Wizards at 76ers
The Washington Wizards have been riding a roller coaster for the last two months but look like they’re on their way back up at the right time. The Wizards will try to notch their fourth straight win and make up some ground in the Eastern Conference when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
Washington is one game behind the fourth-place Toronto Raptors and two behind the Chicago Bulls in the No. 3 spot with five games left. The Wizards appeared to be playing themselves out of the race for No. 3 when they finished March with five losses in six games but took a nice step in the right direction by opening a three-game road trip with a 92-83 win at Memphis to run the current winning streak to three on Saturday. The 76ers, who dropped a 106-93 decision at Washington on April 1, are losers of six straight and clinched a second consecutive 60-loss season with a loss at New York on Sunday. Philadelphia could still have an impact on the East playoff picture with its final four games against Washington, Chicago, Milwaukee and Miami.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (44-33): Washington is going to have to earn its place in the top half of the playoffs with a finishing schedule that includes four road games and a home date against No. 1 Atlanta. John Wall has handed out 47 assists over the last three games and added 18 points at Memphis as the Wizards snapped a three-game road losing streak with an impressive defensive effort. “This is probably the most fun we’ve had,” Wall told reporters. “We’re just enjoying it.”
ABOUT THE 76ERS (18-60): Philadelphia never had a shot in 2014-15 and the team has spent the year auditioning young players to put alongside Rookie of the Year contender Nerlens Noel as it moves forward. One player who made an impact was guard Isaiah Canaan, who averaged 12.6 points while serving mostly as a shooter off the bench but will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. “Realistically, with seven days left, and four games left, it’s not enough time,” said Brown before shifting his focus to Canaan’s future. “He can shoot, and when you start saying, ‘OK, now you have (2014 first-round pick) Joel Embiid, you better get some shooters around that player.' And maybe he’ll be one of them.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards F Paul Pierce (toe) and F Nene (shoulder) are both questionable to return after sitting out Sunday.
2. 76ers G Hollis Thompson is 12-of-19 from 3-point range over the last three games.
3. Washington has taken five of the last six in the series, with the lone setback coming at Philadelphia 89-81 on Feb. 27.