:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62724563/usa_today_11876724.0.jpg)
Game Info
When: Saturday, December 22 at 7:00 pm Eastern Time
Where: Capital One Arena
TV: NBC Sports Washington
Injury Report
Wizards: Dwight Howard (Out, Back), Otto Porter Jr. (Out, Knee)
Suns: None
What to Watch for
Wave Papi in a Suns jersey
A week after getting traded to Phoenix, Kelly Oubre Jr. will return to the arena that he called home since being drafted into the league. There’s no denying that it’s going to be odd seeing him in a Suns jersey at Capital One Arena. The Wizards better make sure he’s well-guarded because he’s played much better on the road than he has at home this season.
Will the Wizards be energized?
If you watched the Wizards’ win against the Lakers, then you know that Washington is capable of going hard. On the other hand, it didn’t take long for Trevor Ariza to notice his new team’s lack of effort after playing in his second as a Wizard this season.
“Basketball is a game of mistakes, so we know we are going to make mistakes”, Ariza said after the Wizards’ loss to the Rockets. “But the thing that you can’t do is lack effort. We lack effort. That’s what I notice so far.”
A newcomer noticing the team’s lack of effort and publicly voicing his observations about what’s going on is not a good look. The Wizards need to be ready and aggressive from start to finish.
Can the Wizards snap the Suns’ 4-game win streak?
A start for the Wizards is to focus on Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Devin Booker scored 25 points and had eight assists while rookie Deandre Ayton followed with 23 points and 18 rebounds in Phoenix’s win against Boston earlier this week. The Suns are on a roll and don’t look like they are going down without a challenge.