Washington Wizards guard John Wall reflected on the 2016-17 season with former teammate Jason Smith on the Facebook Live show Wizards Classic.
Among many topics, Wall broke down his Game 6 game-winning shot that forced a Game 7 against Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics in the 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Washington was facing it’s third Game 6 elimination on their home court in four years. They trailed the Celtics late 91-89. The Wizards’ season rested on their last possession. They came out of the timeout with head coach Scott Brooks’ preferred play — a designed three point attempt for Bradley Beal.
However, Beal struggled to get opened off Marcin Gortat’s pin down. Inbounder Otto Potter risked a five-second violation. Thus, Wall’s instincts kicked. He called an audible getting the ball one-on-one with tough defender Avery Bradley guarding him.
“I’m in the corner waiting, and I just see that he’s not getting open. It’s like 3.5, 4 seconds, I just run and get the ball from Otto [Porter], tip-toeing basically on the sideline. I’m just looking like, it’s either win or go home. I see Avery Bradley backing up. I know he’s a great on-ball defender, he’s been tough the whole series. It’s a shot I work on everyday and I just took a hesitation three.”
John Wall / Wizards Classics
Wall saw Bradley backing off, respecting Wall’s blazing speed worried he would settle for a game-tying layup or worse creating a kick out three. Wall could see Beal start to flare open, but he worried it wasn’t enough time to make the pass and Beal to get a shot, so he rose up and took the shot.
“So I take the shot, and it goes in,” Wall said.
Wall said he immediately looked back to see the Celtics’ intentions with just over two seconds remaining. After Boston decided to take a timeout, he just stared realizing he had hit the shot of his career.
The Celtics’ final possession came up short, and the Wizards forced the Game 7 with a 92-91 win. Boston had arrived to the Verizon Center wearing all-black outfits mimicking the Wizards’ “Funeral Game.”
The gesture didn’t work.
It was an epic moment in Wizards history. That season they won 49 games the franchise’s most since 1979.
Unfortunately, the season would come to an end with a Game 7 loss to the Celtics, but as both Wall and Smith admitted, it was their most enjoyable team during their respective careers.
