The Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers are set to take the floor at the Verizon Center at 7:00 PM Eastern. The two teams are headed in opposite directions: at 11-39, the Wizards have the second-worst record in the NBA, leading only the Charlotte Bobcats (7-41) in the win column.
The Sixers, on the other hand, are right in the thick of the playoffs with a 28-22 record. As of today, they are slated to be the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. With that said, here are our storylines to watch.
Balancing youth and potential: The Wizards roster is extremely young, with seven players age 25 and younger. It is interested to see how head coach Randy Wittman balances his young players (Chris Singleton, Kevin Seraphin, Jordan Crawford) with the more established veterans (Brian Cook, Maurice Evans, Rashard Lewis). The team has played relatively well since trading Nick Young and JaVale McGee, but the transition has been difficult with four close, frustrating losses.
Bringing Andre Iguodala back into the fold: After two games missed with tendinitis of the knee, Iguodala is likely to start on Friday night according to head coach Doug Collins. It will be interesting to see how Iguodala plays in his return, especially considering his replacement, Jodie Meeks, blew up against Cleveland to the tune of 31 points. In this case, a lot of talent isn't a bad problem for the Sixers to have.
Breaking down the guards: Jordan Crawford and John Wall have had a bit of difficulty coexisting on the floor, as both players employ a similar style of play: creating off the dribble. It will be worth watching their development as a unit, as both offer a lot if they can get on the same page offensively.
Here are your starting lineups:
Philadelphia 76ers
Jrue Holiday, PG
Evan Turner, SG
Andre Iguodala, SF
Elton Brand, PF
Spencer Hawes, C
Washington Wizards
John Wall, PG
Jordan Crawford, SG
Chris Singleton, SF
Trevor Booker, PF
Nene, C