A week ago, the Brooklyn Nets traded their arguably biggest stars – James Harden and Paul Millsap to the Philadelphia 76ers. In the first game without them in the team, the Nets lost to the Washington Wizards, the team they’re squaring off with again this evening.
After the loss to the Wizards, the Nets went on to lose another game, before bouncing back and winning the next two. One of those wins was the one against their interstate rivals, the New York Knicks. Played last time, the game saw the Nets win 111-106 despite entering the game as the underdogs.
A day later, they’re taking on the Wizards once again. This time, oddsmakers see them as the favorites.
Wizards at Nets 2022 Odds
Spread
| Wizards +4 | Nets -4 |
| -110 | -110 |
Moneyline
| Wizards | Nets |
| +160 | -182 |
Points O/U
| Over 218 | Under 218 |
| -110 | -110 |
Odds were taken from BetRivers.
Wizards Dreaming of the Playoffs
The Washington Wizards are 26-31 on the season, which puts them just one spot below the playoff zone. The good news is that they still have a decent chance to get to a position that leads to the postseason. For that to happen, however, they will need to win many more games.
The problem is that their form hasn’t been great lately. In fact, since the start of the year, they won just eight games, while losing another 14. In February, their record is 3-5, with their most recent game finishing in a 113-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Scoring has been their Achilles’ heel this season. With an average of 106.9 points per game, their offense is the ninth-worst in the league. Unfortunately for them, their defense hasn’t been much better either – the Wizards have been allowing 110.0 points per game on average.
Nets Looking for the Third Straight Win
Kevin Durant remains sidelined due to a knee injury. Ben Simmons is suspended, while Kyrie Irving isn’t allowed to play in New York on account of not being vaccinated. Nevertheless, even without those guys, the Nets managed to win their previous two games played within New York State.
First, they defeated the Sacramento Kings at home. Then, they played against their interstate rivals, the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and won again.
In both of those games, Seth Curry was superb. The new arrival from Philadelphia scored 20+ points each time, while also making a total of 11 assists. He’s the man who’ll probably be in the spotlight this evening as well in the absence of Brooklyn’s superstars.
Wizards vs Nets Prediction
Time is a friend for the Nets, who are waiting for their best players to return. Hopefully, all of them will make a comeback in time for the playoffs, assuming that the Nets actually get there. It’s up to the rest of the team to make sure it happens.
To ensure a place in the postseason, the Nets need to continue playing well, especially against teams from the bottom of the table. One such team is Washington, which the Nets need to beat tonight.
Pick: Brooklyn Nets -4 (-110)
