After a tough home stretch, the Wizards (31-36) are headed to Philadelphia to take on Joel Embiid and a talented Sixers team (44-22). Can the Wizards bounce back in Philly? Here's everything you need to know.
WHERE: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA)
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSW
RADIO: The Team 980 & The Wizards App
INJURY REPORT:
WIZARDS:
None
SIXERS:
None
INTERIOR DEFENSE
The Sixers have one of the premier players in the world in Embiid. He's a perennial MVP candidate and one of the most talented big men ever. Averaging a league-leading 33.4 points per game on 53.9% shooting from the field to go along with 10.1 boards, and 4.1 assists, he's established himself as an absolute matchup nightmare. The Wizards will be tasked with that tough assignment on Sunday evening.
It's likely that Wizards' center Daniel Gafford will draw the initial assignment on Embiid. Gafford is a bruiser in his own right and a talented enough athlete to move his feet alongside Embiid. But even if Gafford is the primary defender, guarding a guy like Embiid requires a full team effort and a quality game plan. Kristaps Porzingis will likely be a big part of that as well.
A big part of defending Embiid is simply staying disciplined. He draws fouls at a high rate, getting to the free-throw line nearly 12 times per game. When he gets there, it's almost automatic as he's shooting 85.4% from the charity stripe.
Embiid will work his way to a solid chunk of points. That's what players of that caliber do. But can the Wizards hold him in check? Can they keep him right around, or even below, his season average? Gafford and Porzingis will have their hands full down low.
STAYING HOME ON SHOOTERS
Guarding Embiid requires a lot of help defense, but he's also a master manipulator when defenses over-help. As he's grown throughout his NBA career, his passing has gotten increasingly better. His ability to pass out of double-teams and find shooters from the post are big reasons why the Sixers are top-10 in made threes per game at 12.7.
It's a tricky balance to strike. If you leave Embiid's defender on an island, one of the best players in the world will have a chance to go one-on-one with the ball in his hands. If you double Embiid, it opens up shooting opportunities for a wealth of sharpshooters. The key is to use timely help on Embiid while staying home on shooters. Of course, that's easier said than done.
PUSHING IN TRANSITION
Even the best teams in the league have their weaknesses, and the Sixers are no exception. They struggle to get back on defense and limit transition scoring opportunities. They're 28th in the league in opponent fast break points, giving up 15.8 per game.
The Wizards haven't been a stellar transition team this season, only scoring 11.7 fast break points per game, but this is a matchup they can exploit. Look for Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija to grab defensive rebounds and run. They're two amazingly versatile and athletic forwards who love to play with pace and get downhill. They could be the difference on Sunday evening.