Latest trip could make it tough to break skid
Put expectations at the top of the list of things the Wizards are having to manage along with their opponents as they head into their longest road trip of the season thus far.
“I don’t think we should have a mindset of going on a four-game road trip to try to win one game,” forward Rashard Lewis said. “I think we have to try to go out and win all of them, and hopefully we can walk away with two or three.”
But the reality is that the Wizards (13-31) couldn’t be more desperate for a single victory to snap their 0-21 start away from Verizon Center, eight losses away from the NBA record for the worst start to a season on the road.
The prospects of ending the futility during the next stretch aren’t great. Three of Washington’s four difficult foes are certain to make the playoffs (Oklahoma City, Dallas, New Orleans), while the fourth (Memphis) is in strong contention.
| Up next |
| Wizards at Thunder |
| Where » Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| When » Friday, 8 p.m. |
| TV » Comcast SportsNet |
| Notes |
| » Wizards coach Flip Saunders missed practice Thursday to attend to his ailing mother in Cleveland. |
| » Guard Kirk Hinrich (sprained right elbow) participated in practice and is listed as day-to-day. JaVale McGee sat out with the flu. Josh Howard (left knee tendinitis) hopes to play during Washington’s road trip, perhaps against the Mavericks, his former team, on Monday. |
| » John Wall has been added as a potential candidate for the Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star weekend. |
The Wizards start their trip against D.C.’s own Kevin Durant, who leads the NBA in scoring (28.6 points a game) and put up 47 points and 18 rebounds as the Thunder (29-16) beat Minnesota in overtime on Wednesday.
“There ain’t really nothing you can do but contest every shot because he’s going to make shots with a hand in his face and everything,” Wizards guard Nick Young said. “That’s what great scorers do.”
Wizards rookie John Wall also will be handed the latest in an endless string of challenging point guard matchups in Russell Westbrook (22.4 ppg, 8.4 assists a game).
“His game just jumped to another level when he played with the USA team [last summer], and he’s been playing that way all year,” Lewis said.
No matter who they face, Wizards players realize that in a roundabout fashion, they’re the ones who’ve now become more popular when they leave the District than when they’re in town.
“I know everybody’s watching to see what the score is when we’re on the road. Everybody’s checking to see if we can finally get one,” Wall said. “It’s in our heads every time.”
