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The Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets are both far removed from where they want to be but the latter has finally found some form. This game, however, holds more value than just a chance at improving respective seedings. Both Russell Westbrook and John Wall will be facing their former teams for the first time after swapping shirts in one of the biggest trades of the 2020-21 NBA season.
The Washington Wizards finally played a game on Sunday after nearly two weeks of postponed matchups and the rust was evident as they slumped to another loss. Meanwhile, the new-look Houston Rockets have notched up two consecutive wins.
Washington Wizards vs Houston Rockets: Key matchups to look out for
The Washington Wizards are hungry to get back on track and have some underperforming superstars on their roster. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, are out to prove that they're still a playoff team. With plenty of motivation for players on both franchises, expect this game to narrow down to individual battles.
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On that note, let us look at the three key matchups that will impact this tie.
#1 Russell Westbrook vs John Wall
The most anticipated matchup of this fixture will see Russell Westbrook and John Wall go up against their former teams. Both stars are yet to hit their potential and will be hoping to use the extra motivation to find some momentum.
Wall has struggled recently after a good start to life with the Houston Rockets. He's still averaging 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game but needs to be more efficient from the field.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook is once again recording near triple-double numbers with 18 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game. However, his efforts haven't translated into wins for the Washington Wizards.
#2 Bradley Beal vs Victor Oladipo
The main offensive weapon for the Washington Wizards. Bradley Beal is currently leading the NBA in scoring with 34.5 points per game at 48.9% shooting. Beal was inefficient in his return game against the San Antonio Spurs but still managed 31 points.
Guarding him will be Victor Oladipo who's finally starting to replicate his All-Star form from two seasons ago. He's only played three games for the Houston Rockets so far but Oladipo has looked at home, averaging 22.3 points and six assists a night. Tuesday will mark his first outing alongside Wall.
#3 Robin Lopez vs Christian Wood
After missing the previous two games with an ankle issue, Christian Wood is expected to return to the starting lineup for the Houston Rockets. If he does, he'll have a rather lopsided matchup against Robin Lopez who's been given an expanded role following Thomas Bryant's ACL injury.
Wood has had a breakout season and leads the Rockets in scoring and rebounding with 23.5 points and 10.8 boards per game. Meanwhile, Lopez has managed 9.5 points and 9 rebounds in his two starts for the Washington Wizards. He's a good interior defender but Wood's ability to stretch the floor should give the latter the edge.
