The Washington Wizards return to action on Tuesday night with a matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Over the last couple of weeks, the Wizards surge of competitiveness put them in position to win games, but it also put them behind in their pursuit of the top overall seed for this offseason's upcoming NBA Draft.
Sitting at 6-27, the Wizards currently have the second-worst record in the league this season. With a few months left to play, there's still plenty of time for the Wizards to get back in the mix to select Cooper Flagg or any other potential fit for them with the top pick this offseason. However, to do that, they'll need to lose multiple games to get back in position to do so.
Washington will have a big opportunity on Tuesday to get one step closer. That said, we're gonna mix it up; here's three keys for the Wizards to lose to Houston on Tuesday.
Limit Jordan Poole shot attempts
Jordan Poole is without a doubt the Wizards top scoring option up to this point of the season. And while his deicision making on offense often time leads to losses, there are times where his shot making can single handily lead Washington to a win.
Against the Rockets, in order to lose, the safe bet would be to minimize Poole's opportunities on offense because the sooner he finds his rhythm, the higher chance Washington has knocking off Houston.
Give Justin Champagnie the keys to the offense
Justin Champagnie has been a surprise pickup for the Wizards over the last couple of weeks emerging on offense when the team needed him most. The Pitt product has flourished as the team dealt with injuries, but seemingly he's done the most damage when team's aren't expecting the ball to be in his hands.
If Champganie is the top option for Washington on offense, it could be an interesting option that may or may not slow them down against the Rockets.
Rely on Brian Keefe to out coach Ime Udoka
Brian Keefe was hired to lead the Wizards young squad this year, but over the course of the season the first-year head coach has made multiple questionable decisions. If the Wizards want to win, the last thing they should do is get into an X's and O's battle with Ime Udoka who is known around the league for his elite basketball mind.
That said, relying on Keefe to win this game for the Wizards could be a blessing in disguise.