 combined in Games 1 and 3) for McConnell. McConnell had
started 68 games combined over the last two seasons and served as an example of
the type of player The Process was built on. He was an underdog, a hustler, a
court general averaging 6.5 points that made him a reliable favorite for Brown.
But Simmons’ emergence put McConnell on the bench, and without complaint.With a chance to shine, McConnell zipped inside for easy buckets Le'Raven Clark Jersey , made the extra pass to keep the offense rolling and made the dive for loose balls.”How do I help my stars be stars because at the end of the day that’s what we need,” Brown said. ”That’s my job.”He turned to McConnell, that’s how.The anticipation of elimination and a 6 p.m. EDT tip sharply cut into attendance and the game had more of an early-season feel until Embiid and Terry
Rozier shook everyone up with pushing and shoving late in the first half. Embiid
tried to strip the ball from Rozier after the whistle. Rozier tightened his grip
and Embiid slapped at the ball again. The 6-foot-1 Rozier shoved the 7-2 Embiid
in the chest with his right hand and the two quickly had to be separated.”He tried to punch me twice. Too bad he’s so short he couldn’t get to my face,” Embiid said.Rozier and Embiid were hit with Ts. Then they each hit 3s.Embiid buried one that had the crowd buzzing until Rozier came right back and hit his own.The Celtics took a punch – but they can still finish it Wednesday at home.”Finish the game. Get it done,” Boston’s Jaylen Brown said. ”Advance and do what we were supposed to do.”TIP-INSCeltics: G Shane Larkin left with a left shoulder injury in the first quarter. … Markieff Morris of the Wizards was in the stands to support twin
brother Marcus. The brothers are Philly natives.Sixers: Covington still hit the bench early in the second quarter with three quick fouls. … Missed 10 of 14 3s in the first half.MAN DOWNThe Celtics could be even more of a threat had Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward not been lost this season to injury.”There’s not a coach in the world that wouldn’t want everybody available,” coach Brad Stevens said. ”I think that obviously we’d be better with those guys.
They’re very good players. Both unselfish players. But I really like this group
and those guys are still a part of that.”CONFETTI BENCHEDThe Sixers scrapped their traditional confetti cannon celebration after it was prematurely shot at the end of regulation in a Game 3 overtime loss.— Adidas Claude Giroux Jersey
