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The Washington Wizards continue their four-game road trip to the West Coast against the Phoenix Suns in an enticing 2021-22 NBA season game at Footprint Center.
The Wizards have been in terrible form of late, having lost seven of their last ten games. They endured a 119-105 loss in their previous outing against Sacramento. Meanwhile, the Suns overcame Portland, 111-107 in overtime in their last match. With that win, they continued their streak of not losing consecutive games to 23.
Match Details
Fixture - Washington Wizards vs Phoenix Suns | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Thursday, December 16th, 2021; 9:00 PM ET (Friday, December 17th, 2021; 7:30 AM IST).
Venue - Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards have failed to capitalize on their promising start to the campaign. They have gone from 10-3 to 15-14 for the season in no time.
The Wizards haven't been able to respond well when being pressured during crucial stretches of a match. That trend continued in their previous outing against the Kings. Despite Washington leading by 12 points late in the third quarter, they couldn't hold off their opponents, who capitalized on every mistake made by Bradley Beal and company down the stretch.
The Washington Wizards continued to struggle from 3-point range, making only five of 24 shots from deep as a team. They did a decent job of attacking the paint, but the Kings, who also struggled from long range, outplayed the Wizards' interior defense comprehensively. Washington conceded 68 points in the paint.
The Wizards will have to bring their A-game if they are to give themselves a healthy chance of defeating the mighty Phoenix Suns.
Key Player - Daniel Gafford
The Phoenix Suns are highly effective when it comes to scoring the ball from all over the floor. If they cannot get their 3-point shooting going, they tend to attack the paint frequently, and do it with great efficiency. Daniel Gafford could be given extended minutes as the man in the middle to limit the likes of Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee from making a difference at the rim.
Gafford is the better defensive player between him and Montrezl Harrell, so his performance on that end will be one of the keys to a win for the Washington Wizards.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Spencer Dinwiddie | G - Bradley Beal | F - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Kyle Kuzma | C - Daniel Gafford.
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns have consistently displayed their elite two-way potential this season. Except for their recent losses against the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors, the Suns have barely put a foot wrong over their last 23 games.
The defending Western Conference champions have had to deal with plenty of injury issues over the last few weeks. They have been without Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Frank Kaminsky for large swathes. Despite that, Phoenix has continued to bank on their 'next-man-up' mentality and managed to churn out wins.
After a dismal 111-95 loss against the LA Clippers on Monday, the Phoenix Suns looked determined to do well against Portland and avoid back-to-back defeats. Monty Williams' men took charge early on in the match, grabbing an 11-point advantage by the end of the first quarter.
They were slow to come out of halftime, though, as their opponents gained a six-point advantage mid-way through the second half. Phoenix did well to avoid a loss and eventually won the game in overtime.
The Suns will have to try and get an early advantage against the Washington Wizards and capitalize on it to ensure they do not endure a surprise loss at home on Thursday.
Key Player - Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton returned from a non-COVID illness in the Phoenix Suns' last match, helping them win with a team-high 28-point outing. He proved to be the difference maker once again and will have to help his side take control of the match against the Washington Wizards as well.
Ayton will have to be at his lethal best on the defensive end. That's because the Wizards score the majority of their points in the paint. The Suns' man in the middle has done an excellent job anchoring their defense thus far, so he will be expected to execute their plans as projected.
Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup
G - Chris Paul | G - Landry Shamet | F - Mikal Bridges | F - Jae Crowder | C - Deandre Ayton.
Wizards vs Suns Match Prediction
The Washington Wizards are in a slump right now, and getting out of it against a side like the Phoenix Suns will be an uphill task for them. The Suns have been a way better team overall than almost 95% of the league at this stage. Unless Washington can dig into their early-season form and receive contributions from all their players, they are unlikely to cause an upset by beating Phoenix.
Where to watch Wizards vs Suns
NBC Sports Washington and Bally Sports Arizona will provide local coverage of the game between the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns. Fans can also catch live action online via NBA League Pass.
