Hornets top Wizards 114-107 despite Davis Bertans being a bucket
Jerry Donatien
CHARLOTTE- After falling to the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Hornets bounced back for a much needed win over the Washington Wizards 114-107. Devonte' Graham had another stellar outing in front of the buzz city crowd. He finished with 29 points (6-11 3-pointers) to go along with six assists in a nail bitter.
Despite the new defensive attention Graham receives on a nightly basis, he still finds ways to be effective while on the floor.
According to Hornets coach James Borrego, "he's seeing the whole package," from opposing defenses around the league.
"He's just reading the defense right now, when they bring the big up he knows he's got to pocket pass," Borrego said.
Graham is aware of how important every game is and he mentioned how the Hornets need to keep the stellar play going, playing for one another for the team's success.
The end of the game was dramatic, as Davis Bertans heaved the Wizards back into the game, after being down by 10. Bertans finished with a career-high 32 points on 11 of 18 shots (8-12 from deep).
"The guy is a bucket getter. He can get buckets all throughout the floor. Every shot is a great shot because it's always squared up," Brooks said.
Despite the praise from his coach, Bertans said he was "just doing his job."
"I was just trying to come off screens and that was just kind of have the defense gravitate toward me and somebody else can get open," Bertans said.
Bertans is averaging 15 a game this year, but just under 18 in his last ten games. After being stolen away from San Antonio, he is having a breakout season, and is a bright spot for this injury riddled Wizards squad. He was definitely the hot man for the Wizards. Bradley Beal was a disappointing 6-19 from the field, but is still staying positive and looking to build off this loss.
"Shots ain't always gonna fall, but I can always can control this locker room, my teammates and making sure that we're ready to go every time we step out there," Beal said.
It'll be interesting to see how both teams perform down the stretch of the season, as they both vie for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Related TopicsBradley BealCharlotte HornetsDavis BertansDevonte' GrahamJames BorregoScott BrooksWashington Wizards
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