addByline("Zach Rosen", "WashingtonWizards.com", "ZacharySRosen");
After falling on opening night to the Mavericks, the Wizards will continue their three-game road trip on Friday night in Oklahoma City. In what will be the Thunder’s home opener, the Wizards will get their first look at a very different OKC team. Oklahoma City lost its season opener in Utah on Wednesday, and will host five of its next six games. The Wizards won in Oklahoma City for the first time ever last season, holding a 1-9 record all-time at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
In addition to the other five players who missed opening night, the Wizards will be without Jordan McRae. The veteran guard-forward will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger. The injury, which took place during Wednesday’s game, will be re-evaluated early next week.
Game Info
Chesapeake Energy Arena | 8:00 P.M. | NBCSW | 1500 AM
Probable Starters
Wizards: G – Ish Smith, G – Bradley Beal, F – Isaac Bonga, F – Rui Hachimura, C – Thomas Bryant
Thunder: G – Chris Paul, G – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G/F – Terrance Ferguson, F – Danilo Gallinari, C – Steven Adams
Injury Report
Wizards: Isaiah Thomas (left thumb rehab – out), Jordan McRae (broken right ring finger – out), John Wall (left Achilles rehab – out), Troy Brown Jr. (left calf strain – out), Ian Mahinmi (right Achilles strain – out), C.J. Miles (left foot rehab – out)
Thunder: Andre Roberson (return to play management; left knee)
Storylines
Road trip continues
The Wizards lost their season opener, but Scott Brooks was pleased with the effort and heart the team showed against Dallas. Bradley Beal struggled from the field, but stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and three steals. Isaac Bonga and Rui Hachimura were bright spots in their first minutes as Wizards, and Moe Wagner knocked down some key shots in the fourth quarter to spark a near comeback. Overall, Washington struggled from 3-point (11-41, 26.8%), and committed too many fouls to get the win.
After watching film and getting in a practice and shootaround in Oklahoma City, the Wizards will have gotten the first game jitters out. They should have a stronger performance as the road trip continues, with two more opportunities to get in the win column before Wednesday’s home opener.
Rebounding, rebounding, rebounding
One positive from the Wizards’ season opener in Dallas was rebounding. Washington out-rebounded Dallas 47-46 despite missing 15 more shots, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds. Both Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura gathered double-digits rebounds in the game to lead the Wizards. Washington will need to carry over that rebounding against Oklahoma City, as Steven Adams is one of the top rebounders in the league. Last season, Adams averaged 5.3 offensive rebounds, anchoring the league’s third best offensive rebounding percentage. Bryant and Adams will be a key matchup to watch down low on Friday.
New-look Thunder
In their season debut against the Jazz, three Thunder players scored 20-plus points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26), Chris Paul (22), and Danilo Gallinari (21). All three players came over in the offseason in different trades for Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Slowing down those three will be a challenge, especially savvy veterans like Paul and Gallinari. Outside of those three newcomers, Steven Adams is a mainstay down low, while Terrance Ferguson is one of the league’s best young perimeter defenders and will likely guard Bradley Beal most of the night. Dennis Schroder returns for his second season as the Thunder’s sixth man, anchoring a second unit that has very little NBA experience.