The Sports Xchange
Dec 9, 2017
LOS ANGELES -- Lou Williams scored 35 points Saturday afternoon, including a long 3-pointer with just over a second remaining, as the Los Angeles Clippers ended a three-game losing streak with a 113-112 victory over the Washington Wizards.
The game ended in controversial fashion as Bradley Beal appeared to score the winning basket for the Wizards when he made a baseline jump shot, but it came just after the buzzer sounded. Referees ruled the clock started too soon and replayed the Wizards' final possession.
Marcin Gortat's long jumper bounced off the front of the rim to officially give the Clippers the victory.
The red-hot Beal finished with 25 points after scoring just two in the first half. He had poured in 85 points in his previous two games, the most in back-to-back games for a Wizards player since Gilbert Arenas scored the same in consecutive contests in 2006.
Williams continues to give the Clippers productivity off the bench. He entered leading the NBA in points off the bench at 17.8 per game. Danilo Gallinari added 25 points in his second game since returning from a hip injury, and Austin Rivers added 16.
It was the Clippers' first victory since losing All-Star forward Blake Griffin for two months with a sprained left knee. Griffin was injured late in a victory on Nov. 27 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The defeat ended a two-game road win streak for Washington, which now has lost six consecutive games when giving up 100 or more points to its opponent.
Rivers gave the Clippers a late lead with a 3-pointer as just 12 seconds showed on the clock. But Beal made a layup and free throw after a foul, to give the Wizards a late 112-110 advantage. Williams' 3-pointer highlighted a frantic final minute.
Otto Porter Jr. scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Wizards, while Mike Scott added 22 off the bench.
DeAndre Jordan scored six points and added 17 rebounds for the Clippers, while Montrezl Harrell added 11 points.
NOTES: Clippers G Lou Williams, who became the 96th player in NBA history to amass 1,000 3-pointers when he hit the plateau Thursday against Minnesota, added four more Saturday, including the game-winner, for 1,007in his career. ... Clippers C DeAndre Jordan, who entered play Saturday leading the NBA in field-goal percentage at .682, went just 2-for-6 from the field against the Wizards. ... Wizards G John Wall was inactive again with a knee injury suffered two weeks ago, but did participate in his first full practice Friday and could return next week. ... Wizards C Marcin Gortat played (and started) in his 108th consecutive game, with only the Minnesota duo of Karl-Anthony Towns (189) and Andrew Wiggins (182) playing in more games consecutively.