(Sports Network) - The Brooklyn Nets have lost three in a row at home and will
try to stop the slide Friday night versus the Washington Wizards.
The Nets are 20-13 at Barclays Center this season and just split their two
road games. After losing at Chicago in the opener of the quick trip, the Nets
rebounded with a 99-78 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday.
Joe Johnson scored 22 points and Deron Williams had 20 points and eight
assists for Brooklyn, which had lost two straight and four of five games.
"It was passion, not effort," said Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo. "We didn't play
with near the same passion that we did in the second half."
Brook Lopez added 16 points for the Nets.
Washington has lost three of four games since a three-game winning streak and
is coming off Wednesday's 87-82 setback at Minnesota.
John Wall had a game-high 19 points and dished out seven assists, while Trevor
Ariza registered 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Emeka Okafor had a
double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Wizards.
"We're not going to beat anybody with the carelessness we had with the ball,"
said Wizards coach Randy Wittman. "We just don't value the basketball at all.
It doesn't hurt us to have a turnover. We just throw it all over."
The Wizards will try to improve on their 5-23 road record Friday night and may
have to do that without rookie guard Bradley Beal. Beal is doubtful for Friday
with a sprained left ankle and did not play against the Timberwolves.
Beal is averaging 14.2 points and 3.7 rebounds this season.
Okafor has posted six double-doubles in his last seven games and is posting
averages of 12.9 points and 11.7 rebounds in that span. Ariza is averaging
14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in his last seven games for a
Wizards squad that has held opponents under 100 points in the last 10 road
games.
Washington and Brooklyn have split two matchups this season with each game
being played in the nation's capital. The Wizards have lost 16 of the past 22
road meetings with the Nets.
The Sports Network