Washington Wizards: Three keys to victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Stay hot from beyond the arc

When looking at the box scores of the two previous matchups between the Wizards and Cavs, there is one glaring discrepancy: Three-point percentage.

In the Washington Wizards’ ugly 113-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers early in the season, the Wizards shot an absolutely dreadful 22.6 percent from the three-point line.

With the likes of Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant, and even the Latvian Laser Davis Bertans all shooting subpar numbers from deep that night (Bertans was 1/8), the Wizards stood no chance against the Cavs.

Compare this to the 124-112 victory over the Cavs in mid-January. In the rematch, the Wizards shot 44. percent from the three-point line and won handily. Compared to the first game vs Cleveland, the Wizards made nine more three-pointers in the win but only attempted five more than they did in their loss.

Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans, the Wizards’ two most consistent shooters, each poured in four triples and Isaac Bonga, an underrated three-point shooter, contributed two threes of his own.

The Wizards’ three-point percentage will be something to keep tabs on as the team comes off of an extra rest from the All-Star break. Their success from behind the arc could make or break them in this game and beyond.