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Wizards vs. Heat preview: Washington looks for first preseason win against Miami

NBA: Washington Wizards at Miami Heat Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Game Info

When: Friday, October 5 at 7 pm Eastern Time
Where: Capital One Arena in Washington DC
TV: NBC Sports Washington

Injury Report

Wizards: Dwight Howard (Out, Back)

Heat: Josh Richardson (Questionable, Thigh), Derrick Jones Jr. (Day-to-Day, Shoulder)

What to Watch for

Otto shooting more, hopefully!

On Wizards Media Day, Coach Brooks asked the reporters to get on Porter Jr. for not shooting more threes. He described the small forward as one of the best perimeter shooters in the league. On Monday, he went 3-for-5 on 3-pointers in less than 17 minutes of action, so he shouldn’t second-guess himself going into this game.

Even if he doesn’t make every shot, it’s more important that he gets in the rhythm of shooting early on in the season.

Another game, another ejection?

With Markieff Morris getting ejected in the second quarter of the Wizards’ first game of the preseason and Washington being one of the worst teams last year at picking up technical fouls, it’s difficult to imagine a future filled with consistent focus and composure for this team.

While the passion doesn’t go unnoticed, I believe a part of this team’s success will depend on their ability to focus on what matters most which is securing the win.

The Heat’s roster is filled with players who know how to get under people’s skin, like James Johnson, Kely Olynyk, Dion Waiters, and Hassan Whiteside. We’ll see if Washington can keep cool, especially if the referees have a quick whistle like they did on Monday.

Don’t sleep on Kelly Oubre Jr.

Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Wizards in points (15), shot attempts (14), rebounds (8), assists (4), and minutes played (27) in Monday’s game against the Knicks. With Scott Brooks giving the starters limited minutes this preseason, it’s Kelly’s time to show out.

A random moment in Wizards - Heat history: Andre Miller’s touchdown pass to Bradley Beal