The nation's capital is the sight of this West versus East showdown as the San Antonio Spurs visit the Washington Wizards. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Spurs-Wizards prediction, pick, and how to watch.
The Wizards enter the game struggling, going 2-8 in their last ten games, and losing their last four. Now 2.5 games out of the ten-spot and the play-in tournament, the Wizards need a win over San Antonio. San Antonio has been eliminated from playoff contention and will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The 54 losses already are the most for a Gregg Popovich Spurs team in his tenure.
Here are the Spurs-Wizards NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Spurs-Wizards Odds
San Antonio Spurs: +8 (-112)
Washington Wizards: -8 (-108)
Over: 228 (-110)
Under: 228 (-110)
How To Watch Spurs vs. Wizards
TV: NBCSports Washington / Bally Sports Southwest
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
The Spurs have been awful this season. To start, the injury situation is very rough. Zach Collins and Devin Vassell are questionable, while four other players are listed currently as out for the game. They are struggling to score, sitting 25th in the NBA scoring at 112.1 points per game. Their field goal percentage has been bad as well, sitting at 46.5%, which is also 25th in the NBA. They struggle to shoot the three, with both their three-pointers made per game and three-point percentage in the bottom ten of the NBA. This poor offense leads to an NBA worst -10 points per game point differential, worst in the league by 2.3 points per game.
It is not all bad in San Antonio though. They are top five in assists per game. They pass the ball well and get players in position to score regularly. Tre Jones leads the team regarding assists per game, but he is currently listed as doubtful for this outing. San Antonio will need to find someone to help set up and run the offense if he is not able to go against the Wizards.
The Spurs also need to get Romeo Langford some confidence in knocking down shots. He went 0-6 against New Orleans in a loss. In the recent win, he was 3-3 in shooting. In the three games before that, he was at .500 or below in shooting. When he is hitting shots, the team around him is playing well. Tonight will need to be a classic Greg Popovich game for the Spurs to win. They will need to limit turnovers, move the ball, and be efficient. They have shown they can do it, but have not shown they can do it on a nightly basis.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
The Wizards are in must-win territory now. They will have to win tonight without the help of star player Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma. There should be some excitement going into this match-up with the Spurs. The Wizards were on a five-game losing streak to the Spurs and will look to sweep the season series for the first time in over 20 years. The last time the Wizards won both games over the Spurs, Chris Webber was leading the team in scoring.
The Wizards have lost four straight games and struggled to score in many of them. They have only hit 120 points one time in their last ten outings, and have been held under 100 twice. They are getting quality scoring from Kristaps Porzingas, but the other two leading scorers are Beal and Kuzma who are both out. The Wizards right now do not have the scoring depth to try to outscore a team, so this will need to be a low-scoring affair for them.
The best way for them to control the game in that regard will be on the glass. Porzingas is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game currently, which is leading the team. Behind him, there is Deni Avdija who is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game. The Spurs and Wizards are almost identical in rebounds per game, but the Wizards have a positive .9 rebound per game differential, whereas the Spurs are -1.3. Controlling the glass for the Wizards will be the difference for them in this one.
Final Spurs-Wizards Prediction & Pick
This game will come down to who can control the rebounding battle. There is no one on the Spurs roster that can handle Porzingas in that regard, and he will be the difference in this one. If San Antonio keeps up their poor shooting percentage and fails to get second-chance points, while also giving them up, it will be a long night for them. Porzingas gets a double-double while adding a few assists to get the Wizards a much-needed win.
Final Spurs-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Wizards -8 (-108)
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