Something has to give Wednesday when the Washington Wizards visit the Philadelphia 76ers with each team looking to snap a five-game losing streak.
Washington (15-56) owns the worst record in the NBA, although the Wizards were likely anticipating a season full of growing pains for their young, inexperienced team. Meanwhile, Philadelphia (23-49) was hoping to contend for a championship before injuries derailed its entire campaign, leaving the team wondering what might have been.
In either case, both teams are keeping a close eye on their lottery odds, even if they won’t say it publicly.
The Wizards are neck and neck with the Utah Jazz (16-56) for the best chance to draft Duke star Cooper Flagg, while the Sixers need to draw one of the top six picks in the draft, or else they owe their selection to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That, in large part, explains why the losses continue to pile up for both teams.
Washington is coming off a 112-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Jordan Poole led the way offensively with 23 points, while Bub Carrington chipped in with 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
AJ Johnson added 17 points, including a couple of highlight-reel plays, to the delight of interim coach Brian Keefe.
“He’s been great,” Keefe said. “He’s been getting better and better every game… I like how he’s playing. I like how he’s progressing.”
Johnson received extra minutes due to the absence of starting guard Kyshawn George, who sprained his ankle early in the contest and will not be available for Wednesday’s affair.
Of course, injuries are nothing new to Philadelphia, which is playing without virtually all its key players these days.
The short-handed Sixers fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 112-99 on Monday despite 19 points apiece from Justin Edwards and Jared Butler.
“I thought there were some decent performances. I thought Jared had a good night,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of Butler, who came within two points of matching his Sixers season high of 21 points, set against Houston earlier in the road trip.
The Wizards traded Butler to the 76ers in February.
Quentin Grimes, who has averaged 22.2 points in 20 games since coming over in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, rested Monday after playing 35 minutes Sunday.
“Very limited numbers on a back-to-back,” Nurse said.
The Sixers finished their road trip with a 1-5 record, as they began the trek by winning in Dallas before suffering five straight losses by at least seven points.
“Glad it’s over for sure. Been gone a long time,” Nurse said. “Give the group some credit, I really would. I thought they played some really, really great basketball (on the trip)… But it’ll be nice to get home for a while.”
This is the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The Sixers posted a 109-103 win over the Wizards on Jan. 8, and the teams will meet again in Washington on April 9.
Philadelphia has won each of the last six meetings between the teams.
–Field Level Media
