_____


__28-13 Overall (19-8 vs East), 6-4 Last 10__________8-32 Overall (6-17 vs East), 4-6 Last 10
___2nd Southeast Div / 2nd Eastern Conf_____________4thAtlantic Div / 14th Eastern Conf
Happy Martin Luther King Day.
Following a revenge victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, YOUR Washington Wizards return home to face the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers in an afternoon match-up. Despite an 8-32 season record, the Sixers have been playing well lately -- they're 4-4 in their last eight games, including wins vs Cleveland, Brooklyn, Indiana, and New Orleans.
SG Troy Wroten has been out nursing a strained knee. PG Michael Carter-Williams has been averaging over 15 ppg and over 7 dimes per game (7 dimes per game must be difficult for a team that shoots .412 from the field. C Nerlins Noel is averaging over 7 boards and 1.6 blocks per game for Philly.
As evidenced by Friday night's blowout loss to the visiting Brooklyn Nets, YOUR Washington Wizards can ill-afford to take any opponent lightly Over the course of two straight games, Nets PG Jarrett Jack blew past Wizards PG John Wall at will. It appears that playing down to the level of its opponent is something that is somehow contained within the organization's DNA. The second half of the season begins Monday afternoon and Washington's squad will not want to begin it with a bad loss.
If you're going to the game at the Verizon Center, note the 2:00 start time.
Let's meet the starting lineups.


_______PG John Wall, 6'4" (Kentucky)_____________PG Michael Carter Williams, 6'6" (Syracuse)
________17.1 ppg, 10.0 apg, 4.2 rpg____________________15.5 ppg, 7.2 apg, 6.3 rpg


_______SG Bradley Beal, 6'5" (Florida)_______________SG K. J. McDaniels, 6'6" (Clemson)
________14.9 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.8 rpg_____________________9.1 ppg, 1.4 apg, 3.7 rpg


_______SF Paul Pierce, 6'8" (Kansas)________________SF Robert Covington, 6'9" (Tenn. State)
________12.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg_______________________12.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.1 apg


____PF Nene Hilario, 6'11" (Brazil)______________PF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, 6'8" (UCLA )
________10.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.0 apg________________________9.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg


______C Marcin Gortat, 6'11" (Poland)__________________C Nerlins Noel, 6'11" (Kentucky)
________12.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg______________________8.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg
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If you're going to the game in person, please note the early start time.
What: Wizards vs Sixers
Where: Verizon Center -- Washington, DC
When: 2:00 p.m. EST
TV: Comcast SportsNet, NBA League Pass, Quasi-legal internet streams
Radio: WNEW 99.1 FM / WFED 1500 AM
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With a Wednesday night match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder looming, it would be easy for the Wizards team to look past this game. But Philly has been playing .500 ball over their last eight and if Friday night's shellacking at the hand of the Nets proves, on any given night, any NBA team can beat you if you don't show up.
The question is: Will YOUR Wizards show up?
Drop your thoughts, predictions, and opinions below.
Go Wizards!
