The last time the Wizards faced off with the Nets was Nov. 4 in DC, and it’s a game Washington won’t soon forget. The Nets dominated from start to finish, winning by a final score of 128-86. Since then, wizards have apparently turned a corner. They went 7-5 and played some of their best basketball of the season. Now it’s time for a rematch in Brooklyn.
WHERE: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC Sports Washington
RADIO: The 980 team and the Wizards app
WIZARDS:
Rui Hachimura (right ankle pain – out)
Delon Wright (right hamstring strain – out)
FILLETS:
David Duke Jr. (non-COVID illness – questionable)
Ben Simmons (left knee pain – out)
TJ Warren (left foot; injury recovery – out)
Yuta Watanabe (right hamstring strain – out)
Alondes Williams (right adductor strain – out)
KRISTAPS PORZINGIS HEAT CONTROL
NBA fans are familiar with the concept of thermal control. This often happens after a player has made a few good plays in a row. The hoop begins to look as big as the ocean. They feel supreme confidence. And they do a heat test – usually a deep shot.
This matchup against the Nets will essentially work as a complete heat test for Porzingis. Monday night at DC, he dropped a career-high 41 points on absurdly effective 12-of-18 shooting from the field, 6-of-10 from deep and 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. He was also a threat on defense, recording three blocks and two interceptions.
The Wizards came away with a win in that game, and now Porzingis has another 48 minutes to see if he’s still burning.
BRADLEY BEAL OPENS THE GAME WITH AGGRESSION
Monday night against Wolves, one of the reasons the Wizards were able to get off to such a good start was Beal’s aggressiveness from the point. He scored nine points in the first nine minutes on 4-of-4 shooting from the field.
Obviously, it’s not reasonable to expect him to make his first four shots every night, but it’s not necessarily a matter of pass and fail. It’s about how his aggression opens up for his teammates.
When Beal is aggressive in finding his own shot, it strikes fear into opposing defenses. He’s one of the best scorers in basketball and he demands constant attention. This opens the court to all other wizards. Keep an eye out for Beal’s offensive approach in this one.
It’s no secret that Kevin Durant is the driving force behind this Nets team. He’s been sensational this season and is coming off a Monday night performance where he dropped 45 points on an ungodly 19-of-24 shot from the field. When it’s on, nothing stops it.
For the Wizards, the key will be limiting the guys around Durant. Can they make life difficult for Kyrie Irving? Can they get Nic Claxton away from the rim? Can they get Seth Curry and Joe Harris off the three-point line? If they can do these things, they’ll have a good chance of getting a big win down the road.
