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GAME INFO
Capital One Arena | 6 p.m. | TV: NBCSW | Radio: 980 AM & Wizards App
The Wizards host the defending-champion Bucks on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Capital One Arena. Washington is looking to build on a 28-point win over Memphis on Friday night, its largest margin of victory of the season. Milwaukee comes in having lost four of its last fives games, including a 15-point loss in New York on Friday.
INJURY REPORT
WIZARDS: Davis Bertans (left ankle sprain – out), Thomas Bryant (left ACL injury recovery – out), Rui Hachimura (not with team – out), Cassius Winston (left hamstring strain – out)
BUCKS: Grayson Allen (illness – questionable), Donte DiVincenzo (left ankle injury recovery – out), Brook Lopez (back soreness – out), Khris Middleton (health and safety protocols –out)
STORYLINES
Balanced effort and blowout win eases Beal’s workload
In many ways, the Wizards’ win over the Grizzlies on Friday night was as good Washington could have scripted it – a combination of so many of the elements the team said it wanted to emphasize coming into the season. Washington limited Memphis at the point of attack, holding Ja Morant to his lowest scoring performance of the season. The ball movement was crisp and consistent up and down the roster. The Wizards had nine players record at least three assists in a game for the first time in franchise history. And Bradley Beal, who came into the game leading the league in shot attempts per game and leading the team in minutes, did not play a second of the fourth quarter.
“It was a focus before the season,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said after practice on Saturday. “Can we find ways to reduce his minutes? Not dramatically, but two minutes per game over the aggregate of 82 games is significant. Does that mean he can do a little more on the other end of the court? He can dig deep come April. I think it matters for (Beal), for Spencer (Dinwiddie), for all those high-minute guys…It was great for them to take a back seat and have other guys get opportunity.”
That rest will come in handy as Washington faces a Milwaukee team with some of the most overwhelming defensive players in the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a four-time All-Defense nominee and 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year is flanked by Jrue Holiday, who has been named to three All-Defense teams of his own.
Bucks hampered by key absences
Milwaukee’s recent struggles are due largely in part to the fact that they’ve been playing shorthanded for most of the last week. Khris Middleton, who averaged 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game last season and recorded three 20-point games in his first six outings this season, is in the NBA health and safety protocols and has missed the last three games. Starting center Brook Lopez has missed the team’s last eight games with a back injury. And All-Star guard Jrue Holiday came off the bench and played just 20 minutes in his return from missing six of the team’s last seven games with a right heel contusion and left ankle sprain. With so many contributors missing time, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has done his best to keep the team on track, averaging 29.3 points, 10.2 rebound and 6.3 assists per game.
Wizards to honor Dandridge
Before and during Sunday’s game, the Wizards will commemorate franchise legend Bob Dandridge. In his four years with the team, Dandridge was a part of the 1978 title team and earned All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense honors. He averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in D.C. He spent the other nine years of his career playing in Milwaukee, where he won another championship and was named to three All-Star teams. In September, Dandridge was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Wizards will unveil a display near section 113 a plaque commemorating the 1978 championship run, a caricature of the 1978 Championship roster and a Dandridge Bullets jersey and warm up sweats. The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a rally towel modeled after Dandridge’s #10 jersey.
TICKETS
Tickets for all Wizards home games can be purchased HERE.