Thunder at Wizards
The Washington Wizards are having a hard time finding any consistency game-to-game, and lapses at the defensive end of late are hurting the club. The Wizards will try to avoid a third straight loss when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
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Washington was riding high after Bradley Beal’s last-second 3-pointer gave it a 102-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, but back-to-back losses to the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks over the weekend brought the team back to earth. “We’ve shown what we can do if we do it the right way,” Wizards point guard John Wall told reporters. “We’ve also shown how bad it can be if we don’t do it the right way.” The Thunder are going through a similar Jekyll and Hyde routine as they adjust to new coach Billy Donovan’s system. Oklahoma City struggled to execute late in consecutive losses to the Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls before turning things around with a 124-103 victory over Phoenix on Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Oklahoma, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (4-3): Oklahoma City got more out of its bench and turned defense into offense with steals and fast-break points on Sunday, making steady improvements in areas Donovan had targeted. “We did a better job of being aggressive and not letting people come at us, which led to us doing what we do – getting out in transition and getting steals,” Russell Westbrook told reporters. Westbrook totaled four turnovers in the last two games after giving the ball away 15 times in the previous two contests.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (3-3): Washington leads the NBA in turnovers (19.7) and Wall is the worst of the bunch at an average of five. “It’s a process, but some of the turnovers have nothing to do with a process,” Wall said. “It’s just simple basketball, having a great IQ. Not trying to force things at times.” Beal is close at 3.5 turnovers and is questionable to play on Tuesday after leaving Saturday’s loss to the Hawks with a shoulder injury.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Westbrook recorded a points-assists double-double in each of the last four games.
2. Wizards F Otto Porter Jr. is 27-of-43 from the field in the last four games.
3. Oklahoma City took both meetings last season, including a 105-103 overtime win in Washington on Jan. 21.