The Washington Wizards returned to their bad habits in their last game against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, they have the chance to right their wrong on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Washington put together a full team performance in their win over the Charlotte Hornets last Thursday night. It seemed that Brian Keefe's squad could finally be turning the corner and putting their best foot forward on a nightly basis.
However, when they returned to action against the shorthanded Bucks, Washington missed out on a prime opportunity to begin their second winning streak of the season after only a few players were able to put together a solid performance against Milwaukee.
That said, to avoid the same outcome on Monday, here's three keys for a Wizards win in OKC.
Prioritize Jonas Valanciunas Minutes
Entering this matchup, one of the biggest concerns about the battle with the Thunder is their ability to crash the boards. The Thunder have proven to be one of the best rebounding teams in the league courtesy of their offseason addition Isaiah Hartenstein, mixed with the young roster playing with 110% at all times.
That said, with Hartenstein's ability to dominate the board, the Wizards will likely need to match Valanciunas' minutes with Oklahoma City's big man in order to keep Washington from losing the game on the boards.
Take away Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's inside game
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is undeniably one of the best players in the league. The Kentucky product can take over a game in a heartbeat, and put the team on his back when other players are struggling. However, there are still some ways to limit the guard's production on the floor.
Gilgeous-Alexander focuses most of his game as a downhill guard who thrives under the rim and can dominate team's with his midrange shot. Aside from that, the Thunder star has shown signs of struggling around the perimeter. If the Wizards can take his ability away inside the paint, they could restrict him from finding a rhythm.
Get Jordan Poole going early
Jordan Poole can either be the reason the Wizards win, or one of the biggest causes for a Washington loss. However, coming off back to back solid games, the Michigan product could be the key to a win on the road against the Thunder.
If the Wizards can run the offense through Poole early and get the guard going on offense from the jump, he could keep Washington in the game long enough for his supporting cast to help him steal a win.