Bogdanovic has prospered since the departure of veteran Joe Johnson and is averaging 18.1 points over the past nine games to raise his season average to 10.5.ABOUT THE BULLS (33-33): Shooting guard Jimmy Butler has struggled in two games since returning from a knee injury – averaging 15 points on 9-of-30 shooting – while Rose displayed encouraging signs against the Wizards.
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Cavaliers 99, Mavericks 98 – Kyrie Irving scored 33 points and made a key steal in the closing seconds, leading the Cavaliers – without resting LeBron James – to the victory in Cleveland.
Reserve Garrett Temple hit five of them and was flawless in the first half as the Wizards led by 11.
“We dug ourselves a hole at the start”, coach Brett Brown said. The Wizards ended the night 13-21 (62 percent) from three-point range.
Overall it was a bad effort by the Bulls as they made the Wizards look like the second coming of Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Chicago remains without big man Pau Gasol (knee) and previously lost shot blocker Joakim Noah for the season.
Finally playing as if their chance at returning to the postseason was on the line, which it very much is, the Wizards beat Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls 117-96 behind Wall’s third triple-double of the season Wednesday night. Wall finished with eight turnovers, but the Wizards outscored the Bulls by 38 points with him on the court.
If they were, Wall’s blur-like speed sent the Bulls back home, heads spinning with 29 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes. On 6 of 11 shooting, while holding the Bulls to just 2 of 7 to start, the Wizards took a 16-6 lead.
The Wizards opened the third quarter on an 8-2 run as they continued their hot shooting from beyond the arc with 9 of 12 shooting at that point.
Derrick Rose, who sat out Friday’s loss to the Heat with a sore groin, participated in the non-contact portions of Sunday’s practice and is a gametime decision against the Raptors.
Members of Washington’s starting five each scored in double figures. “If they do, if they get by these first two games, they’ll be in Chicago for the Sweet 16 game, so really hoping that happens”. Rose had 14 at the half and McDermott 13, but Taj Gibson had to leave late in the second quarter with an apparent hamstring injury.
The Wizards have won eight of nine at home. The Wizards listed Gortat as “doubtful” to play because of lower back pain – and he eventually checked in during the second quarter.
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Washington led by 14 points in the first quarter, but Rose and McDermott fueled an early second-quarter surge that put Chicago up before collapsing over the final 5:24 of the period.
