Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Match Preview - November 10th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Washington Wizards will look to extend their string of wins against the against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. [Photo: ABC News - Walt Disney]

The game between the Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be a matchup between two teams that have surprised many in the NBA.

Washington, who traded Russell Westbrook in the offseason to the Los Angeles Lakers, is off to an impressive 7-3 start. Their record includes wins over the Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks and, most recently, the defending champs Milwaukee Bucks. The Washington Wizards will need more of their stout defense to be in top form against the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll. They are on a four-game winning streak and will begin a homestand of four successive games on a high note. The unexpected string of wins has been due to the surprising play of Ricky Rubio, Jarrett Allen and rookie sensation Evan Mobley.

Went 4-0 last week 👍 #LetEmKnow https://t.co/b81w8wSORM

Jarrett Allen, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, has more than raised some eyebrows. He has been exceptional on both sides of the ball. For someone who has been labeled as just a rim-runner, the five-year veteran has surpassed expectations by miles.

Allen has significantly helped make this franchise relevant again, at least in the first 10 games of the season.

Match Details

Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers | 2021-22 NBA season.

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 10th; 7:00 PM ET (Thursday, November 11th; 5:30 AM IST).

Venue: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH.

Washington Wizards Preview

The Washington Wizards could turn out to be the winners of the Russell Westbrook trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Coach Wes Unseld Jr. has turned to defense as the Washington Wizards’ rallying cry to try and secure another playoff spot this season. Last season’s 112.3 defensive rating, which was 20th in the league, has been transformed into a smothering 103.1 this campaign.

The offense is also a little more well-rounded without Russell Westbrook for the Washington Wizards. Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Spencer Dinwiddie have been instrumental in keeping defenses honest. They have been punching their weight, which has eased the burden on superstar guard Bradley Beal to do the heavy lifting on offense.

Despite Beal’s rough start, the Washington Wizards have been buoyed by the performance of their new acquisitions. They’ll be even more dangerous once their scoring machine gets into a groove.

Key Player - Bradley Beal

The Washington Wizards are hoping that Bradley Beal's (right) accuracy will go back to his usual numbers.

Bradley Beal’s 24.2 PPG is a far cry from last season’s 31.3 PPG that ranked second in the league. Beal is also averaging 5.4 APG and a career-best 5.3 RPG.

Although his scoring has dropped, he has been trying to get open shots for his Washington Wizards teammates. Beal's assist average does not give the full story of his efforts to make the game easier for those around him.

The three-time All-Star’s shooting efficiency has been surprisingly low this season for the Washington Wizards. He’s one of many superstars like Damian Lillard and LeBron James who have struggled with shooting accuracy.

Bradley Beal is shooting a career-low in three-point shooting at a horrific 25.4%. His true shooting percentage has also dropped from 59.3% last season to 51.2% in ten games this year.

While the Washington Wizards can get away with this type of efficiency against some teams, Beal will have to do better against the best teams in the NBA.

Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup

G - Spencer Dinwiddie | G - Bradley Beal | F - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Kyle Kuzma | C - Daniel Gafford.

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 7-2 in their last nine games, including their current streak of four straight wins. In their last two games, they have beaten two potentially playoff-bound teams in the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks on their respective home floors. No one, probably not even the Cavs themselves, saw this coming.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have turned out to be revelations this season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former is one of the top rookies while the latter has just been recognized as the Eastern Conference's Player of the Week.

The veteran Ricky Rubio has been one of the top backups in the NBA this year. He has been a steadying presence to lean on for the Cleveland Cavaliers' young core. In the team’s last game in New York, Rubio torched the Knicks for 37 points including eight threes. For good measure, the longtime Spanish national team mainstay added 10 assists to that tally as well.

When you’re the first player in NBA history with 30+ points, 10+ assists, 8+ threes in a game off the bench 😁 https://t.co/YP3ZCl0HjN

Losing Collin Sexton to a knee injury will really hurt the Cavs, but having Rubio around is good news.

Key Player - Jarrett Allen

The Cleveland Cavaliers' depth is evident by the number of players who can be key in a specific game. But as the best player in the East, it has to be Jarrett Allen.

Eyebrows were raised and quizzical looks were thrown at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office when they acquired Jarrett Allen from the Brooklyn Nets. There were questions regarding his fit and how his lack of offensive repertoire would help a young team with uncertainties in so many different areas.

Jarrett Allen last 4 games:

20.5 PPG
16.3 RPG
2.5 APG
1.5 SPG
1.3 BPG
63.3 FG%
4-0 record

He is the first Cavs player to be named Player of the Week since LeBron James in 2018. https://t.co/9R6K8cXch3

Allen has not only locked down the center slot as his own but has also become one of the leaders of this youthful Cleveland Cavaliers team. His improvements speak for themselves after garnering the aforementioned award ahead of stars like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup

G - Darius Garland | G - Denzel Valentine | F - Dean Wade | F - Evan Mobley | C - Jarrett Allen.

Wizards vs Cavaliers Match Prediction

Confidence-boosting wins against the Toronto Raptors and the explosive New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden will serve the Cleveland Cavaliers well. They know that when they execute the game plan, play with effort and energy, they can beat anyone. Plus, they will be playing in front of a rabid home crowd.

Collin Sexton's indefinite absence due to injury will affect them. He is an athletic player who can create his own shots. The rest of the Cavs will have to make up for Sexton's absence against the Washington Wizards.

The Washington Wizards are also on a roll and are headed by Bradley Beal. Despite his struggles, Beal has always been workmanlike in his play with his team. Washington has playmakers of its own and difference-makers, which will make the game a likely seesaw battle.

In a close game, the Cleveland Cavaliers could get the win against the Washington Wizards.

Where to watch Wizards vs Cavaliers

Bally Sports Ohio and NBC Sports Washington will air the game live locally. The NBA League Pass will also stream the game live.