Washington (55 - 27)

Expert Pick
100% ····················>< 0%

Atlanta (31 - 51)

david vs GOLIATH


A top 5 team in the NSL, the Washington Wizards, take on a bottom 5 team in the NSL, the Atlanta Hawks, in what will be the third of four matchups this season. So far they are split 1-1, with the Wiz drubbing the Hawks in game 1 by 24, and the Hawks hitting an and-1 in the final seconds to eke out a victory over a Capela-less Wiz squad in game 2. Both teams are hurting immensely coming out of the all star break, with both sides missing 5 or more rotation players. Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks are missing from their rotation: Desmond Bane, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, Brandin Podziemski, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. The loss of Bane obviously hurts the most; he is their premier scorer, ranking in the top 15 in 3s made while scoring 24 ppg on 45/38/79 splits. Meanwhile, after finally getting Quickley back after he missed most of the season, he returns to the IL again for a brief spell. The Hawks will be extremely thin at the wing for this matchup, having to start Tim hardaway jr, and calling up a 2 way player to help fill the minutes at the 3-spot. Washington Wizards: The Wiz are ailing even more than their opponents: Lebron James, Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams, Davion Mitchell, and Daniel Theis will all be absent from this matchup. Obviously Lebron cannot be replaced, but Jrue's perimeter defense will be sorely missed against Coby White, who at any moment can catch fire from deep. Luckily they will have Clint Capela for this matchup, who alone should be able to handle the bigs for the Hawks, as he is much better and more seasoned than the youngster trio. Key Matchups: Coby White vs Devin Booker While the obvious advantage goes to booker here, he is not defensively inclined himself. White has had a few games of going for 30+ this season, and now that he'll be the #1 option there is certainly upset potential here. However, Booker is just too good and consistent, I expect he will pop off for 40+ given the wizards' equal lack of scoring options for this matchup. Donovan Clingan vs Clint Capela Capela missed the last matchup, and it showed, as Clingan scooped up 7 offensive boards in that game. I expect this will play out much differently, as Capela will likely give Clingan his latest "welcome to the league" game and dominate the paint. Skill and experience > length.

A top 5 team in the NSL, the Washington Wizards, take on a bottom 5 team in the NSL, the Atlanta Hawks, in what will be the third of four matchups this season. So far they are split 1-1, with the Wiz drubbing the Hawks in game 1 by 24, and the Hawks hitting an and-1 in the final seconds to eke out a victory over a Capela-less Wiz squad in game 2. Both teams are hurting immensely coming out of the all star break, with both sides missing 5 or more rotation players.

Atlanta Hawks:
The Hawks are missing from their rotation: Desmond Bane, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, Brandin Podziemski, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. The loss of Bane obviously hurts the most; he is their premier scorer, ranking in the top 15 in 3s made while scoring 24 ppg on 45/38/79 splits. Meanwhile, after finally getting Quickley back after he missed most of the season, he returns to the IL again for a brief spell.

The Hawks will be extremely thin at the wing for this matchup, having to start Tim hardaway jr, and calling up a 2 way player to help fill the minutes at the 3-spot.

Washington Wizards:
The Wiz are ailing even more than their opponents: Lebron James, Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams, Davion Mitchell, and Daniel Theis will all be absent from this matchup. Obviously Lebron cannot be replaced, but Jrue's perimeter defense will be sorely missed against Coby White, who at any moment can catch fire from deep. Luckily they will have Clint Capela for this matchup, who alone should be able to handle the bigs for the Hawks, as he is much better and more seasoned than the youngster trio.

Key Matchups:
Coby White vs Devin Booker
While the obvious advantage goes to booker here, he is not defensively inclined himself. White has had a few games of going for 30+ this season, and now that he'll be the #1 option there is certainly upset potential here. However, Booker is just too good and consistent, I expect he will pop off for 40+ given the wizards' equal lack of scoring options for this matchup.

Donovan Clingan vs Clint Capela
Capela missed the last matchup, and it showed, as Clingan scooped up 7 offensive boards in that game. I expect this will play out much differently, as Capela will likely give Clingan his latest "welcome to the league" game and dominate the paint. Skill and experience > length.

Wizards Star

Devin Booker
Contrary to the prior blurb, it's entirely feasible that book goes for 50+, not 40. He is the only active player on the Wiz to be averaging double digits, which means the team will win or lose with his performance. Given the Hawks do not have a player capable of guarding him, he will likely circle the hawks like a...different bird of prey that's not a hawk. Buzzard?

PPG 27.5

RPG 3.8

APG 3.4

SPG 0.8

BPG 0.3

FPG 2.0

TPG 1.3

PPG 10.7

RPG 2.2

APG 3.4

SPG 0.4

BPG 0.1

FPG 1.1

TPG 0.9

Hawks Star

Payton Pritchard
Pritchard has had a bit of a tough season; he has struggled with efficiency, barely shooting 30% from 3 despite that being his most notable skill. He has also spent most games coming off the bench, as most of his better games have been when he plays fewer than 20 minutes. However, he has been pressed into starting service, and he has not been shy about letting it rain despite the struggles.

X-Factor
The benches for both teams. The Hawks are playing literal Gabe Vincent and a 2-way player among their bench players, while the Wiz by my count have no bench player higher than 71 ovr unless they keep Thomas Bryant in reserve. Either way, it's gonna be a real sloppy barnburner in the non-starter minutes, of which there will hopefully be few. Also, the starting PF battle will be an interesting one to watch. We know clingan is matching up with capela, but then you have rookie Alex Sarr vs one of Tristan Thompson or Kobe Brown. Sarr in theory should mop up that competition, but TT has been in the league a long time. He could show the youngin' a thing or three.

X-Factor

The benches for both teams. The Hawks are playing literal Gabe Vincent and a 2-way player among their bench players, while the Wiz by my count have no bench player higher than 71 ovr unless they keep Thomas Bryant in reserve. Either way, it's gonna be a real sloppy barnburner in the non-starter minutes, of which there will hopefully be few.

Also, the starting PF battle will be an interesting one to watch. We know clingan is matching up with capela, but then you have rookie Alex Sarr vs one of Tristan Thompson or Kobe Brown. Sarr in theory should mop up that competition, but TT has been in the league a long time. He could show the youngin' a thing or three.

Injury Report
Injured Players: Brandin Podziemski (Illness/Abdominal/Back) - 16 NBA Games missed this season Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Illness/Ankle) - 9 NBA Games missed this season Gradey Dick (Calf/Hamstring/Illness/Pelvis) - 12 NBA Games missed this season Taylor Hendricks (Leg/Ankle) - 62 NBA Games missed this season Desmond Bane (Oblique/Toe/Ankle/Hip) - 12 NBA Games missed this season Immanuel Quickley (Pelvis/Elbow/Hip/Injury Management/Rest) - 40 NBA Games missed this season	Injured Players: Jamison Battle (Ankle/Nose) - 4 NBA Games missed this season Davion Mitchell (Shoulder/Illness/Foot/Quad) - 4 NBA Games missed this season Robert Williams (Hamstring/Injury Management/Rest/Concussion/Ankle/Illness/Hand/Knee) - 36 NBA Games missed this season Jrue Holiday (Knee/Shoulder/Rest/Finger) - 16 NBA Games missed this season Lebron James (Foot/Ankle/Groin) - 4 NBA Games missed this season Returning Players: Daniel Theis (returning from Neck/Thumb) - 5 NBA Games missed this season

Injury Report

Injured Players:
Brandin Podziemski (Illness/Abdominal/Back) - 16 NBA Games missed this season
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Illness/Ankle) - 9 NBA Games missed this season
Gradey Dick (Calf/Hamstring/Illness/Pelvis) - 12 NBA Games missed this season
Taylor Hendricks (Leg/Ankle) - 62 NBA Games missed this season
Desmond Bane (Oblique/Toe/Ankle/Hip) - 12 NBA Games missed this season
Immanuel Quickley (Pelvis/Elbow/Hip/Injury Management/Rest) - 40 NBA Games missed this season

Injured Players:
Jamison Battle (Ankle/Nose) - 4 NBA Games missed this season
Davion Mitchell (Shoulder/Illness/Foot/Quad) - 4 NBA Games missed this season
Robert Williams (Hamstring/Injury Management/Rest/Concussion/Ankle/Illness/Hand/Knee) - 36 NBA Games missed this season
Jrue Holiday (Knee/Shoulder/Rest/Finger) - 16 NBA Games missed this season
Lebron James (Foot/Ankle/Groin) - 4 NBA Games missed this season

Returning Players:
Daniel Theis (returning from Neck/Thumb) - 5 NBA Games missed this season

Prediction
I think this will be an overall sloppy game with a low amount of points, given the extreme amount of integral players missing for both squads. Atlanta has had a habit of hanging around superior teams in the 1st half only to fall over in the 2nd, I suspect they'll keep it within 6 pts at half time, but end up losing by double digits. Wizards 94-80 Hawks

		Comments (1)
Bulldog63 03/17 10:55 am	Addendum: Theis will be in this matchup, battle will not. I did this before the updated report came out, sorry.

	MIN	114
	UTAH	107

	IND	91
	CLE	108

	MIL	121
	TOR	120

	OKC	101
	NO	93

	PHI	110
	CHA	102