Wizards at 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have given up 256 points in the last two games as they strive to reach double-digit victories. The 76ers try to get a few more stops on the defensive end against a team that can put up some points when they host the Washington Wizards on Thursday.
Philadelphia is missing some defense on the wings and down low with Richaun Holmes, Robert Covington (concussion) and Jerami Grant (concussion) out and allowed the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets to shoot a combined 53 percent in the last two games. “It's the same story all year long,” veteran forward Carl Landry told reporters. “We dig ourselves in a hole so deep we can't get out no matter how hard we fight. The same story every night.” The Wizards will keep putting pressure on that leaky defense with an offense that averaged 120.5 points in its last two games. Washington dropped into 10th place in the East with a five-game losing streak but crushed the two teams it was chasing for the No. 8 spot this week, sailing past Detroit 124-81 on Monday and ripping the Chicago Bulls 117-96 on Wednesday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (32-35): The John Wall-led offense has been impressive in the last two games but the big turnaround is at the other end of the floor, where Washington held the Pistons and the Bulls to less than 41 percent from the field and limited the two to a combined 9-of-43 from 3-point range. “If we’re a defensive-minded team on any given night, any given night we can beat anybody,” Wall told ESPN on Tuesday. “That’s the key to our success for the last 17, 16 games. Just play defense and don’t worry about the offense.” The Wizards remain two games behind the Pistons for the No. 8 spot, with the Bulls in between, but play six of their next nine games against teams with losing records as they try to make up the gap.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (9-58): Philadelphia beat the Nets 95-89 on Friday to snap a 13-game slide but had no idea how to stop that same team four days later with Bojan Bogdanovic, who missed the first meeting but carved the 76ers up for 44 points Tuesday. “We knew they were going to come out and try to fix some of the things that they felt they needed to in the games we won previously,” Philadelphia coach Brett Brown told reporters. “I thought they were physical. I give them credit, and Bojan Bogdanovic had a heck of a game.” The 76ers also play teams in the top third of the league in scoring average in Boston and Oklahoma City during their three-game homestand.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. 76ers G Nik Stauskas is averaging 14.3 points in the last three games
2. Wall recorded his third triple-double of the season with 29 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds Wednesday.
3. Washington has taken each of the first three meetings by an average of 9.7 points.