Usually the 1-vs-8 NBA first-round playoff games are borderline unwatchable, unless you’re a fan of the 1-seed, of course. But the current Raptors-Wizards series feels pretty evenly matched.
And the series results certainly reflect that. The Wizards came away with a 106-98 victory in Game 4 on Sunday evening in DC, to tie the series up 2-2.
https://youtu.be/2JzYx0qPKZo
Washington erased a 14-point deficit, and outscored Toronto 66-47 in the second half to get the crucial win.
The Wizards got a fantastic performance from their backcourt, with John Wall (27) and Bradley Beal (31) combining for 58 points. Wall — who only played 49 games in the regular season due to injury — also dished out 14 assists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lGT_6CqZXo
And Bradley’s 31 points came despite fouling out with 4:58 remaining (on a call he was quite unhappy about).
While the Raptors aren’t as good as you’re typical No. 1 seed, the Wizards are certainly much better than your typical 8-seed as well. Injuries, drama, and perhaps just regular-season carelessness held Washington to a 43-39 record, but they’re a significantly better team than that on paper. We’re certainly seeing that through four playoff games.
But, to win the series, the Wizards will have to get at least one win in Toronto. They’ll get the shot to do that on Wednesday night in Game 5.