The Washington Wizards have gotten off to a rough start to the season as they currently sit dead last in the NBA with a 2-13 record.
Washington is currently riding a 12 game losing streak as the wheels continue to fall off for Brian Keefe's young squad. Entering a matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, the Wizards will be looking to get back in the win columb before the season becomes too far gone for them to recover.
That said, here's a look at three keys for the Wizards to protect home court and get a win in a Group Play game as the NBA Cup continues to approach.
Get Jordan Poole involved early
There's no secret that the root of the Wizards offense typically comes from their explosive scoring guard Jordan Poole. The Michigan product leads the team in points per game with 21.2 and he's generally the starting point of their offense every trip down the floor.
Coming off a 23-point outing against the Boston Celtics on Friday night, Washington will likely look to continue feeding their starting guard and hope that he can provide a spark for the Wizards from the jump. In turn, when Poole plays good, the young core around him seem to follow his lead.
Limit Zach LaVine's impact
Zach LaVine still remaining on the Bulls roster after nearly two years of trade rumors for the disgruntled star may be the most surprising factor in the matchup. Despite that, the UCLA alum has continued to do his job on the court and has shown that he's still one of the best shooting guard's in the league.
Like Poole, LaVine leads his team in scoring with 22.7 points per game. However, the 29-year-old also leaves his mark on the floor by being a willing facilitator to get his team involved. To slow him down from the jump, expect Washington to place their two-way stud Bilal Coulibaly as the primary defender on the Bulls star to limit his impact.
Extend Jonas Valanciunas minutes
Jonas Valanciunas has done his part for the Wizards this season. In his new role as mostly a bench piece, the big man still manages to lead the team in rebounds with 7.9 per game. Against Nikola Vucevic of the Bulls, Washington will need to depend on the size and strength of their veteran to limit the impact Chicago's center can have on the board.
If the Wizards can win the rebounding battle, their odds will only increase.