Preview: Wizards look to bounce back in Brooklyn on second leg of back-to-back

The Wizards (24-27) are coming off a tough Friday night loss in D.C. at the hands of the Trail Blazers. Now, in a less-than-24-hour turnaround, they head to Brooklyn to take on a talented Nets squad (31-20). Here's everything you need to know.

WHERE: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: NBC Sports Washington
RADIO: 106.7 FM & The Wizards App

INJURY REPORT:

WIZARDS:
TBA

NETS:
Kyrie Irving (right calf soreness -- out)
Kevin Durant (right knee; MCL sprain -- out)
Ben Simmons (left knee soreness -- questionable)
T.J. Warren (left shin contusion -- questionable)

THREE-POINT DEFENSE

During the Wizards' recent six-game winning streak, they were defending the 3-point line at the best rate in the league, allowing only 8.5 makes per game. Here's a look at their opponents over that stretch and how they shot the ball from deep:

• Knicks: 7-of-26
• Magic: 14-of-34
• Mavericks: 10-of-30
• Rockets: 5-of-28
• Pelicans: 8-of-29
• Spurs: 7-of-29

On Friday night, the Blazers broke that trend. After a slow first half (4-of-18 from deep), they got scorching hot, making nine of their 14 attempts in the third quarter and four of their nine attempts in the fourth. That brought their total three-point shooting number to 17-of-41 (41.5%) for the game.

3-point defense is key to winning games in the NBA. With a league loaded with players who can light it up in a hurry, doing all you can to make things tough on them is pivotal. That involves matching up in transition, making timely rotations in the halfcourt, and running shooters off the 3-point line. Look for the Wizards to focus on that in Saturday's matchup with Brooklyn.

GETTING NIC CLAXTON AWAY FROM THE RIM

Nets center Nic Claxton is having a breakout season. He's averaging 13 points per game on a league-high 73.9% shooting from the field to go along with 8.9 rebounds. Where he makes his biggest impact, though, is on the defensive end of the court.

Brooklyn is leading the league in blocks per game (6.8) by a wide margin, and Claxton is the driving force behind their defensive success around the rim. He's leading the league in blocks per game at 2.6, and he's getting better and better as the weeks go by. Over the last 20 games, Claxton's blocks-per-game average is up to a jaw-dropping 3.0.

It'll be interesting to see if Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. sticks with a more traditional center like Daniel Gafford for large chunks of the game, or if he goes back to small-ball, playing Kristaps Porzingis at the five so Claxton is forced to defend all the way out to the three-point line.

KRISTAPS PORZINGIS THRIVING

Speaking of Porzingis, he's playing some incredible basketball right now. Over his last five games, he's averaging 24 points on .486/.429/.952 shooting splits to go along with 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 STOCKS (steals + blocks). He's knocking down shots from all over the court and defending the rim like he owns it, but what's most impressive has been his post play.

After Friday's game against the Blazers, Porzingis spoke about his improved post-up play, saying "I feel super comfortable. I feel like I have an advantage every time... What I've been focusing on more now that I am being effective in the post is making a really good pass to my teammates."

Porzingis' ability to read the floor with his back to the basket and anticipate double teams has opened up his passing game. It's why he's averaging nearly four assists over his last five games, despite only averaging 1.7 assists per game for his career. His evolved back-to-the-basket game has also resulted in him getting to the free-throw line at a career rate. For the season, he's averaging a career-best 7.0 free-throw attempts per game, and over the last five games, that number has jumped up to 8.4.

Keep an eye on how Porzingis manipulates the defense with his back to the basket in the post. It's been a wonderful thing to watch.