The tables have turned in DC back to where they were before the Wizards (40-28) went mighty cold. The Wizards five game win streak has lasted since the win on March 9th over the Charlotte Hornets. They have been hot from all aspects of the game, stretching from their defensive intensity to their ability to hit clutch shots. The last time they had a six game win streak was in December, and they really have not gotten much going since.
Tonight, the Wizards take on the Los Angeles Clippers (44-25), who are on a small two game win streak of their own. Being 6-4 over the last 10 games, the Clippers have been hot, but not quite as hot as the Wizards who have been 7-3 after their last 10.
The key matchup for tonight is going to see the battle of the point guards between John Wall and Chris Paul, both of whom are considered to be elite point guard in the league. Expect to see both in full-out attack mode as they try to one-up each other and try to show they belong higher in the rankings of the elite point guards in the league.
The Clippers bigs should be able to contain, or maybe even shut down Marcin Gortat and Nene. Usually, the Wizards have a huge size advantage on the inside, but tonight, they should be evenly matched in the paint. Even though Nene will have a touch matchup this time around against Blake Griffin, he seems to always perform far better than what he usually done when he goes against a tougher matchup. Gortat will likely struggle in his matchup with Deandre Jordan, but should still be able to control the boards.
To win this game, the Wizards are going to need to see a lot of bench production, and certainly more than they have been receiving over the past month or so. Over the five game win streak, the bench really has been nonexistent because they have seen a significant decrease in playing time as the Wizards begin to prepare for a playoff run long into the summer. When bench players get opportunities, they must make the most out of them to send the team to victory over a dominant Clippers team.
The matchup will certainly be interesting, but is very winnable for either team. A back and forth matchup is expected, although one team may pull away towards the end of the game. The game will be tight to say the least.
