The Sports Xchange
Dec 15, 2017
WASHINGTON -- Mike Scott matched his season-high with 22 points off the bench and Bradley Beal had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Washington Wizards overcame their latest uneven performance for a 100-91 win over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night.
The Wizards (16-13) could not put away their shorthanded opponent until a decisive 17-5 run started with 4:52 remaining. Washington won its second consecutive game and gained revenge after falling to the Clippers last week.
John Wall had 15 points in 29 minutes in his second consecutive game after sitting out nine in a row following injections in his knee to help with inflammation.
Lou Williams had 23 points and Jawun Evans scored 15 for the Clippers (11-16). Los Angeles had won three in a row, starting with a 113-112 win over the Wizards on Dec. 9. DeAndre Jordan finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
Scott sank 9-of-10 shots from the field. Signed to a one-year veteran minimum contract during the offseason, Scott is shooting 34 of 43 (79.1 percent) over his last six games.
Washington needed Scott's production because of issues with its starting frontcourt.
Otto Porter played only three minutes before exiting in the first quarter with a right thigh bruise. Markieff Morris was saddled with foul trouble before halftime. He picked up his fourth 52 seconds into the third quarter.
Morris (hip, ankle) had eight points after sitting out Wednesday's 93-87 win over Memphis and his field goal broke an 82-82 tie. Kelly Oubre's four-point play with 3:11 remaining highlighted the key surge.
Already without star forward Blake Griffin (left MCL sprain) and guard Patrick Beverley (knee surgery), Los Angeles faced Washington without forward Danilo Gallinari (left glute contusion), third-leading scorer Austin Rivers (concussion) and guard Milos Teodosic.
Los Angeles committed 21 turnovers and shot 38.8 percent from the floor.
The Clippers opened a four-game road trip with Wednesday's 106-95 win at Orlando.
Williams, who made his sixth start of the season Friday, scored 35 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds in the Clippers' home win over the Wizards.
The Wizards had two separate 12-0 runs in the first half Friday and led by as many as 18 points, but entered halftime up 48-43. After pushing the lead to 15 in the third quarter, they once again squandered their advantage. Evans, a defensive pest throughout, tied the game 79-79 on a jumper with 6:54 remaining.
NOTES: G John Wall needs eight points to pass Phil Chenier (9,778) for sixth on Washington's all-time scoring list. ... Clippers G Milos Teodosic is expected to play in Saturday's game at the Miami Heat. The point guard played in the previous two games after missing 22 while recovering from a plantar fascia injury to his left foot. ... Washington hosts Cleveland Sunday in the first meeting since LeBron James scored 57 points against the Wizards on Nov.3 in the Cavaliers' 130-122.