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Wizards, Raptors set for Game 2

Apr 21, 2015 - 1:38 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors will try to even their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series with the Washington Wizards Tuesday night as the teams collide in Game 2 at Air Canada Centre.

The Wizards blew a fourth-quarter lead in Game 1, but prevailed in overtime, 93-86.

The fifth-seeded Wizards led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter but could not hang on. In overtime, they limited Toronto to 2-of-9 shooting and 0-of-4 from 3-point range.

Paul Pierce scored five of his 20 points in overtime to pace Washington. Bradley Beal added 16 points and Nene scored 12 with a game-high 13 rebounds.

"The key is winning four games, but I think when you win game one on the road, it kind of sets the tone," said Pierce.

Toronto has reached the postseason seven times in franchise history, and it lost its opening game for the seventh time.

Amir Johnson led the fourth-seeded Raptors with 18 points off the bench and was a part of a second unit that outscored Toronto's starters by a 48-38 margin. DeMar DeRozan scored 15 points and added 11 boards and six assists.

"We missed a lot of easy shots as a team," said DeRozan. "Overall, I still thought we played well. We played great defense. We just got outrebounded."

A quick 7-0 Toronto run in the fourth got it within eight, and Lou Williams, who won the Sixth Man of the Year award on Monday, hit a pair of triples around a Bradley Beal free throw to cut the deficit to 77-75 with 2:55 left.

Beal made an acrobatic three-point play to extend Washington's edge back to five, and the lead was again five when John Wall answered Greivis Vasquez's floater with a layup.

With time running down, Vasquez pulled up for 3 at the top of the key with 25.9 seconds left that tied the game at 82-82. Wall missed a jumper that could have won the game in regulation, and Terrence Ross could not complete an alley-oop pass from Vasquez on the inbounds pass with less than a second left.

Pierce began the scoring in overtime with a 3 on the opening possession, and Washington was up 89-82 after Otto Porter's shot with 36.9 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, DeRozan's dunk finally got the Raptors on the board in the extra session after they missed their first seven attempts from the field.

Wall hit a layup at the other end, and Vasquez scored for Toronto before the Wizards dribbled the clock out.

Wall and Kevin Seraphin each had 10 for the Wizards, who advanced to the second round of the playoffs last season. Drew Gooden grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench.

Vasquez, Patrick Patterson and Williams each scored 10 points.

Kyle Lowry, an All-Star starter, scored seven points before fouling out.

James Johnson, a key bench contributor for the Raptors all season, did not play due to coach's decision.

"Not trying to be stubborn, say 'Hey, we're not going to play James Johnson,'" said Raptors' coach, Dwane Casey. "No. This is strategic decision, we understand what we're doing, it's nothing against James, it's nothing against anybody else that's in that situation."

Game 3 will be Friday night in Washington.