Wizards at 76ers
Two teams hoping to end five-game losing streaks meet Friday when Philadelphia hosts Washington. The slide for the Wizards is troubling, as a once-trendy pick to challenge in the East has lost 12 of 16 after a 97-77 setback in Minnesota on Wednesday, when Paul Pierce was a late scratch and Kris Humphries suffered a hamstring strain to add to the injury woes. Washington hopes to have both players back Friday and expects shooting guard Bradley Beal (leg) to return from a seven-game layoff.
The 76ers capped an 0-3 road trip with a 104-88 loss at Milwaukee on now will play nine of their next 12 games at home, where they are 7-20. In his third game of the season after missing all of 2013-14, veteran Jason Richardson had 16 points to lead Philadelphia, which was matched up with former point guard Michael Carter-Williams for the first time since shipping him to the Bucks at the trade deadline. Marcin Gortat led seven Wizards in double figures with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting in a 111-76 rout of the 76ers in the first meeting Jan. 19.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (33-25): If Washington is looking for a silver lining, it may consider the loss at Minnesota a bottoming out, and with Beal and others on the mend there may be better days. The 12-win Timberwolves posted their most lopsided win of the season and the Wizards' 77 points represented a season low. Washington made 7-of-8 free throws in the contest while Minnesota was 23-of-28, continuing a troubling trend that has emerged during the losing streak in which opponents have taken 49 more foul shots.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (12-45): Richardson was 4-of-8 from 3-point range against Milwaukee and remarkably had zero turnovers in 25 minutes for a team that coughed it up 28 times. That led to 37 points for the Bucks, who forced nine turnovers in the first quarter alone en route to a 61-32 halftime lead. Forward Thomas Robinson had seven points and six rebounds in his first game with the 76ers after being plucked off waivers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. 76ers PG Isaiah Canaan is averaging 12 points in three games since arriving in a trade with Houston.
2. Wizards All-Star PG John Wall had a season-low five points at Minnesota and is 4-of-25 from 3-point range over a seven-game stretch.
3. Washington shot a season-high 55.6 percent against the 76ers in the first meeting.