Washington Wizards: Looking Ahead to Wizards Upcoming Homestand

The Washington Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic last night by a score of 117-109.

Despite the Orlando Magic shooting a blistering 50% from beyond the arc, the Washington Wizards were led by a dominant effort from John Wall, who finished with 25 points and 10 assists.

Bradley Beal poured in 21 points for Washington in addition to Dwight Howard’s 17 points and 8 boards. The Wizards were also sparked by 18 points off the bench from Jeff Green, who finished the game in place of Otto Porter.

The win notches Washington’s first back-to-back victories since early March. The Wizards have proved capable of rambling off numerous consecutive wins in the past. With a homestand taking place over the next week against beatable opponents, can the Wizards pull themselves back to the top of the East?

A look ahead…

Wednesday November 14 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 

Tomorrow night, the Wizards welcome the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers. Currently on a 5-game losing streak, Cleveland owns the worst record in the NBA. The Cavs will be coming in fresh off a back-to-back, as they host the Charlotte Hornets Tuesday evening.

Cleveland’s offense, spearheaded by the trigger happy Jordan Clarkson, sits at 103.3 points per game; good for 27th in the league. Expect the Wizards to wear down the dysfunctional Cleveland roster, especially with Kevin Love out with injury.

Friday November 16 vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets travel to Washington for their matchup against the Wizards this Friday. While the Nets have assembled a top 15 defense in the NBA, two of their franchise anchors have been sidelined with injury this week.

Jarrett Allen, the dominant rim protector in his sophomore campaign, has been sidelined indefinitely with an illness. Caris LeVert, the Nets leading scorer at 18.4 PPG, went down last night in Minnesota with a gruesome leg injury.

If Allen sits on Friday, the Wizards can exploit the paint, much to the delight of Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris. Without the scoring spark that LeVert offers, the Wizards should handle the depleted Nets.

Sunday November 18 vs. Portland Trail Blazers

The Wizards play host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday evening for their second matchup of this young season. Their first game resulted in a thrilling overtime win for Washington, as Markieff Morris contributed a season high 28 points.

Despite the early season victory, Portland has been red hot as of late, winning 7 of their last 8 games. This matchup features two of the top point guards in our league today in John Wall and Damian Lillard, who both elevate their game when facing a high motor opponent.

With comparable off-guard play in Beal vs. CJ McCollum, the game will ultimately be decided in the paint. Look for Dwight Howard to be the x-factor on Sunday, as he was sidelined with injury in the last game between the two squads. Howard is averaging 13 PPG and 9.3 RPG since his return from injury.

Tuesday November 20 vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The Wizards were trounced in their first meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers, falling 136 – 104. It was a lackadaisical effort from Washington, as they allowed 9 Clippers to score in double figures. Markieff Morris was held scoreless and the Wizards starting unit produced a mere 7 assists as a whole.

Look for Washington to seek revenge from their embarrassment in late October, especially with Dwight Howard now in action. The Clippers will be in the middle of an East coast road trip and coming off a back-to-back as they face the Atlanta Hawks the night prior to playing in Washington.