Thunder at Wizards
Dwight Howard will make his team debut when the Washington Wizards host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. The 32-year-old center missed all of training camp and the first seven games of the season with a strained muscle in his buttocks.
Howard, an eight-time All-Star, was signed as a free agent in the offseason but has been curtailed by the injury that is located near his tailbone. "It just doesn't go away. It's a lot better than it was," Howard told reporters on Thursday. "I haven't even been able to sit down. It hurts to sit down. Every time I get home, I can't watch a movie sitting down. I've gotta lay down on the floor. It's very painful." The Wizards have lost four consecutive games as they try to slow down the Thunder, who have won three contests in a row following an 0-4 start. Oklahoma City recovered from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit on Thursday to record a 111-107 victory in Charlotte.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Oklahoma, NBCS Washington
ABOUT THE THUNDER (3-4): Backup shooting guard Alex Abrines poured in a career-best 25 points - 15 in the third quarter - and made five 3-pointers (one shy of his career high) to help set the tone for Oklahoma City's comeback. "He really opened up the game for us offensively," coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "I think once he made a few shots, it got a little bit contagious within our team." Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who recorded 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, has topped 20 points in four of five games since returning from knee surgery.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (1-6): Washington is off to a dreadful start, and the issues were magnified when it committed 20 turnovers during a 107-95 loss to Memphis on Tuesday that completed a five-game road trip. Star point guard John Wall had nine of the miscues and the offense struggled as the Wizards failed to reach 100 points for the first time this season. "It’s kind of a broken record, but it is what it is," coach Scott Brooks told reporters of the setback. "Right now, we just got to fight through it, sticking together and playing for one another."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Wizards have won two of the last three meetings after the Thunder prevailed in the previous five matchups.
2. Oklahoma City SF Paul George missed all 10 of his 3-point attempts while scoring 11 points on 4-of-20 shooting against Charlotte.
3. Washington PF Markieff Morris (concussion) will return after a one-game absence.