Feb 25, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Rudy Gay (22) gets by Washington Wizards forward Trevor Ariza (1) during the first half at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

After dropping a very winnable road game to the dreadful Orlando Magic on Friday night, the Washington Wizards will return home to meet the struggling Toronto Raptors. Here is tonight’s quick game preview:

Key Match Up

Rudy Gay, who has been dealing with some back issues, returned to the Raptors lineup on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons, in where he helped them snap a 5 game losing streak. Prior to Gay’s arrival in Toronto, the Raptors didn’t  have a legitimate “go to” threat. With Gay in the lineup, Toronto has thrived on both sides of the floor. His length and athleticism separates Rudy Gay from the rest of his peers. Washington has to do a better job in forcing athletic forwards to take difficult outside jump shots. On Friday night, the Wizards allowed 5 dunks in the first quarter, all which seemed to have come from Orlando’s athletic wing players. Shooting just over 40% from the floor, Rudy Gay isn’t a particularly good shooter. If Washington stops Gay from getting out and transition and forcing him to take difficult shots from the perimeter, they should be able to contain him.

With that said, Martell Webster and Trevor Ariza (if active) will get the defensive assignment on Gay. Webster returned to the Wizards lineup on Friday night, but didn’t have a particularly good shooting night, which is odd in Webster’s case. Shooting just 1 for 7 from three, Martell Webster has to regain that shooting touch which we’ve seen throughout the season. When Webster is knocking down threes at the rate we’re used to (6th in the league in 3 point percentage), defenses are forced to collapse on him, which opens up driving lanes for himself and his teammates. Ariza also scored just 5 points in 25 minutes of play on Friday night against the Magic. Washington looks for contributions on the defensive side of the floor from Ariza, more so than scoring. Washington has been devastated by injuries, so Ariza has to do a good job of containing Rudy Gay, without getting into foul trouble.

Prediction

Washington has been a completely different team when playing at the Verizon Center. With 19 wins and 17 losses at home, the Wizards have done a good job in taking care of games at home. But that doesn’t change the fact that they’re continuously struggling to pick up wins against horrendous teams on the road. I honestly can’t even wrap my mind around their road woes. Thankfully, the Wizards will return home to meet the Raptors tonight.

With Bradley Beal, Nene, Martell Webster, Trevor Ariza and A.J Price all missing significant time due to injuries, John Wall has stepped up in the scoring department. Averaging nearly 28 points and 8 assists during the past five games, John Wall has looked like the best player on the floor each night he steps on the court. His jump shot has looked very good, especially from the right elbow. When John Wall is shooting and hitting his jump shot with confidence, he becomes nearly unstoppable. Despite Wall’s spectacular play as of late, the Wizards haven’t been able to pick up wins. Wall will be matched up against Kyle Lowry, who has become more of a facilitator than a scorer as of late. Struggling to shoot the ball, Lowry has taken it upon himself to get his teammates involved. We’re used to seeing Lowry play like a shoot first point guard, so it’s unusual to see him rack up 10 or 11 assists during his past couple games. With Rudy Gay in the lineup, Lowry has done a pretty good job in transitioning his game to benefit the changed lineup. He’ll have a difficult time defending John Wall tonight, since he isn’t a particularly big point guard. Wall needs to continue playing with his new found aggressiveness, since Toronto will most likely have trouble keeping up with his speed and explosiveness. This is the type of game where Wall should be able to take over. Toronto lacks some size in the paint, making Wall’s job even easier.

But the key to winning the game will be stopping Toronto’s transition game. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay are all very good players in transition. Toronto is ranked just 23rd in pace, but their ability to score quickly off turnovers has the potential to win them games. DeRozan has averaged nearly 18 points per game because Toronto’s offensive capabilities fit his offensive tools.  DeRozan has also averaged close to 25 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the floor against the Wizards this season, and has clearly taken advantage of Washington’s lackluster transition defense. It is important for the Wizards and John Wall especially, to limit their turnovers. If Washington turns the ball over at a high rate tonight, they’ll be in for another long night.

Washington needs to close out the season on a high note. With just 10 games remaining, the Wizards have to get wins against sub par teams. As I mentioned before, the Wizards have been pretty good at home, so I’m picking them to win tonight’s game.

Happy Easter to all those which celebrate. Enjoy the game.

Jan 25, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles the ball as Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) defends in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 114-101. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The struggling Minnesota Timberwolves have lost six consecutive games and will meet the surging Washington Wizards tonight at the Target Center.

Key Match Up

John Wall has struggled mightily since the All-Star break, but his streak may have come to an end last Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Wall, who shot just over 30 percent after the All-Star break, stepped up when the Wizards needed him most. With Bradley Beal out due to a sprained ankle, Wall scored six straight points which included a game sealing jump shot. After the win, Wall spoke about his improving confidence throughout the season. It’s evident that Wall’s confidence seems very fragile and moments such as one against the Sixers are a lot more meaningful for John Wall than it may be for other players. When Wall’s confidence is high, he’s virtually unstoppable. I’m pleased to see that Wall is a lot less passive in the past few games than he was a couple weeks ago. The last time the Wizards met the Wolves, John Wall took full advantage of his speed against Ricky Rubio. Rubio is considered an underrated defender throughout the NBA, but his lack of quickness and athleticism puts him at a severe disadvantage against Wall. It is important that Wall uses the tools he has to his advantage. Minnesota is plagued with injuries and don’t have many interior defenders, making Wall’s job a lot easier. With Bradley Beal out, Wall’s role in the scoring department will increase significantly.

After returning from an ACL injury this season, Ricky Rubio struggled to adjust right off the bat. His struggles were magnified in a loss against the Wizards earlier in the season in which Rubio shot just over 10 percent while scoring 4 points along side 6 assists. Since then, Rubio has continuously improved in every statistical category. Rubio’s shooting percentage is still not very good (35%), but his contributions in getting his teammates involved have steadily increased. With Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic and Andrei Kirilenko all out due to various injuries, Rubio is forced to play along side teammates which would normally be key reserve players. Despite not having much talent surrounding him, Rubio is averaging close to 9 assists per game this month. That’s just a testament to how great of a distributor Rubio truly is. I’ll be interested to see how well he keeps up with John Wall.

Other Notes/Links

• Bradley Beal will be out of tonight’s game and was limited to just shooting free throws in practice. I expect Garrett Temple to replace him in the starting lineup, although I’m hoping Randy Wittman decides to slide Martell Webster down to shooting guard. Webster has the second highest three point percentage in the NBA, so he’s more than capable of filling in for Beal’s shooting. With Webster at the guard position, Ariza could simply be placed at small forward.
• Beal’s injury seems rather insignificant when looking at Minnesota’s injury list. Kevin Love, Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger, Andrei Kirilenko and Nikola Pekovic are all out tonight. When healthy, the Timberwolves are almost certainly a playoff team.
• Despite being shorthanded, the Timberwolves are still a pretty good rebounding team. They’re ninth in rebounding and if you could recall, the Wizards struggled to crash defensive boards the last time the two teams met.
• Should Bradley Beal be the Rookie of the Year? I helped contribute to the WizardsXtra discussion piece, amongst plenty of other Wizards writers, on the topic.
• Washington will meet the Chicago Bulls in Brazil for a preseason game next season. I’m sure Nene is excited at the opportunity, but what about Leandro Barbosa?
• How can you not like Martell Webster and Garrett Temple? Here’s their rendition of the National Anthem. It’s full of awesomeness, to say the least.

Prediction

Washington has a tendency to play very well against high level opponents, but continuously struggle against teams which they’re supposed to beat. With Kevin Love out, the Timberwolves have dropped 23 of their last 28. Needless to say, Washington should have no problem beating the Wolves tonight. John Wall needs to continue to improve, so Ricky Rubio should be a strong test for him. Both players aren’t having ideal seasons, since they’ve both dealt with unfortunate injuries.

Minnesota has virtually no depth, while Washington is still working to find a solid rotation. Jan Vesely, who hasn’t played since last month, has now found his way back into the rotation. Trevor Booker, Chris Singleton and even Cartier Martin may have opportunities to play against the lowly Timberwolves.

These types of games are must wins for Washington and I expect them to pick up their sixth road victory of the season tonight.

February 6, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards small forward Martell Webster (9) defends in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 106-96. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Washington was on the verge of a four game win streak, but came up short with a 96-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Tonight, they’ll face the surging New York Knicks, who are looking to start a win streak of their own.

Key Match Up

If you’ve watched a Wizards game after the All-Star break, you’ve probably taken notice of how much John Wall has been struggling. Wall played fairly well after he returned from his knee injury, but has struggled significantly in the past few weeks. Wall is averaging just over 10 points in the past five games, while shooting a horrific 29 percent from the field. He has played just over 20 minutes in the past two games, because he seems incapable of not turning the ball over. Wall even went as far as to call some of his turnovers “great passes”, essentially blaming his teammates for not being able to catch the ball. Fans and media members alike, are starting to become more and more judgmental of John Wall’s decision making, on and off the court. The last time these two Eastern Conference teams met, Wall scored 21 points to go along side 9 assists. Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen Wall become very passive and unassertive. Washington needs Wall to play aggressively, all while playing under control. I understand that Wall is not a shoot first point guard, but he has to understand his role in certain situations. Transition is Wall’s bread and butter, but Wall seems very reluctant to even shoot in those situations. That needs to change, and it needs to change fast.

Like John Wall, Raymond Felton has received plenty of criticism throughout his seven year career. Washington has had outstanding trouble containing the opposing point guards as of late. Jose Calderon had 17 assists on Wednesday night, but above all, he picked apart a Wizards defense which has been considered top notch the entire season. New York is the 10th best offensive team in the league and has plenty of offensive weapons surrounding Felton. If Washington can’t contain Felton’s penetration, they’ll be in for a long night. With that said, Felton definitely isn’t the best defensive guard in the league. John Wall has to start outplaying his opponents, because frankly, he has the tools to do so.

Other Notes/Links

• Apparently, some of John Wall’s old teammates “didn’t want to see him succeed.” Call me crazy, but I think I know who those guys are. *coughAdrayBlatchecough*
• Nithin and James wrote a collaboration piece on various Wizards topics. I’m hoping this could spark some conversation, since they spoke about a few very debatable topics regarding the Wizards.
• Nene, who sat out of Wednesday night’s game due to a sore shoulder, is questionable for tonight. He participated in shoot around, but I still don’t expect him to give it a go tonight.
• My friend and yours, Andrew Bynum, suffered yet another setback. I realize that this doesn’t pertain to anything Wizards related, but it’s worth noting. Bynum who was acquired in a three team blockbuster trade involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, may never put on a Sixers uniform.
• Randy Wittman is sick of those criticizing John Wall.
• Despite struggling a bit as of late, the New York Knicks are still sixth in three point percentage.

Prediction

It’s not the end of the world. Though some of us make is seem like it is, Washington has still won three of their last four games. Detroit has had Washington’s number the whole season and has ruined their momentum several times this year. The only thing I’m worried about his how the Wizards will bounce back from that one point loss, especially against a elite level team like the Knicks.

At this point in the season, the Wizards obviously have nothing to lose. They’ve already beaten the Knicks this season and have shown they’re capable of competing with virtually any team in the NBA. John Wall had one of his best games of the season as mentioned, scoring 21 points to go along side 9 assists. We’ve seen Wall struggle a bit lately, but I feel like this happens almost every season with Wall. It’s obvious that Wall has a very fragile confidence, which effects his game to a very large extent. Wall needs to learn how to shake off those cobwebs and play the game he’s been playing his entire life. He can’t continue to feel sorry for himself, like Randy Wittman stated in a post game press conference.

New York is a top tier team in the NBA, so Washington certainly shouldn’t hang their heads should they lose tonight. This game is about more than just a win or loss, it’s about restoring confidence in their franchise player–John Wall.

With all that said, I can’t see Washington picking up another victory against a offensive powered Knicks team.

Let’s just hope Wall has a bounce back game.