When it comes to Earl Boykins, Antawn Jamison said it best “The only amazement is that this guy wasn’t on a team.”
Seriously. I mean, I know it may drop off at any moment, but for now, Earl Boykins is hot at the right time for the Wizards. Gilbert Arenas still is working his way back, and although he’s getting better as is evidence of the last two days. But without Earl Boykins and his late-game charges of energy, the Wizards very well could be looking at 3-14 instead of 7-10.
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This little dude has now had four games in which his fourth-quarter heroics have led the Wizards to victory.
The Wizards were in need of a boost because Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and Nick Young all had played high minute totals both last night and again tonight. Andray Blatche helped with six points early in the fourth quarter, and then in the last two minutes it was Boykins.
“The last one, they were so worried about me and I was sitting there thinking, ‘Y’all worried about me, but y’all bout to be in for a rude awakening. This is Earl’s show,’” Gilbert said.
Indeed it was. Flip Saunders called Boykins’ number down the stretch, and Boykins delivered.
The Wizards as a team showed signs of turning the corner tonight. They never do well in back-to-backs, and tonight they did have a let-down, but they were able to gut it out. The more aggressive Arenas had 22 points and nine assists on 10-for-24 shooting. Nick Young had 21 points, five rebounds, Haywood had 14 rebounds and eight points, and Jamison and Butler had 15 points apiece. That slim rotation, which basically was Boykins (13 points) and Blatche (10 points) were enough to push the Wizards over the top.
The Wizards did have 17 turnovers, that led to 18 Milwaukee points. But they outrebounded the Bucks 42-36. The Wizards had 25 fastbreak points to outdo the Bucks’ 10.
All that adds up to four wins in the last five games, and as Arenas said “Nick is saying he’s 4-1 now.” The Wizards have two more games this week before Boston comes to town on Dec. 10th. That’ll be another good test.
