Nick Young sets career high in Chicago loss

January 9, 11:24 PMWashington Wizards ExaminerGeorge Panagakos

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Washington Wizards Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Nick Young soars in for a jam (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Nick Young scored a career-high 28 points in a losing effort tonight as the Washington Wizards fell to the Chicago Bulls, 98-86.  Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 22 points and Larry Hughes had another solid night with 17 off the bench.

Young's extraordinary performance will have to go on file, because Wizards co-captains Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler didn't show up tonight, combining for only 14 points after producing 50 in their last game against the Bulls.  The duo haven't played this poorly since early November when Washington challenged the Orlando Magic.

With 10:07 to go in the fourth quarter, an angry and out-of-sorts Ed Tapscott threw himself out of the game by arguing over a Nick Young traveling call, and past his ejection, the Wizards went on a bit of a spurt.  22 of Nick Young's 28 came in the second half, and a majority of those buckets after Tapscott's ejection.

Oleksiy Pecherov also earned a few minutes tonight, knocking down a three and finishing with 9 points in under five minutes.  It was good to see Stewie playing.  I argue with fans over his three point shooting abilities, and can't  understand why he doesn't get more minutes, but understand how competitive a 15-man roster can be (that and the need of defense).

Speaking of which, looks like Tapscott is going to have to do some more rotating.  After giving up five turnovers in the first quarter against Toronto last Wednesday, the Wizards gave up five turnovers in the first quarter tonight against the Bulls.  While in Toronto it was poor shot clock management and a lack of offensive instruction, tonight's game resulted from the Bulls Tyrus Thomas, who really clamped down on Antawn Jamison and had two early steals as the Wizards tried to establish Jamison in the first.

Thomas was joined by rookie sensation Derrick Rose, who didn't dazzle with his scoring abilities tonight as much as his ball-handling skills and court awareness.  He carved through the Wizards defense and kicked out lightning fast passes, and really orchestrated a tempo the Wizards couldn't handle.

The Tapscott ejection gave the Wizards their best look, and with under three minutes to go in the fourth the score was 89-82, Bulls.  Chicago had three seconds left on the shot clock, and Washington was ready to make a defensive stop, but the Bulls drew up a plan and Ben Gordon sneaked in for an easy lay-up to make it 91-82.  Larry Hughes would cap it with 48.5 seconds to go by sinking a three, which would be answered by a Nick Young three, but the 96-86 Bulls lead with 38.5 seconds left to go would prove too much for the Wiz cut back through in the foul game.

Washington will have the morning to think things over before heading onto their homecourt to host the Charlotte Bobcats, as the Wizards look to obtain their first victory within their own division.

Wizards Upcoming Schedule: