Preview: Wizards Look to Bounce Back Against Raptors

Game 2-Toronto  (2-0)  at  Washington  (0-1)

TV:  7pm  NBC Sports Washington, NBATV

Last game:  Washington lost to Miami  113-112

  • John Wall-26 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds
  • Bradley Beal-20 points, 2 assists
  • Jeff Green-17 points, 4 rebounds

Projected Raptors starters-Siakam, Leonard, Ibaka, Lowry, Green

Projected Wizards starters-Morris, Porter Jr., Mahinmi, Wall, Beal

Raptors report-Toronto’s starting five were the key to their convincing divisional win on Friday night over the Boston Celtics. Four of their five starters scored in double figures, led by new Raptor, Kawhi Leonard, who scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Serge Ibaka was 10-14 from the field, and scored 21 while grabbing six boards. The Raptors, as a team, shot 47 percent from the field, and 37 percent from 3-point range. Leonard seems to be playing like the Kawhi that fans remembered. Last year, he only played in nine games for the San Antonio Spurs, before he was shut down due to a quad injury that led to a rift between the player and the team, which eventually led him to be traded to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan.

Wizards report-Washington is coming off a tough season opening loss to Miami with 0.2 seconds remaining, and will be facing a Toronto team who is playing the second game of a back-to-back. In the loss to the Heat, the Wizards were dominated on the glass, as they were out rebounded 55-40, and 22-7 when it came to offensive rebounds, and one of those led to the game winning tip-in by Kelly Olynyk of Miami. Dwight Howard, once again, will be a game-time decision on Saturday night, as he skipped the opener with a sore back, which has hurt him the entire preseason. Washington didn’t shoot the well from the outside either, as they went 7-26 (27%), while allowing Miami to convert 12 three-pointers. The matchup on Saturday is a rematch of the 1st round from last year’s playoffs, in which Toronto won the series in six games. In four games last year against Toronto, Beal averaged nearly 29 points. 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game. On the other hand, Wall did not face the Raptors last year in the regular season. After this game, the Wizards will fly out to start a five game road trip out West, and it will start with a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

 

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