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2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 17: Isaiah Thomas’ career night, Warriors feast inside

By Gerald Bourguet

May 2, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (4) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (4) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the fourth quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Playoffs
May 2, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) defended by Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (4) during the first quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Wizards’ Squandered Opportunities

The Washington Wizards are still alive in this series. After playing Boston so close on the road, there’s a good chance they can return home to D.C. and tie this thing up in a building where they went 30-11 during the regular season.

That being said, at some point they’ll need to win a game in the TD Garden to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, and Games 1 and 2 were devastatingly good opportunities to steal one on the road.

In Game 1, the Celtics caught fire to complete the 29-point turnaround after trailing 20-3 early in the first quarter. In Game 2, not even John Wall’s tremendous performance could stifle the late-game heroics of Isaiah Thomas in his house.

But the Wizards really should’ve won one of those games considering how well they played. Wall finished with 40 points, 13 assists, three steals and three blocks on 16-of-32 shooting in Game 2, but it somehow wasn’t enough.

Even worse, Wall and Bradley Beal had chances to win the game on the final possession, with both of their shots falling woefully short.

Beal was a disappearing act all game, finishing with 14 measly points and six turnovers on a disastrous 4-of-15 shooting night (1-for-9 from deep). After putting up 10 points in eight first quarter minutes, Markieff Morris scored just six points the rest of the way.

Seven Wizards players scored in double figures, but goose eggs from Brandon Jennings and Bojan Bogdanovic made it impossible for Scott Brooks to trust his bench, which might explain why Wall was so burned out by the time the fourth rolled around.

While IT was burying Washington with 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, Wall finished with just five. Beal needs to be better, but it’s more than alarming the Wizards are in an 0-2 hole in this series despite how well their superstar point guard has played.