Wizards at Magic
After a promising homestand, the Washington Wizards will try to find some success on the road when they begin a three-game trip at the Orlando Magic on Friday. The Wizards were 4-2 on their stay at Capital One Arena with losses only to Toronto -- in double overtime -- and Golden State and now seek to improve on their 5-18 road mark.
Three Washington players scored at least 20 points in Thursday's 126-118 loss to the red-hot Warriors, leaving the Wizards a half-game ahead of the Magic for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. "Proud of our effort, but against this team, you can't make a mistake," Wizards coach Scott Brooks told reporters after his team was outrebounded 50-36. Orlando dropped the finale of a two-game road trip at Brooklyn on Wednesday to sink to 3-8 in its last 11 contests. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 14 rebounds but was whistled for an offensive goaltending call with 2.5 seconds left that prevented a tie game as the Magic fell to 14-14 against Eastern Conference opponents.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (20-27): Trevor Ariza scored 27 points, Bradley Beal had 20 and Tomas Satoransky finished with 20 and 10 assists in the loss to the Warriors. Thomas Bryant posted his fifth straight double-digit scoring effort while shooting 6-for-7 from the floor, and the 21-year-old is also 6-for-7 from 3-point range over a seven-game span. Satoransky is also on a hot streak, averaging 14.7 points on 18-of-27 shooting over his last three contests.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (20-28): A bright spot in Wednesday's loss was the play of 21-year-old forward Jonathan Isaac, who scored 16 points -- matching his best total since Oct. 22 -- while making 4-of-7 3-pointers. "To me, I thought he was assertive, and he was really good at both ends of the floor," coach Steve Clifford told the media of Isaac. "That was one of the better games that he's played. He was really, really good." Isaac missed the first two matchups with the Wizards while Vucevic averaged 19 points and 12.5 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Magic SG Terrence Ross is 5-for-26 from 3-point range over his last four games.
2. Beal is averaging 24 points, six rebounds and five assists against Orlando this season.
3. Magic PF Aaron Gordon scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in Wednesday's loss after missing the previous two games due to a back injury.