The Wizards (45-33) are currently on a four-game winning streak, and aim to push that streak to five games tonight when they go to Brooklyn to face the Nets (36-42). The Wizards have clinched a top five seed, and could earn the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference if they win tonight and the Raptors also lose to the Magic. The Celtics, who have been surprising everybody this season, currently hold the seventh seed, but are only a loss away from being knocked out of the playoff picture.
This battle for playoff seeding makes this game very interesting. Washington is expected to win, but Boston is still fighting for their playoff lives. The Celtics will look at this game as a must win as they continue to fight for playoff positioning.
The key matchup tonight is going to be between the centers of both teams, Marcin Gortat and Brook Lopez. Lopez has been demolishing the competition as of late, and Gortat is going to have to be the one to stop him if the Wizards want to keep their chances of earning the fourth seed alive. With Lopez likely to opt out of his deal once the offseason comes, he is playing for a contract, which is going to make him that much harder for Gortat to guard.
For Washington, the bench play is going to keep the Wizards in control of this game as long as they perform as they have during the current four game winning streak. Some bench players have become starters while starters have sat out with rest, and others have been given increased roles. As starters return, their roles will decrease once again, but the production they give in these reduced roles will determine the fate of this Washington team.
The Wizards have something to fight for, and that is them having a chance to earn the fourth seed in the playoffs. To do that, they are going to have to win as many games as they can to surpass the Toronto Raptors or Chicago Bulls in the standings. The Wizards could still get as high as they third seed, but that would take a lot more luck and a lot more losing from some other teams. There are so many possibilities, and now is the time for Washington to begin to step on the gas.
