The Wizards finally won their first road game of the season last weekend. But that only frees them to battle for the remainder of the year much as they have all season — albeit without the threat of a dubious record hanging over every contest. Multiple challenges remain for Washington, beginning with a shorthanded visit to the Orlando Magic (35-21) in its last game before this weekend’s All-Star break.
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| Wizards at Magic | ||
| When » Wednesday, 7 p.m. | ||
| Where » Amway Arena, Orlando, Fla. | ||
| TV » Comcast SportsNet |
The Wizards (15-38) suffered one of their worst defeats of the season at Amway Arena on opening night, losing to Orlando by 29 points.
Rashard Lewis, who had 13 points in that game for the Magic, told reporters in Orlando on Tuesday that he was almost certain to miss his first return to the city where he played for three and a half seasons. Lewis, who recently mentioned the possibility of surgery, has missed the last two games with tendonitis in his right knee, and he will have sat out nearly two full weeks when Washington returns from the break next week.
“It’s most definitely tough,” Lewis said. “Most definitely, it would’ve been a lot of fun to play back here in the arena where I played here this year. Not last year, this year.”
Without Lewis and Al Thornton (finger), Washington has been depleted at small forward. Fortunately, Josh Howard was able to return from a 19-game absence due to left knee problems and make his first start of the season Sunday at Cleveland, where he finished with 16 points and five rebounds.
Howard’s initial return in December from a torn left ACL suffered last winter lasted only eight games. After seeing his last action on Jan. 5, Howard received a platelet-rich plasma shot in his left knee to help speed the healing process.
“I could tell for those eight games, I could tell the momentum of the team changed, as far as being more confident, I give them that,” Howard said last week prior to his return, also indicating his preference to remain with the Wizards beyond the current season.
“You know, big picture, hopefully, I’ll be able to come back and play a full season,” Howard said. “That’s my ultimate goal. I love the D.C. area, and I want to come back.”
