Raptors vs. Wizards 2018 live results: Toronto’s old bad habits show up in Game 4 defeat

Just when it looked like we knew what to expect from the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards, Game 4 happened. We thought the Raptors were a changed team, especially in crunch time. We thought the Wizards would fold, as they have all season.

Instead, the Wizards rose to the occasion despite Bradley Beal’s six fouls, and the Toronto Raptors were the ones that folded. The Wizards eventually got a 106-98 win to tie the series at 2 heading back to Toronto for Wednesday’s Game 5.

The Raptors led most of the game and looked to be in control even after the Wizards tied the score. With 3:50 left, Beal, who had 31 points at the time, picked up a controversial sixth foul after DeMar DeRozan slammed into him on an offensive rebound. Beal was ... not pleased.

It looked like the Wizards would be doomed without their best scorer, but instead they amped up the defense. Toronto scored just two points in the competitive portion of the game after Beal’s sixth foul. DeRozan, who was sensational to that point, was swarmed by John Wall and the Wizards’ defense. Several players missed open threes, but Toronto’s old bad habits really made the difference.

Game 5 is Wednesday at 7 p.m. Toronto has many questions to answer before then.

Here’s how it happened.

Wizards 102, Raptors 96, 43 seconds left: Boy the Raptors sure look like the old Raptors. Forced shots. Wild drives to nowhere. Bricked threes. This is a far cry from the ball-movement, everyone eats style they had all season. They’ve scored just two buckets in the final five minutes: a Jakob Poeltl mid-range shot and DeMar DeRozan layup.

Otherwise, it’s been the Wizards, even without Bradley Beal, that have made big plays late. This one by John Wall might do it.

Wizards 99, Raptors 96, 1:46 left: Somehow, the Wizards have still inched ahead. Kyle Lowry had a chance to give Toronto the lead, but he bricked a layup and John Wall got a breakaway the other way.

This would be a massive win for Washington considering the circumstances.

Jakob Poeltl fouled out and Bradley Beal, who himself fouled out, is thrilled.

Raptors 94, Wizards 94, 3:50 left: Bradley Beal has fouled out on an atrocious call — DeRozan simply ran into him and knocked him over while Beal was just standing. Beal finishes with 31 points on 10-of-19 shooting. We’ll see if the shorthanded Wizards can survive without Beal, who had clearly been their best player all throughout this game.

Raptors 90, Wizards 88, 6:47 left: Washington keeps inching closer and closer. Beal just his fifth three-pointer, and Wall followed it with a 19-footer, forcing Toronto to call timeout.

It’s gonna be a good finish.

Raptors 86, Wizards 80, 10:01 left: One complaint I have about Toronto this game: they’re forgetting their whole identity shift that happened this season. Kyle Lowry just put in two layups to extend their lead, but the team as a whole has only attempted 13 three-pointers and is surviving, in large part, off mid-range shots and free throws. It’s working well enough that Toronto leads by six, but it can only work for so long.

Raptors 80, Wizards 80, end of third: We all tied up! You can thank Mike Scott for that, who sunk a very awkward, very strange jumper with time expiring.

Raptors 73, Wizards 70, 2:55 left: Washington’s starting to get to the rim, and Beal hasn’t yet missed a shot from outside (4-of-4 on threes). But Toronto remains ahead thanks to a couple and-ones from DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas. This game has turned very good.

Raptors 58, Wizards 56, 8:38 left: Washington blasted off to a 16-7 start to the quarter, with eight points coming from Otto Porter Jr., who hadn’t hit a single field goal in the first half. Porter hit threes on back-to-back possessions and then followed it up with a pull-up J that forced a timeout. And this mini-run is all despite John Wall botching a fast break when he just dribbled the ball off his foot, his third turnover of the game.

Raptors 51, Wizards 40, halftime: Washington keeps making highlights.

They do not keep scoring more, however. DeRozan leads Toronto in scoring at the half with 15 points, despite just making three field goals. (That 9-of-12 shooting from the line is carrying him.) Here’s one of his makes, and he had another one to close the half, too.

It feels like Toronto has this game in hand, but we’ll see. Washington needs to find a boost somewhere if they want to get back into this.

Raptors 41, Wizard 35, 4:40 left: This was a sensational two-way play from Washington, and peep the caption, too. Clearly a play on Kirk Cousins’ famous line, the quarterback for Washington’s NFL team.

That said, Washington pushed back into this game a little bit, including some good minutes from Marcin Gortat. He even splashed in a jumper from the free throw area! Maybe Washington’s still in this one.

Raptors 35, Wizards 24, 8:52 left: Kyle Lowry has been active, and his three-point jumper that scooted around most of the rim before dropping in was the shot that triggered another Washington timeout.

Raptors 30, Wizards 22, end of quarter: What a strange-but-effective quarter from DeMar DeRozan: nine points, all on free throws, along with two assists.

Raptors 17, Wizards 13, 5:19 left: Washington’s 10-2 run helps push them back into this game, and Toronto took a timeout. Both Wizards guards can get up!

Raptors 11, Wizards 4, 8:20 left: This looks more like Games 1 and 2, but at least John Wall has pumped the Wizards’ crowd up.

The Raptors won the first two games of their first-round series against the Wizards, but Washington protected home court in Game 3. Now, the Wizards have a chance to knot the series up at home or risk falling into a 1-3 deficit with the series heading to Toronto in Game 5.

This series has been defined by guard play, and both teams have a whole lot of it. This is the only playoff matchup with competing All-Star back courts, and neither pair has disappointed — at least not at home. DeMar DeRozan went off for 37 points in Game 2. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 56 points in Game 3, with Wall turning in 14 assists to go with it.

Another key for the Raptors has been Jonas Valanciunas, who is shooting 70 percent from the field on the series. He’s won the battle at the center position. The Wizards need more from it.