TORONTO -- After relinquishing a five-point fourth-quarter lead on the road in Wednesday's Game 5, John Wall said the Washington Wizards still are extremely confident that they'll force a Game 7 and be back in Toronto on Sunday.
"We love our chances," Wall said when asked how he likes the Wizards' odds of winning Friday's Game 6 at home against the Raptors and returning to Canada. "We're very confident."
After losing 108-98 on Wednesday to go down 3-2 in the first-round series, the Wizards return to Washington, where they've won eight straight playoff games, including Games 3 and 4 against the Raptors.
The Wizards led 87-82 with 8:52 remaining in Game 5 when Toronto turned things around with an 8-0 run that saw Wall uncharacteristically get the ball stripped twice.
Washington's All-Star backcourt of Wall and Bradley Beal missed 8 of 9 shots in the final nine minutes and were limited to a total of three shot attempts in the last three minutes.
"We felt like we let one slip away," said Wall, who finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 7 turnovers. "But at the same time, we played aggressive, we just didn't make shots. They made the bigger shots at the end of the game. Other than two or three turnovers, we got all the looks we wanted in the fourth quarter.
"Look at the percentages -- to shoot 41 percent and then be 5-for-26 from 3 and have a chance to win it on the road ... you couldn't ask for anything more."
Washington forward Kelly Oubre Jr. said the Wizards' mood after the game remained upbeat.
"We've been down 2-0 before, so I don't think being down 3-2 when we are going home is anything psychologically draining," Oubre said.
"Y'all have seen how we play when our backs are against the wall."
