3 Keys for the Wizards to end their losing streak against San Antonio

The Washington Wizards are set for a Wednesday night showdown against the San Antonio Spurs. Entering this matchup, Washington sits at 2-7 in the midst of a five-game losing streak that has shown no signs of ending anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the Spurs enter this matchup with a 5-6 record in a season that many people expected them to be far more competitive with the retooled roster the team put around budding superstar Victor Wembanyama.

San Antonio made plenty of moves to acquire veterans in the offseason to boost their young team’s rebuild, however, the additions have not seemed to make the impact they hoped through the start of the season. The Spurs added Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes during the Summer, and up to this point, the Western Conference squad seems to be in the same situation as the Wizards.

While the Spurs are ahead in their rebuild, they are more than beatable. That said, here’s a look at 3 keys for the Wizards to end their five-game losing skid.

Slow down Victor Wembanyama

Heading into a matchup against the Spurs, nearly every team’s game plan will be to slow down second-year man Victor Wembanyama. The French product stands at 7-foot-3, and with the ball-handling skills of a guard and a smooth jumper, he’s nearly unstoppable to guard. 

Not only is he a nightmare to defend, but his versatility on the defensive end averaging 3.9 blocks and 1.4 steals, and his presence as a defender is just as scary. Fortunately for the Wizards, they drafted another French player who could be the perfect defensive matchup for Wemby.

Alex Sarr who stands at 7 feet, will have the length and athleticism to match up with Wembanyama throughout the game. If their rookie, who’s played with Wembanyama overseas can slow down the big man, the Wizards' chances of stealing a win on the road will only increase.

Get Jordan Poole going

Jordan Poole has arguably been the spark on the offense for the Wizards all season long. When their point guard is playing at his best, the team is also playing at their best. However, when Poole struggles, it trickles down the lineup which results in poor offensive outings for the Wizards.

If they can get their starting guard going early, it will put pressure on the Spurs defense and open up more opportunities for Washington’s supporting cast, including their second-year man Bilal Coulibaly.

Feed Kyle Kuzma early

Kyle Kuzma is without a doubt one of the best-scoring forwards in the league. His ability to be an explosive scorer and willing facilitator can be huge for the Wizards when he’s at his best. However, that’s been another problem for Washington this year. Kuzma has struggled to start the season and it’s taken a reliable scoring option off of opposing defenses radars.

If Kuzma can get going early, like Poole, it will open up a lot of opportunities for the Wizards to get more guys involved early. When the Wizards have played free, their offense has looked dangerous. That said, unlocking Kuzma could get them right back on that level.