Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Match Preview - April 30th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
In an enticing showdown in the 2020-21 NBA on Friday, the blazing Washington Wizards will lock horns with the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
The Washington Wizards are in rich form, winning nine of their last ten games to improve their season record to 28-34. Their stellar performances have seen them ascend to tenth in the East. The Washington Wizards are only 1.5 games behind the ninth-placed Indiana Pacers.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers' struggles have continued unabated this season. JB Bickerstaff's team are on a four-game losing streak; they are 21-41 on the season and occupying 13th place in the East.
Match Details
Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Friday, April 30th, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (Saturday; 5:00 AM IST)
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards are arguably coming off their most impressive victory of the season. Bradley Beal and co. swept reigning champions, the LA Lakers, 116-107 on Wednesday.
Beal, whose tally of 31.4 points per game is the most by any player this season, starred with a 27-point outing, including an efficient 11-18 shooting display from the field.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook closed in on the league's all-time triple-double record, registering 14 assists, 18 points and as many rebounds.
The Washington Wizards schooled the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-110 on Sunday, courtesy Bradley Beal's 33-point outing. With Beal and Russell Westbrook firing on all cylinders, the Wizards will look to boost their postseason hopes with a win on Friday.
Key Player - Russell Westbrook
Despite Beal's emergence as the most prolific scorer in the game, Russell Westbrook has proven to be the difference-maker for the Washington Wizards this season. Brodie is getting the job done at both ends of the court.
It took them over 50 games to do so, but Russ and Beal have finally found their groove. If the Washington Wizards earn a playoff berth, their backcourt duo could prove to be a difficult proposition for any team.
Russell Westbrook is a triple-double machine, averaging a stellar 21.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 11 assists in 35.8 minutes per game this season. The 9x All-Star is leading the league in most assists per game while also tallying 1.3 steals per contest.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Raul Neto | Shooting Guard - Russell Westbrook | Small Forward - Bradley Beal | Power Forward - Rui Hachimura | Center - Alex Len.
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading for the lottery. They have lost eight of their last ten games as their slump continues.
The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the new-look Orlando Magic on Wednesday for their fourth loss in as many games.
Playing without Collin Sexton, the Cavs rallied with an impressive 43-point comeback in the fourth quarter. However, their effort went in vain, as they slumped to their 41st loss of the season. Darius Garland tallied a team-high 25 points, while former Brooklyn Nets big man Jarrett Allen added 17 points and 13 rebounds in an extended 37 minutes from the floor.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have also struggled with injuries. Coach JB Bickerstaff will hope to see Sexton, Isaiah Hartenstein and Matthew Dellavedova back in the lineup for their next outing.
Key Player - Darius Garland
Darius Garland has been on a roll, scoring 20 points or more in seven of his past eight games.
Garland, the number five pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has elevated his game this month. The second-year guard is averaging 21.1 points on a stellar 48.1% shooting accuracy from the field in 14 games in April while also dishing out 7.6 assists per contest.
The second-year man out of Vanderbilt is coming off a 25-point, 10-assist outing in his team's loss against the Magic. He could be the Cleveland Cavaliers player to watch out for against the Washington Wizards.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Collin Sexton l Shooting Guard - Darius Garland l Small Forward - Cedi Osman l Power Forward - Kevin Love l Center - Jarrett Allen.
Wizards vs Cavaliers Match Prediction
The Cleveland Cavaliers will enter this game as the underdogs. With their slim postseason hopes receding with every game, the Cavaliers might not be interested in winning games at this stage of the season, as they hope to have a high draft pick in the summer.
Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards will look to continue their stellar form with a tick in the win column against the Cavaliers. Beal and Westbrook have been tearing up the competition of late and could deliver another winning presentation on Friday.
The Wizards are the overwhelming favorites to take the win.
Where to watch Wizards vs Cavaliers?
The game between the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be telecast on NBC Sports Washington and Bally Sports Ohio. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.