Wizards vs Nets

The Brooklyn Nets visit the Washington Wizards on Monday. We continue our NBA odds series with a Nets-Wizards prediction and pick.

That being said, the Wizards have a pair of 20-point-per-game scorers who’ve shown the ability to swing games and spreads alike. The biggest X-factor for the Wizards is that of forward Kyle Kuzma. The Wizards have begun to freewill in recent weeks after a solid start to the season. Their biggest weakness falls on the glass as they’re near the bottom of the league in rebounding, ranking 27th in rebound differential and last in rebound rate. The Wizards struggled offensively, ranking 22nd in scoring and 19th in offensive rating. The Nets rank 16th in scoring and ninth in offensive rating. For as good as KD has been this year, he’s been even better against the Wizards. The one area Washington excels at is on the glass where they’re above average with ranks of 12th in rebound differential and 13th in rebound rate. The Wizards are 10-14-3 against the spread while 52% of their games have gone over. They’ve been slightly better on defense where they rank 15th in points allowed and 21st in defensive rating. Durant is having one of the best statistical seasons of his career. The Nets are 12-15-1 against the spread while 57% of their games have gone under.

Chris Baker breaks down Monday's NBA matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards and shares his best bet.

The Wizards are perfectly league-average in Transition Frequency (15th) and Transition Offensive Rating (16th). This shouldn’t be an issue for the Nets against this Wizards offense. On the other hand, the Wizards played their starters on both Friday and Saturday as this will be their third game in four days. Both teams rank in the bottom 10 in Pace, and the Wizards’ Pace should continue to slow down with both of their starting guards out. Beal, Morris, and Gill have been the Wizards’ three worst defenders in terms of On/Off Differential per 100 possessions. Their defense improves to second in points per 100 when forcing teams to play in the halfcourt as they are allowing just 93.2 points per 100 halfcourt plays. For all of the anticipated offensive issues due to injuries, the defense actually gets better when guys like Morris and Beal sit. Will the Nets capitalize on their rest advantage, or will the Wizards defend their home court? If he can’t play, I expect the Wizards offense to stagnate, especially considering the matchup edges for Brooklyn’s defense discussed above. The Nets will travel from Indiana to DC to take on the struggling Wizards on Monday night. The Nets defense has markedly improved from their slow start to the season, but they still struggle to finish possessions as they rank dead last in the NBA in Defensive Rebounding Rate. One of the biggest edges for Brooklyn in this game will be their rest advantage over the Wizards.

The Brooklyn Nets should have no problem with the Washington Wizards on Monday, especially since Bradley Beal is out for this game.

The Wizards are 21st in defensive rating and started this losing streak with a six-point loss to the Nets in Brooklyn with Beal healthy. Brooklyn hasn’t been dominant against the spread, but the team has way more firepower on offense with Beal out for Washington. The Wizards are down a few players, including star Bradley Beal, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. Kevin Durant is playing terrific basketball as of late, averaging 30.0 points per game on the season and 32.8 points over his last eight contests. Brooklyn, on the other hand, has won eight of its last 10 games to move into the No. Nets vs.

Analyzing Monday's Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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Patty Mills contributed 24 points on Saturday after sitting out seven straight games. Edmond Sumner added 21 points and Day'Ron Sharpe produced a double-double ...

Like the Nets, Washington also was shorthanded as Bradley Beal missed a third straight game with a hamstring strain that may keep him out again Monday. Washington shot 36.1 percent in its 128-86 loss to the Nets on Nov. Those outings allowed the Nets to erase a 14-point deficit midway through the third quarter and a nine-point deficit in the final seven-plus minutes. The loss in Brooklyn is part of Washington's current 1-9 slide. Nic Claxton also sat out a second straight game with a hamstring injury. Kyrie Irving sat out with an abductor injury and Brooklyn's other three starters from Friday sat out on Saturday.

The Washington Wizards couldn't stop the bleeding against the Brooklyn Nets, dropping their seventh straight game to the visitors in a 112-100 loss.

They led by as many as 17 points as the Wizards relied heavily on Will Barton to initiate their offense. They went to him early and often in the first quarter as he scored 12 of the team’s first 19 points. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving pouring in a combined 54 points while their supporting cast filled in their roles admirably, it all proved too much for a depleted D.C.