Orlando Magic aim to end losing run with visit to Washington Wizards
Watch Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Mix on Wednesday night at 11pm
Thursday 2 January 2020 05:58, UK
The Orlando Magic hope to break a two-game losing streak when they visit the injury-riddled Washington Wizards, live on Sky Sports Action.
Live NBA: Orlando @ Washington
This meeting marks the third match-up of a six-game homestand for the Wizards (10-22). So far they have gone 1-1, with a loss to the New York Knicks followed by a win over the Miami Heat in their most recent contest.
Despite missing most of their starting line-up through injury, including All-Star guard Bradley Beal, the Wizards pulled off an impressive win over the Heat, led by Ian Mahinmi, Jordan McRae and Garrison Matthews. Mahinmi finished with 25 points and five rebounds, McRae tallied 29 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block, while Matthews added 28 points and four rebounds.
Beal (calf) remains questionable for action on Wednesday night, while Davis Bertans (quad), Rui Hachimura (groin), Moritz Wagner (ankle) and Thomas Bryant (foot) all remain sidelined.
The Magic (14-19) have dropped seven of their last 10 games. They have lost four straight games on the road, where they have a 4-12 record.
Evan Fournier leads the Magic with 19.5 points per game. Nikola Vucevic has been playing well lately, averaging 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals over his last eight games.
Aaron Gordon (achilles) missed the last contest and remains questionable to face Washington.
Orlando do a good job protecting the ball, as they average a league-low 12.3 turnovers per game. On defense, they give up an average of 106.5 points per 100 possessions, the 11th-best defensive rating in the league.
Last time out
Numbers game
102.9 - That's the average number of points the offensively-challenged Magic score per game. It is the lowest figure in the league.
With Gordon potentially missing, the onus will fall on Terrence Ross, DJ Augustin and Markelle Fultz to provide greater scoring support behind Vucevic and Fournier.
One to watch (Magic): Jonathan Isaac
Jonathan Isaac is enjoying a break-out season and will fill in at power forward if Gordon misses the game.
For the season, Isaac is averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks in 30 minutes per game.
One to watch (Wizards): Gary Payton II
Payton II, whose father Gary 'The Glove' Payton is a Hall of Famer, has taken advantage of the Wizards injury crisis and begun his second stint with the team in explosive fashion, stuffing the stat sheet with 10 points, 11 rebounds and six steals in a December 23 win over the Knicks.
Despite seeing just 14 minutes of action against Miami, Payton II put up another solid performance with five points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
