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The Wizards (10-22) usher in the new year Wednesday evening at Capital One Arena with a 6:00 P.M. matchup against the Orlando Magic (14-19), looking to build on what head coach Scott Brooks called Washington’s biggest win of the season Monday night against Miami. The Magic enter Wednesday’s game having dropped two straight and eight of their last 11.
Bradley Beal’s availability will be determined following his pregame warmup. Beal has missed the last two games with lower right leg soreness.
Game Info
Capital One Arena | 6:00 P.M. | NBCSW | 1500 AM
Probable Starters
Wizards: G – Isaiah Thomas, G – Gary Payton II, F – Troy Brown Jr., F – Johnathan Williams, C – Ian Mahinmi
Magic: G – Markelle Fultz, G – Evan Fournier, F – Wes Iwundu, F – Jonathan Isaac, C – Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report
Wizards: Bradley Beal (lower right leg soreness – game-time decision), Davis Bertans (right quad strain – out), Thomas Bryant (right foot stress reaction – out), Rui Hachimura (groin injury – out), C.J. Miles (left wrist surgery – out), Moritz Wagner (left ankle sprain – out), John Wall (left Achilles rehab – out)
Magic: Al-Farouq Aminu (torn meniscus, right knee – out), Michael Carter-Williams (AC joint sprain, left shoulder – out), Aaron Gordon (left Achilles soreness – out)
Storylines
Wizards coming off historic night against Heat
Washington heads into the matchup with the Magic looking to capitalize on some unexpected momentum built up on Monday night. Down a number of key rotations players, Bradley Beal included, the Wizards took down a Miami Heat team that entered the game with the third-best record in the NBA – and did so behind performances from some unlikely names. Jordan McRae, who has scored 15-plus points in each of his three games since returning from injury, scored a season-high 29 points and dished out a career-high eight assists. Garrison Mathews, who averaged just three points per game in his 10 appearances this season, scored a career-high 28 points off the bench. Ian Mahinmi, who got the start at center, scored a career-high 25 points, including 14 on 6-6 shooting in the first quarter alone.
The trio became the first in NBA history to score 25-plus points when each entered the game averaging less than 11.0 points per game, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Led by McRae and Mathews, the Wizards bench totaled 80 points, a new franchise record.
“It's definitely the biggest win [of the season] considering what has taken place,” Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said, referring to the team’s rush of injuries. “We know what we're up against. You don't win in this league by not playing hard, whether you have your full roster or you don't have your roster, you got to play hard, you got to give maximum effort. It has to be consistent, with or without making shots you still got to do it. The last two games we've done it.”
Beal trending toward return
Bradley Beal, who has missed the last two games with lower right leg soreness, is likely to make his return to the lineup soon, perhaps as soon as Wednesday against Orlando. Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said prior to Saturday’s game against the Knicks – the first of Beal’s absence – that the injury was nothing serious and that Beal was likely to return after 1-2 games. Beal practiced Tuesday and remains questionable for Wednesday’s game. If Beal does return against Orlando, he’d face a Magic team he’s found a great deal of success against this season. In his two games against Orlando this season, Beal is averaging 38.0 points, 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 50.0% from the field and 50.0% from 3-point range.
Gordon out
The Magic are dealing with some injury uncertainty of their own as starting forward Aaron Gordon (left Achilles soreness) will miss his second consecutive game. In his absence on Monday night against Atlanta, Orlando shuffled their lineup a bit, moving Jonathan Isaac from the small forward position to the power forward position and sliding Wes Iwundu into the three spot. Iwundu struggled recording a minus-16 rating in 24 minutes of action.