The Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards are long shots to win this year’s NBA title, but the fact that there is still hope for them to crack the playoffs is all they need to give it their all when they lock horns this week. Both teams have dismal odds of +100,000 to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but at this point anything can happen. Check out our preview of this game now.
It’s going to take the Suns something short of a miracle to make the playoffs, as their chances to get there are no longer entirely in their hands. However, up against a Wizards team that won’t have All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, the Suns have a good shot of at least winning their first assignment down in Orlando. Before the season got paused, the Suns won two of three games, beating the Portland Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks in back-to-back fashion, both at home. With the duo of Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker, the Suns know they have something special to develop. Ayton is averaging 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. The high-scoring Booker is lighting up the scoreboards for 26.1 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the floor. Booker scored 27 points and had eight assists in a 140-132 loss at home to the Wizards last November.
The total has hit the over three times in the Suns’ last four games.
Betting on the Washington Wizards (+7)
Regular Season Record: 24-40
With Beal sitting out, the Wizards’ offense will be looking for someone to step up. And it’s not just Beal, who’s out, as Davis Bertans is also not in Orlando. Beal and Bertans are the Wizards’ top two leading scorers, and filling the void they are leaving on offense will fall mostly on the shoulders of the likes of Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown, and Thomas Bryant. The former Indiana Hoosiers center scored 23 points in the last meeting with the Suns. Beal scored 35 in that contest, though, so it’s going to take Washington more than just a good game from Bryant to keep up with the more complete Suns. Ish Smith could be the Disney World hero the Wizards are waiting to break out. Smith scored 21 points off the bench in the win over Phoenix.
The Wizards are 2-1 against the spread in their last three games.
