Washington Wizards star point guard John Wall erupted for 47 points in a victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. It was a career high for Wall, who was the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft.
John Wall erupted for 47 points on a night the Washington Wizards needed a player to step up . The team was without A.J. Price, Bradley Beal, Martell Webster, Trevor Ariza, and Nene.
Wall stepped up in a big way . His 47 points helped lead the Washington Wizards to a 107-94 victory at the Verizon Center. Of his massive score total, 19 points were from free throws. He missed another five free throws, but who’s counting?
The win was the Washington Wizards sixth straight home win, a good sign for a young team with a 26-44 record. It was also the Wizards first win against the Grizzlies since 2010.
With a 32-28 lead in the second quarter, John Wall was responsible for 16 of the Wizards next 25 points. He sounded excited after the game: “I was just in the zone. I made my first couple shots and I knew I was in a great rhythm. My coach and my teammates just rode me, and they just said keep carrying them.”
John Wall’s previous career high was 38 points against the Houston Rockets on January 16 . The Washington Wizards lost that game 114-106. It would be the teams twelfth loss in 13 games and give them the worst record in the NBA.
The Wizards win against the Grizzlies is a move in the right direction. Washington has won seven of their last 10 games and has a home record of 19-17. If they played better on the road they would be challenging Milwaukee or Boston for a playoff spot.
After Wall’s 47 point eruption, Wizards head coach Randy Wittman has the highest praise of his 22-year-old star: “I’ve witnessed a lot of games. I’ve played with some pretty good players. I’ve coached some pretty good players. That was an incredible performance for him.”
John Wall should be proud of his performance. He did something not every NBA player does. More importantly, he did it on a young team trying to build excitement in Washington for basketball.
Are you surprised John Wall had such a good game against the Memphis Grizzlies?