Regular Season Game 26
Wizards (14-11) at Clippers (8-15)
December 9, 2017 at 3:30 PM Staples Center| Los Angeles, CA TV: NBCSW Radio: 1500 AM
Odds: WSH -2.5
What to Watch: Learning How To Win AND Lose Without John Wall
Losing John Wall to an injury this early in this season is not necessarily something Wizards fans should celebrate. However, you can look at this situation with the glass half full rather than half empty. You cannot stop but think about how great of a growing opportunity this has been for the Wizards team. The Wall-less Wizards have gone 4-3 in the seven games without the four-time All-Star point guard and have experienced both the highs and the lows. Only time will tell, but losing Wall may pan out to be a blessing in disguise as Scott Brooks likes to say that Washington is not a better team without the Point Gawd, but they can be a better team once he returns.
(Photo: AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
Key Matchup:
Otto Porter Jr. vs. Danilo Gallinari
The match-up at the wing between Porter and Gallinari should be an interesting match up to watch. This will only be Gallinari’s second game back after missing 13 games while recovering from a strained left glute, but when healthy, he poses as the Clippers biggest threat on the offensive end for the Clippers team. Otto on the other end started the season hot but has struggled to find his shot late having gone 3 of 17 from the field scoring just six points in the last two games. Look for both players to find their rhythm Saturday afternoon when these two teams face off.
X-Factor:
Real Deal Beal
Bradley Beal has put up 85 points in the last 2 games. Tuesday night he posted a career-high 51-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers and after putting together the best game of his young career, he followed it with a 34-point performance against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. The most important piece to note: Washington won both games. The Wizards face a Los Angeles Clippers team on Saturday that has lost 15 of the last 19 games. Look for Beal to put on offensive show as he faces the fourth worst defense in the NBA.
(Photo: Wizards Instagram via @NBA)
Fun Factor:
The DeAndre Jordan Sweepstakes
After starting the season 4-0 the Clippers have quickly watched their season slip through the cracks. A large part of that has to simply do with bad luck. Los Angeles has been a victim of the injury bug having lost starting point guard Patrick Beverly for the rest of the season to a right knee injury and Blake Griffin for the next two months to a leg injury.
In the aftermath of all this, it looks like All-Star center and Olympian DeAndre Jordan may be on his way out of L.A. The fun factor to all this … the Washington Wizards seem to be one of his potential landing destinations according to recent NBA trade rumors.
(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)
Prediction:
As long as the Wizards do not play down to the level of competition, this should be an easy victory on the road against a banged-up Clippers team.