It wasn’t long ago that the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets were perennial playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, but now both are just trying to avoid the bottom of the standings. The two teams will each try to avoid a third straight loss when the Nets host the Wizards on Monday.
Washington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets
When: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, December 5, 2016
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
| ROT | TEAM | PS | OU | Money Line |
| 707 | WASHINGTON | 4.5 (-110) | 217 (-110) | -220 180 |
| 708 | BROOKLYN |
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic Plus (Washington), YES (Brooklyn)
PREDICTION: Wizards 116, Nets 110
Washington is 1 1/2 games ahead of Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference, with only the Philadelphia 76ers keeping the Nets out of the basement, but is starting to show signs of life on its road trip. The Wizards took Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder to overtime before falling 126-115 on Wednesday and fell 107-105 on Kawhi Leonard’s game-winner in San Antonio two days later. Brooklyn dropped both ends of a home-and-home with the Milwaukee Bucks in the last two games and lost nine of its last 10 contests. The Nets are last in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing an average of 114.2 points, and surrendered at least 111 in each of the last 10 contests.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (6-12): Washington gave 23-year-old shooting guard Bradley Beal a five-year, $128 million max extension in the offseason and watched its investment thrive of late. Beal is averaging 27.3 points in eight games since returning from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury and buried all five of his 3-point attempts in Friday’s loss to the Spurs. Point guard John Wall is finding Beal in the right spots and handed out 15 assists in each of the last two games.
ABOUT THE NETS (5-14): Veteran center Brook Lopez is taking the losing hard and put all the blame on himself after a 3-of-17 shooting effort at Milwaukee on Saturday. “I know I definitely wasn’t happy with the way I played,” Lopez told reporters. “I’m very disappointed in myself. I think I definitely affected the outcome. I let us down tonight, no question.” Lopez is 12-of-44 from the field in Brooklyn’s last three losses but knocked down at least three 3-pointers in each of the last four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Brooklyn reportedly signed restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas to a four-year, $37 million offer sheet on Friday, giving the Houston Rockets three days to match the offer.
2. Wizards C Ian Mahinmi (knee) missed the last three games and is questionable for Monday.
3. Washington swept the three-game series last season by an average of 14 points.
25% Bonus via Western Union
