Washington isn't short on star power. The problem is everything around it. Davis put up 44 points and 13 rebounds in a 122-111 loss at Detroit and then publicly called out his team's effort. Reporting from this skid keeps listing the same problems: rebounding, perimeter shooting, turnovers and a bench that can't produce steady scoring behind the 2 stars. The double-overtime loss to the Pistons showed both halves of that. Young had 37 points and 14 assists, hit a buzzer-beating 3 to force overtime, and Davis added 30 and 15. Cade Cunningham still scored 52, and Washington ran out of legs in the 2nd overtime on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.
The schedule works in Washington's favor. The Wizards had only 1 home game in the last 5, and 4 of those 5 came on the road, including 2 back-to-back sets. After the Pistons game they get 2 full days off before Sunday. Houston arrives after a home game against Utah and leaves right after the final buzzer for Miami. A rested team with 2 high-usage stars can catch a team managing its minutes. That was the formula that nearly beat Detroit.
Washington's injury list is long and mostly guards. Bub Carrington left the Detroit game with a chest injury, Reece Beekman is weeks into an AC joint recovery, and Jamir Watkins is out after ACL surgery. That puts even more ballhandling on Young. Washington's rebounding problem is the main reason Houston's center news matters. If Adams or Capela suits up on Sunday, the Rockets get their size back against the team that has struggled most on the glass. If neither one does, this is a closer game than the 2 records suggest. Tipoff is 7:00 PM ET at Capital One Arena.
