Wizards at Spurs
Struggling San Antonio hopes to draw upon its remarkable run of success against Washington when the teams tangle in Texas on Saturday. The Spurs, who have lost seven of 10 even after an overtime win against New Orleans on Wednesday, have won 16 straight against Washington dating to 2005, their longest active winning streak against any team. The streak at home is up to 13 games since the Wizards' last triumph in San Antonio on Dec. 11, 1999.
Point guard Tony Parker is expected to miss his fifth straight game due to a hamstring injury for the banged-up Spurs, who at least get to face the Wizards on the second half of a back-to-back. Washington fought Oklahoma City until the waning moments in a 109-102 loss Friday, falling to 1-2 on their challenging five-game road trip against Western Conference teams. Bradley Beal scored 21 points and hauled in a season-high 10 rebounds in the setback.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (22-10): Beal scored a season-high 33 points in a win at Houston to begin the trip before struggling to tally 10 on 4-of-14 shooting the following night, keeping with a theme that should help San Antonio's cause. He shoots just 38.8 percent from the floor and 20 percent from the arc in the second half of back-to-backs and also is a 37.8 percent shooter on the road this season. And, as Beal goes, so go the Wizards — he is successful 45.6 percent of the time in wins, compared to 36.5 percent in losses.
ABOUT THE SPURS (20-14): San Antonio knows it has its own issues with injuries and inconsistency, and that the Wizards are not the same team they've dispatched so many times in the past. "It's a totally different team now and they're playing good now, so it's going to be about our energy," swingman Boris Diaw told the San Antonio Express-News. Tim Duncan, who had 31 points in the last meeting with the Wizards on Feb. 5 in Washington, is averaging 20.5 points over his last six home games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. San Antonio is 5-0 against the Eastern Conference at home and 8-1 overall.
2. Washington is 3-5 in the front end of back-to-backs, but 5-2 in the second half.
3. The teams complete their two-game season series 10 days later in Washington.