Homestand begins with the Mavs

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The Wizards open their four-game homestand on Tuesday night against Dallas.

Game Info

Capital One Arena | 7:00 p.m. | NBCSW | 1500 AM | Buy Tickets

Probable Starters

Wizards (5-4): G - Wall, G - Beal, F - Porter Jr., F - Morris, C - Gortat 

Mavericks (1-10): G - Smith Jr., G - Matthews, F - Barnes, F - Nowitzki, C - Noel

Wizards: John Wall (Shoulder - Questionable), Tim Frazier (Wrist - Questionable), Sheldon Mac (Achilles - Out)

Mavs: Seth Curry (Tibia - Out), Dorian Finney-Smith (Knee - Questionable), Josh McRoberts (Lower Extremity - Out)

Storylines

Bradley Beal has been on a tear over the past week, averaging 38.0 points per game over his last three games. He became just the sixth player in franchise history to score 35+ points in three straight games and if he scores over 35 again on Tuesday, he'll be the first player in franchise history to reach that mark in four consecutive games. Over this stretch, he's shooting 57% from the field and 48% from 3-point range, leading the team in scoring in each game.

At 25.7 ppg, Beal ranks third in the Eastern Conference in scoring, and has made it look easy, finding different ways to get buckets every night. He's been attacking the rim, getting to the free-throw line, and scoring from mid-range, turning himself into one of the more dynamic scoring guards in the league. If he keeps up playing this way, there's little doubt he'll find his name on the 2018 NBA All-Star roster.

John Wall missed Sunday's game in Toronto with a sprained left shoulder and he's been listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against Dallas. Tim Frazier started Sunday's game at the point guard spot and would get the nod again on Tuesday if Wall is forced to miss another game. While Wall took quite a blow to his shoulder last Friday, the fact that he's expected to be back tonight, four days after suffering the injury, is a good sign that he avoided any kind of serious damage. Tomas Satoransky played 22 minutes backing up Frazier on Sunday and the Wizards also used lineups with Beal as the primary ball handler.

The team will likely announce Wall's official status about 90 minutes prior to tip-off.

The Mavs enter Tuesday night's game with the worst record in the NBA at 1-10. They rank near the bottom in nearly every offensive category, although they do shoot 3-pointers at a high clip and shoot it at 37% from beyond the arc. While the Wizards' shooting guard has been red hot this month, the Mavs' two guard, Wes Matthews, has been struggling to find his rhythm, and has shot just 31% from the floor over his last three games. One bright spot for the Mavs has been the play of their rookie first-round pick, Dennis Smith Jr., who has averaged 17.3 ppg over his last three games and can be a threat for a highlight nearly every time he steps on the floor.

Despite the Mavs' struggles, they certainly have enough talent on their team to win games, and they have had the Wizards' number over the last decade, winning the last eight meetings in D.C. dating back to the 2007-08 season. As the Wizards learned with the Phoenix game last Wednesday, they can't take any team too lightly, so they'll need to come ready to work for Tuesday night's battle with Dallas.

The Wizards' homestand continues on Thursday when they look for redemption against the L.A. Lakers. (7:00 p.m.)