Spurs at Wizards
The San Antonio Spurs got their trip to the White House and visit with President Obama out of the way on Monday and will get back to basketball when they visit the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Spurs have pulled out of a rut that lasted nearly all of December and are winners of four of the last five. The Wizards earned a big win on Friday over Chicago but were crushed against another East contender in a 120-89 loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
“We played a game (on Sunday) that was not indicative of who we are, and we’ve got to learn from it,” Wizards coach Randy Wittman told reporters. “I think the good thing is we’re playing a mirror image of the team we just played so we know what we have to do to combat the troubles we had (against the Hawks).” Washington guard John Wall had as many turnovers as assists (eight) on Sunday and is averaging five miscues over the last four contests. Wall was outplayed by Cory Joseph and Patty Mills in a 101-92 San Antonio win over Washington on Jan. 3, when the two combined to go 14-of-18 from the floor.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE SPURS (23-15): San Antonio did not have Tony Parker available the last time the teams met but the star point guard is steadily increasing his minutes in a return from a hamstring injury. Parker played his third game back on Saturday at Minnesota and delivered 12 points in 25 minutes after being held to a total of 10 points in his first two games back. Kawhi Leonard (hand) is still out but the Spurs may have found a solution in Austin Daye, who had been glued to the end of the bench before drawing the start on Saturday and delivering 22 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (25-12): Washington pulled within two points of the Hawks in the third quarter on Sunday before running out of gas and letting the game get out of hand. The big issues were 20 turnovers leading to 31 points and a perimeter defense that surrendered 16 made 3-pointers. The Wizards are in the middle of the pack in the NBA in defensive 3-point percentage, allowing opponents to knock down 35.3 percent, but held the Spurs to 4-of-16 from beyond the arc in the Jan. 3 meeting.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs have taken 17 straight in the series.
2. Washington C Marcin Gortat is 19-of-30 from the field over the last three games.
3. San Antonio G Manu Ginobili (back) sat out Saturday but is expected to play Tuesday.