The Washington Wizards are set to travel on the road Monday night for a battle with the Houston Rockets.
Washington enters this matchup sitting at 2-6, while the Rockets look to protect home court with a record of 6-4. With the Wizards looking to end a four-game losing streak, they could look to lay it all out on the court in H-Town if they hope to turn their season around before it gets too far gone.
That said, if the Wiz have any chance of stealing a win on the road, they’ll have to win these three key matchups.
Alex Sarr vs. Jabari Smith Jr,
Alex Sarr and Jabari Smith Jr. are one and the same as they both entered the league as Top 3 overall picks with high expectations. The Rockets forward has struggled through the start of his career to reach the same potential he entered the league with despite his flashes.
Fortunately for Sarr, his career is just getting started and he has time to develop into a special player with the Wizards. He’ll have a chance to do exactly that against the Rockets.
Sarr and Smith Jr. both have similar play styles with their versatility in the frontcourt. Both players can extend the floor, defend at a high level, and handle the ball when needed. With both young playmakers set to battle for extended minutes on Monday, whichever player comes out on top will likely be on the winning squad.
Bilal Coulibaly vs. Jalen Green
Jalen Green enters this matchup as the leading scorer for the Rockets on the year. Averaging 21 points, 4.6 rebounds, and three assists, the combo guard is starting to emerge as the player the Rockets hoped he could become when drafting him.
Meanwhile, Bilal Coulibaly is doing the same. The French product is averaging 17 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists himself as he’s taken a leap in his second year with the team. In addition to his improved offense, Coulibaly has stood out as an effective defender. Taking on the challenge of defending the opposing team’s top player nightly, Coulibaly has thrived.
In a matchup where Green will be depended on more due to the absence of Fred VanVleet, Coulibaly could be depended on to slow down the explosive scoring guard for Houston.
Wizards frontcourt vs. Alperen Sengun
The Rockets' biggest threat may be the versatile big man Alperen Sengun. The Turkish center is averaging 16.9 points, 11 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 45.8% shooting from field goal range. Serving as a reliable scorer and an underrated facilitator, he’s become difficult to stop for opposing teams.
Washington will likely need to throw different bodies at Sengun to slow him down. Whether it’s the length of Sarr, the large frame of Jonas Valanciunas, or the quickness of Kyle Kuzma, it’ll take multiple frontcourt options for the Wizards to slow down the Rockets' rising star.