Nets at Wizards
The Washington Wizards hope they have put their losing stretch behind them as they look to complete a four-game season sweep of the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Friday. Washington lost four of five games before posting a 104-100 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday and holds a one-half game lead over Toronto for third place in the Eastern Conference.
The Wizards played outstanding basketball for two-plus months - compiling a 25-6 mark - before the recent slide and shooting guard Bradley Beal believes the team has been too uptight. "I think that's what we've been missing, missing our swag," Beal told reporters. "Everything is just so tense. We just need to relax and have fun playing the game." Brooklyn routed Phoenix 126-98 on Thursday to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season. "I think for us, on the outside looking in, it's like, 'Man, that's pretty sad,'" point guard Jeremy Lin told reporters. "I guess it is. But on the inside, we'll take every step in the right direction, we'll continue to take and appreciate it and be grateful for it. I think what's happening right now is, we are raising our standards slowly."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE NETS (15-56): Brooklyn is enjoying its best success with four victories in its last seven games, and Brook Lopez has fueled the run. The center fell one point shy of his seventh straight 20-point performance in the win over the Suns and is averaging 24.6 during the stretch. Lopez received plenty of help from the bench as the Nets' reserves combined for 81 points - and six of them scored in double figures, led by guard K.J. McDaniels' season-best 16.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (43-28): All-Star point guard John Wall was just 6-of-21 shooting against the Hawks but still contributed 22 points, 10 assists and four steals for his 46th double-double of the season. Beal, who scored 31 points in a victory over the Nets last month, recorded his 46th 20-point effort of the campaign by registering 28 along with nine rebounds. Beating lowly Brooklyn is crucial for Washington as a five-game road trip follows, beginning with a visit to Cleveland and ending with a contest against Golden State.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Wizards have won the last six meetings and 11 of the last 13.
2. Brooklyn SG Sean Kilpatrick (hamstring) likely will miss his fifth straight contest.
3. Washington SF Otto Porter Jr. is averaging nine points over his last two games after a stretch during which he averaged 16.1 over seven contests.