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The Washington Wizards are set to host the Toronto Raptors at Capital One Arena on Wednesday.
The Raptors have the momentum heading into this matchup against the Wizards. With a three-game winning streak behind them, Nick Nurse's men will aim to ride the wave of their early-season victories.
The Wizards have also been in great form so far. Although they are coming off a 118-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Wes Unseld Jr.'s men beat the Raptors in their first meeting of the 2021-22 season.
The Washington Wizards will hope to repeat their success from that game and defeat the Toronto Raptors again on Wednesday.
Toronto Raptors Injury Report
The Toronto Raptors have enjoyed some early-season success, but the most impressive part is that they have done this with a key player missing from their lineup.
Raptors star Pascal Siakam has been away from the side since May last year due to a shoulder injury. However, he is expected to return this month.
The Toronto Raptors will potentially be without rookie Scottie Barnes due to a thumb injury. Yuta Watanabe has also been sidelined due to a calf injury sustained early in the month of October.
Washington Wizards Injury Report
The Washington Wizards have a number of injuries on their roster. The most recent addition to their injury list is sharpshooting big man Davis Bertans. An ankle injury sustained on Monday may see him sidelined from this game.
The other key absences on the roster are Rui Hachimura, who will be out indefinitely due to personal reasons. Thomas Bryant has also missed a lot of time due to a knee injury sustained earlier in the year. He is expected to return in December.
The Washington Wizards will also see point guard Cassius Winston and power forward Anthony Gill sit out the game against the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards: Predicted Lineups
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have had a spectacular start to the season. With a 5-3 record, they have the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors have some very talented players on their roster. With a backcourt of Fred VanVleet, the team now also features Goran Dragic, who was acquired in the offseason. However, the side usually starts with Gary Trent Jr.
The frontcourt will likely see some changes with the addition of Precious Achiuwa at the center position. OG Anunoby's consistency also promises a lot for the Toronto Raptors' offense early in the season.
Additionally, Scottie Barnes has played a huge role in his side's success, although he's expected to miss this game. His development will be closely watched by the Raptors.
Washington Wizards
After the moves they made in the offseason, the Washington Wizards were expected to be underwhelming this season. However, the opposite appears to have happened.
With a 5-2 record, the Wizards nearly edged out the Toronto Raptors for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Much of this can be credited to the brilliance of their superstar Bradley Beal and a great supporting cast.
Last year, the Washington Wizards backcourt consisted of Beal and Russell Westbrook. However, a trade with the LA Lakers saw the Wizards lose Westbrook in return for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell. The addition of these three players has made a positive impact on the team.
Kyle Kuzma is having a career revival, while Harrell looks like his Clippers self. Additionally, an offense anchored by a healthy Spencer Dinwiddie has also shown massive upside.
Although the Wizards are missing some key pieces in their big man rotation, the side has managed to cope with their losses rather well.
Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards: Predicted Starting 5s
Toronto Raptors
G - Fred VanVleet | G - Gary Trent Jr. | F - OG Anunoby | F - Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | C - Precious Achiuwa
Washington Wizards
G - Spencer Dinwiddie | G - Bradley Beal | F - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | F - Kyle Kuzma | C - Daniel Gafford
