Wizards at Clippers
Washington All-Star John Wall exploded in the first two contests of the team's five-game road trip and looks for another stellar performance when the Wizards visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Wall recorded 37 points and 11 assists in a victory over Cleveland and followed with 34 and 14 in Tuesday's 119-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wall has helped the Wizards win four consecutive games, and the stellar point guard has steered them to within two games of the first-place Cavaliers and 1 1/2 of Boston in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The victory over the Lakers also clinched the Southeast title, the franchise's first division crown since 1978-79, when it won the Atlantic Division while known as the Bullets. The Clippers have recorded eight straight home victories against the Wizards and won 13 of the last 16 meetings, but they are just 9-10 since the All-Star break and are failing to click on all cylinders. "You hate that it's this late in the season, but we're one of the few teams that can get it right," point guard Chris Paul insisted to reporters. "We've just got to build that trust."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (46-28): Washington overcame a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Lakers for its 16th comeback win from a double-digit deficit this season. Wall is averaging 28.8 points, 11 assists and 2.8 steals during the four-game winning streak and figures to be motivated to do more damage when he matches up against Paul. Shooting guard Bradley Beal is on a streak of his own as he has scored in double digits in 32 consecutive games.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (44-31): Fifth in the Western Conference, Los Angeles has been unable to overtake fourth-place Utah - which holds a 1 1/2-game lead - and center DeAndre Jordan is frustrated with the team's up-and-down nature. "We've just got to play desperate," Jordan told reporters. "I feel like that's what a lot of teams are doing who are even higher-seeded than we are. Their spirits are different, and we've got to find that. It should have already been found." Coach Doc Rivers insists there is time to turn it around but admits he is "concerned about consistency."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Beal scored 41 points to lead the Wizards to a 117-110 home win over the Clippers on Dec. 18.
2. Washington backup SF Kelly Oubre Jr. has averaged 15 points on 12-of-19 shooting over his last two games.
3. Los Angeles SG J.J. Redick (ankle) could miss his second straight contest.