NBA Preview: The Washington Wizards matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night
Stats
Wizards are 6-13 whereas the Lakers are 14-6, 9-2 at home.
The Wizards is the only team along with the Los Angeles Clippers who have no victory away from home. They have an average of 112.8 points per game on the road.
When and where?
The game will take place at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA on 10:30 pm.
Who is up to what?
The Lakers have tried hard to finish their game losing streak and are redeeming their lost powers. Their coach Phil Jackson is but still doubtful about his team that happens to be two times NBA defending champions. He is unsure if their performance has actually
turned around to the better side or it was just a momentary slip.
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking forward to leash their eighth straight victory on the Wizards. The Lakers easily grabbed their fourth game skid by gaining an 113-80 home win against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
"It feels good to get back on a winning track," Shannon Brown confessed.
"We're not letting ourselves sink down into anything."
The Lakers ended their longest losing streak since April 2007 as they went on a shooting rate of 56.6 percent in that game. The Lakers went down the road as they lost to Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and then Houston Rockets even after their
brilliant 13-2 start. All these losses were final minute losses and made the coach wonder if his team will ever turn around after such a break.
"It's hard to judge," said a miserable Jackson later. "Have we broken free from the bonds that held us back, or did we just get a weak sister at this time of year?"
Lakers’ Wizards previous matchup stats
The Lakers have an average of 112.0 points on a shooting rate of 53.1 percent in their last seven matchups against the Wizards. This happened long after Gilbert Arenas pointed a score of 60 points in Wizards’ overtime win 147-141 that took place at the Staples
Center on Dec. 17, 2006.
Kobe Bryant scored 45 points in that victory and he has scored an average of 20.3 points in three home games while playing against the Washington Wizards after that.
Bryant dished out 22 points while playing against the Sacramento Kings. This proved that if the Lakers have a good control on each other that can help them take the direction of their game to new heights.
"All I'm going to say is that we played the right way," he said later.
"It felt good to win, but it's more about doing the right things to be successful."
Despite his strained hamstring, Pau Gasol arrived with 16 points that assisted the Lakers in surpassing the Kings 68-30 points in the paint.
Washington Wizards lost their game against Phoenix Suns 125-108 on Sunday. They let the Suns shoot on a rate of 58 percent from the field that obviously proved disastrous for them.
Andray Blatche scored 24 points, Nick Young scored 22 and John Wall who happens to be the No. 1 overall draft pick added 12 points and dished out 12 assists with shooting percentage of 50.6.
Injuries
Andrew Bynum may not make it to the game as the 7 footer is suffering from an offseason knee injury. Although he did his first full practice but still may not be able to make it to the game.
Tags: