Josh Robbins
Victor Oladipo (concussion) will not play tonight against the Wizards in DC. The Magic also list Jason Smith (knee) as out.
The Magic (5-5) are seeking a third straight win after Friday's 102-93 home victory over Utah. They've won four of five while limiting opponents to 94.6 points and 42.3 percent from the field.
Dante Marchitelli
3 times in 10 games the Magic have blocked 10 or more shots in a game. They did so 4 times in the last two years COMBINED!!!
(projected)
For the Wizards, Alan Anderson and Martell Webster remain out while Bradley Beal is questionable with the shoulder injury that kept him out of Tuesday's game. Beal didn’t go through shootaround today. Randy Wittman said Thursday that he expects Nene to return to the court for Saturday’s game against the Orlando Magic after missing Tuesday’s loss to Oklahoma City with a back injury.
Since their season-opening win, the Wizards have given up an average of 114.3 points per game
Randy Wittman called his team “soft” after the Wizards were routed by the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-101, on Tuesday at Verizon Center. Wittman seemed especially peeved with Washington’s efforts on the boards in its third consecutive loss; the Thunder outrebounded the Wizards 53-41 and Marcin Gortat had one defensive rebound in 27 minutes. “We don’t hit anybody and rebound the ball,” Wittman said. “We got guys that play 27 minutes and get one defensive rebound. I can get a rebound. I guarantee you. If you give me 27 minutes on Saturday, I’ll get you a rebound.”
“I don’t think it was necessary to call me out in the media like that,” Gortat said Friday after pausing for nine seconds before answering a question on the subject. “But it happened. I heard a different story in training camp, that stuff like that won’t happen. But it happened. So I disagree with what he did.”
Dante Marchitelli
Only Atlanta (11) has played more games than Orlando (10) and no one has played fewer than the Wizards (7) who have been off since Tuesday
Washington has won the last nine meetings with the Magic.
On this day in history (2003) Tracy McGrady outscored rookie Carmelo Anthony 51 to 17
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