2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 19: Wizards hold a lead, the only thing that can stop the Warriors and Gordon Bae-ward

On Day 19 of 2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, the Wizards bench finally holds a lead, only one thing can stop the Warriors and the Jazz yearn for more Gordon Bae-ward.

With the conference semifinals moving deeper and deeper into their series, the 2017 NBA Playoffs seem to be hurtling toward the inevitable conclusion most have been expecting since last summer: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, Part III.

In the meantime though, these playoffs are still providing plenty of juicy storylines to follow. The Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards have been at each other’s throats in the East — almost literally — while the Utah Jazz will look to Gordon Hayward‘s free agency as the Golden State Warriors continue to roll in the West.

As we move further and further into the postseason, we’ll be taking a look at what stands out from each day of playoff action. On Day 19, we examine the Wizards bench finding its groove at home, Boston’s first quarter woes, the only thing that can stop the Warriors and Gordon Bae-ward.

Bench players play better at home

John Wall was great again in Game 3, Marcin Gortat finished with a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double and for the third game in a row, the Washington Wizards‘ starters got off to a scorching start.

However, unlike in games past, Washington’s second unit actually held up its end of the bargain, allowing the Wizards to (GASP!) sustain a double-digit lead for once in this series. You hear the saying, “Bench players play better at home” about 50 times every year around this time, and Game 3 was a pretty clear indicator why.

No longer did the Wizards bench look like mere Muggles. The team’s 22-point lead at the end of the first quarter had actually increased to 23 points by halftime. In fact, Washington won every single quarter in a start-to-finish rout.

Bojan Bogdanovic bounced back in a huge way with Scott Brooks giving him a longer leash, tallying 19 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes while shooting 6-for-12 from the field and 4-for-7 from three-point range. Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre made good on Markieff Morris‘ comments about this team needing to be tougher:

Now, we’re not going to condone Oubre’s actions here. It’s never smart to get yourself ejected from a playoff game, especially since the play in question could possibly draw a suspension from the league office.

However, that skirmish undeniably fired up the home crowd, and the Wizards had a rallying cry moment that ensured this double-digit lead wasn’t going anywhere. Not that they really needed the momentum boost, because as you may have heard, bench players play better at home.