NEW YORK (AP) — The result of the game was expected. But, given the different paths these teams have been on, the drama was not.
Bradley Beal scored 31 points, John Wall added 23 points and 12 assists, and Otto Porter Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Washington Wizards won for the eighth time in their last nine games and sent the Brooklyn Nets to their 11th straight loss with a 114-110 overtime victory Wednesday night.
Jason Smith scored 15 points and Marcin Gortat added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Wizards.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets with 21 points. Brook Lopez, who finished with 20 points, fouled out with 1:20 left in regulation as Brooklyn dropped its 13th in a row at home.
“We knew going into this game that they were going to compete,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “That’s what they do. We’re glad we got the win, but we have to play much better.”
Porter’s two free throws with 1:21 left in overtime snapped a 107-107 tie and gave the Wizards the lead for good. He contributed six points and four rebounds in the extra session.
“I just tried to do whatever it takes,” Porter said. “I pretty much saw some of the rebounds and I knew I could get to a couple because everybody was ball watching. I did what I do best, which is rebounding.”
The Nets pulled within three points at 113-110 on Randy Foye’s free throw with 7.5 seconds left.
After Wall stepped out of bounds in the backcourt with 6.1 seconds remaining, the Nets had a chance to tie it. But, Bogdanovic’s 3-point attempt was off and Wall’s free throw with 2.9 seconds left clinched the victory.
“It was a wide-open shot, but unfortunately I missed it,” Bogdanovic said. “I was completely open.”
Bogdanovic had tied the game at 100 on a driving layup with 41 seconds left in regulation. The game went to overtime when Wall was called for an offensive foul with less than a second remaining.
Washington led 31-22 after the first quarter and increased its lead to 13 on several occasions in the second before settling for a 59-49 advantage at halftime.
The Nets kept creeping closer and eventually pulled to within two, 74-72, on Justin Hamilton’s 3-pointer with 1:36 left in the third quarter.
The Wizards responded by scoring the last five points of the third and the first five of the fourth to re-open an 84-72 lead.
The Nets then went on a 17-5 run and tied the game on Lopez’s short putback with 2:32 left.
“We wish we could have kept our 10-point lead several times we had in the game, but that’s basketball,” Beale said. “These guys are pros just like us. We came out and underestimated them and they hit us in the mouth and we just did a good job of retaliating, keeping our composure and doing whatever it took to win.”
Trevor Booker (14), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (13) and Sean Kilpatrick (10) also scored in double figures for the Nets.
“We were really right there,” Lopez said. “They’re a very good team. They’re playing as well as anyone in the league right now. To compete with them, push to overtime and be right there at the end is something to be said for us.”
TIP-INS:
Wizards: Markieff Morris did not play due to right calf tightness. … Ian Mahinmi, who started 71 games for the Pacers last season and was signed as a free agent at 64 million for four seasons, played in only his second game of the season and scored his first points. He had been sidelined with various injuries to both knees. … Washington has defeated the Nets six straight times, including all three games this season and last. Brooklyn has not won a game in the series since April 10, 2015 (117-80). … For only the second time in team history (the other was in 1996-97), the Wizards have been both six games under and over .500 in the same season.
Nets: Quincy Acy missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. After signing two 10-day contracts, Brooklyn signed him to a multiyear deal on Jan. 30. … The Nets have allowed 28 of their last 29 opponents to score at least 100 points and are 0-9 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.
FOR STARTERS
The soaring Wizards have only five players who have started more than three games this season, including Otto Porter Jr. and Marcin Gortat who have started each one. In contrast, the reeling Nets have started 11 players at least three times.
HOME SOUR HOME
The Nets have not won a home game in 2017. Their last victory at the Barclays Center came against the Charlotte Hornets, 120-118, on Dec. 26.
UP NEXT
Wizards: host Indiana on Friday. The teams have split their two games so far this season, with the Wizards winning the last matchup, 111-105, on Dec. 28 in Washington. They will also meet on Feb. 16 in Indiana.
Nets: host Miami on Friday. The Heat have won both meetings this season and have taken four straight in the series.
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