Mavericks

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The Wizards head to Dallas for the midpoint of their road trip.

American Airlines Center | 8:30 p.m. | NBCSW | 1500 AM

Wizards (26-20): G - Wall, G - Beal, F - Porter Jr., F - Morris, C - Gortat 

Mavs (15-31): G - Smith Jr., G - Matthews, F - Barnes, F - Kleber, C - Nowitzki

Mavs: Seth Curry (Leg - Out), Dorian Finney-Smith (Knee - Out), Nerlens Noel (Thumb - Out), Devin Harris (Head - TBD)

The Wizards bounced back in impressive fashion on Friday night, which included a 45-point third quarter en route to a 122-112 victory over the Pistons in Detroit.  After getting blown out in Charlotte last Wednesday, the Wizards fell behind by as much as 15 points in the first quarter on Friday night, but battled back to tie the score at half.  They then shot the lights out in the third quarter to open the game up and held off a late run from Detroit to seal their 11th road win of the year.

The Wizards have bounced back with impressive wins in the past after getting blown out, which unfortunately has become a trend this season as they are now 3-0 after losing by 20+ points.  But in order to really build momentum, they'll need to string together a few good wins in a row and that can start tonight by beating a Dallas team they have struggled against in the past.

The Mavs beat the Wiz, 113-99, back in early November in D.C., which was Dallas' ninth straight win over the Wiz in Washington.  The Mavs have beaten the Wiz in 16 of the last 18 games in the series, with Washington's only two wins coming in 2009 and 2015 in Dallas.

Harrison Barnes led the Mavs with 31 points in their last meeting and Dennis Smith Jr. scored 22 as the Wiz struggled to slow down a Dallas team that was struggling offensively early in the season.  They have been much better of late, averaging over 109 points per game over their last 15, and they've had eight straight games with at least five scoring in double figures.

John Wall and Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 23 points apiece.

Kelly Oubre Jr. poured in a career-high 26 points to help the Wizards pick up a much needed road win on Friday.  He made five more 3-pointers and is now shooting over 40% from 3-point range on the season, a career-high.  He's also now averaging over 12 points per game and has 27 games (seven straight) in which he's finished in double figures, which is fourth in the NBA for reserves.  In his third year in the league, he's earned himself heavy minutes in the rotation and has developed into a vital piece to this Wizards team.

Up next, the Wizards head to Oklahoma City for a national TV game on Thursday night. (8:00 p.m.)

dallas-the-midpoint-of-wizards-lengthy-trip

Dallas the midpoint of Wizards' lengthy trip

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

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

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)

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.)

Mavericks

Dallas the midpoint of Wizards' lengthy trip

Homestand begins with the Mavs