Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards
The Spurs visit the nationâs capital to take on a Wizards team thatâs lost eight of its last 12.
âIâm tired of talking about this sâ. Itâs just the same thing over and over.â
Those could be the words of pretty much any Spurs fan after hearing the latest injury report, but this time theyâre coming out of the mouth of Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who voiced his frustrations with his team after suffering another frustrating loss at the hands of the New York Knicks.
The Wizards are reeling a bit, and theyâre likely to be without Bealâs running mate in the backcourt for a while longer. Thatâs good news for the visiting Spurs, who could do with a bounce-back win after fumbling away a chance at pushing their game in Milwaukee to overtime on Sunday.
San Antonio Spurs (43-31) at Washington Wizards (40-33)
March 27, 2018 | 7:30 pm CDT
Watch: FSSW; Listen: 1200 AM WOAI
Spurs injuries: Kawhi Leonard (return from injury management)
Wizards injuries: John Wall (knee)
Wall out?
Hereâs an update that was shared late on Monday night regarding the Wizardsâ star PG:
John Wall just spoke at length. The highlights: The knee feels good. He dropped 10-15 pounds on his rehab by accident. No timeline for his return. Medical staff must clear him. Changed up his hair because he was bored. #Wizards
â Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 26, 2018
With a lighter, made-over Wall likely sidelined on Tuesday, the Spursâ gameplan wonât be any different from when these teams met last week: a heavy dose of LaMarcus Aldridge in the post, running Wizards shooters off the three-point line, and holding out hope for ancillary production from the supporting cast. San Antonio canât likely count on another 16-point night from Kyle Anderson, but someone else will need to step up in the scoring department.
Can anyone slow down the Western Conference Player of the Week?
This is mostly a way of giving Aldridge some props after earning well-deserved Player of the Week honors for his performances last week, but itâs also a reminder of the trenches in which every Spurs game continues to be fought.
17 of LaMarcus Aldridge’s 27 points were against Marcin Gortat in last week’s win, on 7 of 15 shooting.
Matchup will likely be the front lines of the Spurs’ attack again tomorrow night. pic.twitter.com/oXyPV2QW6S
â Bruno Passos (@bouncepassos) March 27, 2018
The Wizards will do what they can to keep Aldridge off the block and force other Spurs to make plays. The more successful they are in doing that, the better their odds are of extending San Antonioâs losing streak to two.
Where they stand going into Tuesday
The loss to the Bucks stings a little less one day later, thanks in part to losses by Denver (at Philly) and Minnesota (at home… against the Grizzlies!).
oof, wolves pic.twitter.com/UJiBZYdjd4
â Bruno Passos (@bouncepassos) March 27, 2018
Vegas prediction: Spurs by 1.
Game prediction: Spurs by 7.
For the Wizards fanâs perspective, visit: Bullets Forever.
As always Tony must dominate Fisher.
PtRâs Gamethread will be up this evening for those who want to chat through the game. You can also follow along with the action through PtRâs Twitter feed
Source: Pounding The Rock