Tomorrow afternoon when the Wizards (41-32) take on the Houston Rockets (49-23) at the Verizon Center, the Wizards will be going for their second straight win coming off a four game losing streak. Playing a team that just got Dwight Howard back will be tough for the Wizards, but still gives the Wizards a chance to pull off an upset.
Marcin Gortat is going to need to play far better defense against Dwight Howard than he did when the Wizards beat the Charlotte Hornets in double overtime. Gortat allowed Hornets center, Al Jefferson, to score 31 of the 107 points scored by the Hornets. Holding Howard to a minimal number of points is a must if the Wizards want to find a way to win their second straight game.
The Wizards guards are also going to need to contain James Harden, because all NBA fans know it is impossible to completely stop The Beard. It is going to be important to contest all shots, and play a fair amount of help defense to ensure he is not getting easy shots he is bound to make.
Drew Gooden is going to be the key player in the game for the Wizards off the bench as the Wizards will look to rotate in as many serviceable bodies as possible to guard Dwight Howard. Gooden performed extremely well against the Hornets as he tallied 15 points and 17 rebounds off the bench. Gooden has given the Wizards some key minutes this year, but tomorrow he will need to play better than he has all season if the Wizards want to win the game.
Whether it is guarding Dwight Howard in the post, or James Harden on the perimeter, defense is what will bring the Wizards to their second straight victory. We know John Wall can score at will, but Wizards fans have not seen a lock down defensive performance in Washington in a few games. Against a Rockets team that can score in many ways, the Wizards must play tough defense with a lot of energy to steal this game at home.
Although it will be tough, the Wizards do have a chance to win this game. The game is going to have to be near perfect with limited turnovers, and the deal will likely have to give up less than 100 points. If the Wizards can win, they may be able to prove they can show Randy Wittman they are back on track, and still have a chance to contend for a title.
