(Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)
Regular Season Game 2
Pistons at Wizards
October 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM Capital One Arema | Washington, DC TV: NBCSN Radio: 1500 AM
What To Watch:
After outlasting Philadelphia in the season opener, the Wizards have a chance to head into an abnormally early West Coast road trip with a 2-0 record by beating the visiting Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
The Pistons come in also victors in their debut game of the season. Riding a hype ass opening speech by Eminem and a fantastic performance by Tobias Harris, the Pistons pounced on the Hornets 120-90. Harris finished with 27 points and 10 boards and hit 4 of his 7 three-pointers. The Pistons are looking forward to a season in which they hope will be the turning point for the franchise. The team has not hit the 40-win mark in eight of their previous nine seasons and missed the playoffs each of those seasons. They're banking on their addition of Avery Bradley, the continued growth of Andre Drummond, the leadership of Reggie Jackson and the looming star power of Tobias Harris to get them back on track.
For the Wizards to be successful tonight, they'll have to dominate a few individual matchups: Bradley Beal vs. Avery Bradley. John Wall vs. Reggie Jackson. Otto Porter vs. Tobias Harris. Marcin Gortat vs. Andre Drummond.
Key Matchup:
Avery Bradley vs. Bradley Beal
Beal vs. Bradley, a familiar duel. Beal is already an elite scorer and has only been getting better. Even though he started slow against a young Philly team, he finished strong with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Beal is clearly a problem even on slow nights. That just sets in stone his “a miss is a lady” mindset. We are all used to seeing Avery Bradley in the ugly ass green they wear up in Boston, but from here on out he rocks Detroit red. To say he is a pest would be an understatement. Bradley is one of the most ferocious wing defenders in the league who is a nuisance to even the most talented players in the league. John Wall has admitted so himself Look for Beal to go out with a chip on his shoulder and prove himself against the exceptional defender in Avery Bradley.
X-Factor:
The Bench
Nothing new with the Wizards' bench. The bench situation, on paper, is without a doubt superior to last year's. Scott Brooks is still left with some worries. The head coach is able to go with a full second unit this season, if he so chooses, which is good for resting starters but play on both sides of the court can still be an issue. Games will not be blown by the bench anymore, at least that is the hope, but can become more of a competition than anyone would like. Hopefully they mesh together quickly and provide scoring and a strong defensive mentality. If they play well, Washington is a very hard team to beat.
Fun Factor:
Kelly Oubre is out to prove something. Last year was Otto Porter’s time to prove himself, now it's Oubre's time. This man is going to go out and produce every single night on the defensive end. Sometimes he’ll reach all the way to what seemed like the arena doors and throw down an emphatic put back dunk. This kid is fun to watch.