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Wizards vs. Grizzlies preview: Washington faces Memphis for the first time this season

Washington is coming off back-to-back losses.

Toronto Raptors v Washington Wizards Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Game info

When: Friday, November 5, 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

How to watch: NBC Sports Washington Plus

How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM

Injury Report

Wizards: Kyle Kuzma (Questionable); Davis Bertans (Out); Anthony Gill (Out); Rui Hachimura (Out); Cassius Winston; Thomas Bryant (Out);

Memphis Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks (Out)

Pregame notes

The Washington Wizards (5-3) will play the Memphis Grizzlies (5-3) for the first time this season on Friday night. The Wizards are coming off a nine-point loss to the Toronto Raptors and have lost their last two games while the Grizzlies have won their last two games.

The Wizards will look to slow down Ja Morant, who is having a stellar start of the season, averaging 27 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. The point guard has already had a 40-point game and a pair of 30-plus point games. Three other Grizzlies players are averaging in double-figures: Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and De’Anthony Melton. With Dillon Brooks sitting out as he recovers from left hand fracture, Bane has stepped up and has shot 47.3 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from the three-point line. The guard is leading his team in making threes with 3.3 per game.

Injuries and sitting out are starting to catch up to the Wizards. It is unclear if Kyle Kuzma will play in Friday’s game. The small forward exited Wednesday’s game during the third quarter against Toronto with a wrist injury. The season is young and such a strong start has left many feeling excited about the future so hopefully injuries can be contained and don’t start to spiral.

The shorthanded Wizards are going to need more consistent production Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Daniel Gafford, who is back from an injury, if they are going to compete with teams going forward. KCP is averaging 9.5 points per game but there’s still uncertainty in how he will play going into each game. He has scored 21 points in a game this season but he has also scored just 2 points in a game.

Hopefully the Wizards can clean things up against the Grizzlies.