Suns at Wizards
The Washington Wizards and the Phoenix Suns each struggle on the defensive end and are finding it difficult to consistently end up in the win column. The teams will try to put together better efforts on that end when the Suns visit the Wizards on Monday.
Phoenix's average of 114.9 points allowed is the worst mark in the NBA, and it allowed the lowly Philadelphia 76ers to shoot 52.3 percent in a 120-105 loss on Saturday. The 76ers matched a franchise record with 17 made 3-pointers as the Suns struggled to guard the perimeter with small forward T.J. Warren out due to an illness and shooting guard Devin Booker hobbled by an ankle injury. The Wizards are surrendering an average of 106 points and allowed the Miami Heat to shoot 50.6 percent from the floor in a 114-111 home loss on Saturday. "We sound like old records and keep saying what we need to do," Bradley Beal told the Washington Post of the defense. "We know what we need to do. It’s just effort and just a matter of doing it."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE SUNS (4-10): Phoenix was coming off its best defensive performance of the season in a 116-96 win at Indiana on Friday night when it stumbled again in Philadelphia, and coach Earl Watson was not letting the team use the excuse of a back-to-back. "Young teams have to figure out consistency is key," Watson told reporters. "It starts with the mental aspect and the mentality you take the court with. You give any team confidence at home and they can get rolling." The Suns were also missing defensive anchor Tyson Chandler, who missed the last two games due to a personal matter.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (3-9): Washington's backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal each scored a season-high 34 points on Saturday, but center Marcin Gortat (10 points, 16 rebounds, five blocks) was the only other player to score in double figures. "We have to do our job of watching film to see where we can get better at on the defensive end," forward Markieff Morris told the Washington Post. "Offensively, it’s going to start clicking eventually. You see we had two guys go for 34 tonight, so offensively we’re there. We just got to get better on the defensive end." Wall is averaging 28 points in his last four games, but the Wizards are 1-3 in those contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Suns seldom-used PF Alan Williams found his way into the rotation in the last two games and delivered a pair of double-doubles off the bench.
2. Morris suffered a sprained ankle on Saturday and is day-to-day after X-rays came back negative.
3. Washington took both meetings last season after Phoenix swept the two-game series in 2014-15.