Washington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction & Match Preview - February 17th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Washington Wizards will continue their short road-trip as they head into their second of two away games on February 17th against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
The Washington Wizards will head into this game on the back of a 108-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers. With an almost even split of wins and losses in their last seven games going 3-4, the Wizards now find themselves at 26-31 following their latest defeat
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets are enjoying a change of fortune ahead of the All-Star break, coming off a sensational 111-106 comeback win against the New York Knicks. The Nets have now put together a two-game winning streak even in the absence of key players, and now hold a record of 31-27.
Thursday night's game will be the final matchup of the season between the two teams. Although Brooklyn have a 2-1 lead in the series, the Wizards were the winners in the previous matchup. With the potential to steal a win on the road, Washington will look to level the season-series in this upcoming game.
Match Details
Fixture - Washington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Thursday, February 17th, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Friday, February 18th, 2022; 6:00 AM IST)
Venue - Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Washington Wizards Preview
Coming off a loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Washington Wizards now find themselves in an odd position at this point in the season. While they were rated as one of the top teams early on, the Wizards currently sit eleventh in the Eastern Conference standings and are out of the play-in spots.
Struggling with injuries and chemistry issues within their ranks, Washington made additional personnel changes ahead of the trade deadline as well. With the likes of Kristaps Porzingis joining the rotation, the Wizards now have some hope for the future.
Who's excited to see the 🦄 in action??! https://t.co/eWjYAmKuFt
Unfortunately, the current situation sees Washington on a bit of a skid. Although the game against Indiana featured impressive performances from Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Washington struggled with defensive integrity as Indiana managed to pull away and retain the lead for the majority of the game.
Key Player - Kyle Kuzma
A key player for the Washington Wizards in their upcoming matchup will be 6'9" forward Kyle Kuzma. In the absence of their superstar Bradley Beal, the Wizards have seen Kuzma emerge as the focal point of their offense.
Kuzma has put up some incredible numbers over the course of the last few games. Coming off a performance of 26 points and 15 rebounds against the Pacers, the 26-year old has seen a significant uptick in scoring as he recorded his third consecutive 20+ point game.
Kyle Kuzma, despite the loss:
26 PTS
15 REB
6 AST
Doing it all. 🥶 https://t.co/mrRCm6aqVZ
Washington will look to ride the momentum of his increased scoring production to secure a win against Brooklyn. The Wizards will also see Kuzma's length play a key role in the team's perimeter defense against the trigger-happy Nets.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Raul Neto | G - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Corey Kispert | F - Kyle Kuzma | C - Thomas Bryant
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Brooklyn Nets Preview
The eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets have been full of surprises in their last two outings. Playing without their new superstar trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, Brooklyn still managed to rack up back-to-back wins.
Their recent success can be attributed to the performances of Seth Curry and Bruce Brown Jr. However, the leading scorer for the game against the Knicks was Nets rookie Cam Thomas.
Registering 21 points, Thomas took matters into his own hands in the fourth-quarter. Aiding the Nets' comeback with some key buckets, Brooklyn managed to overcome a 28-point deficit to emerge as winners playing away at Madison Square Garden.
CAM THOMAS TIES IT FOR BROOKLYN
The Nets have rallied from a 28-point deficit 👀 https://t.co/xXww3jpmr5
Key Player - Seth Curry
A key player for the Brooklyn Nets in their upcoming encounter will be Seth Curry. Curry was acquired by the Nets at the trade deadline from the Philadelphia 76ers. Although the Nets gave up James Harden, Curry is a valuable addition to their roster.
Coming off a 20-point performance against the New York Knicks, the Nets shooting guard has been notching some efficient scoring since making his debut for the side. With consecutive 20+ performances, Curry has also been consistent from behind the arc as shooting 52.1% since joining the Nets.
@BrooklynNets
SETH CURRY LIGHTING IT UP FROM DOWNTOWN 🔥
🎥 @BrooklynNets https://t.co/lG4XpSINie
In the absence of a number of key players, the backcourt duo of Curry and Patty Mills will play a key role in scoring from the perimeter as well as distributing the ball. With Seth Curry also being an effective playmaker, the Nets will look to have their newest acquisition make an impact against the Wizards at home.
Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup
G - Patty Mills | G - Seth Curry | F - Kessler Edwards | F - Bruce Brown Jr. | C - Andre Drummond.
Wizards vs Nets Match Predictions
Although the Brooklyn Nets are lacking in the superstar department, they could be favored to win this game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night. The Nets have played with a lot of heart and effort and this has resulted in consecutive wins which should do wonders for their morale.
Meanwhile, the Wizards will be missing some key pieces for this game. Seemingly out of sorts at this point in the season, Washington has been relatively inconsistent on the road as well. With a 11-16 away record, the Wizards will also face some difficulty with regards to fatigue as they head into this back-to-back road fixture.
Where to watch Wizards vs Nets game?
The Washington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets game will be locally broadcast on YES. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into 101/9 FM/ 660 AM as well.
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