Washington Wizards vs OKC Thunder Prediction & Match Preview - August 9th, 2020

Fixture: Washington Wizards vs OKC Thunder

Date & Time: Sunday, August 9th, 12:30 PM ET (10 PM IST)

Venue: AdventHealth Arena, Orlando, FL

The OKC Thunder missed the chance to claim the fourth seed in the West after getting blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies and will be looking to regroup. The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, are already out of the playoff race and will have nothing but pride to play for.

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Washington Wizards Preview

The Washington Wizards were barely holding on to playoff hopes when the NBA season was suspended. With Bradley Beat missing due to injury and Davis Bertans deciding to sit out, little was expected from Scott Brooks' side.

After five straight losses in the bubble, the Wizards have already been eliminated. However, their young guns in Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant have performed well in Orlando and will be hoping to give their best against the OKC Thunder.

Key Player - Rui Hachimura

Rui Hachimura has had a decent rookie year

When the Washington Wizards drafted Rui Hachimura last year, he was expected to be the franchise's future and is slowly looking like it. The Japanese forward is coming off a 23-point outing against the Pelicans and will be hoping to take that forward. He'll also enjoy a favorable matchup against Danilo Gallinari who's not amongst the OKC Thunder's most recognized defenders.

Wizards Predicted Lineup

Ish Smith, Troy Brown Jr., Isaac Bonga, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant

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OKC Thunder Preview

The OKC Thunder had their first 'bad' game on Friday but were missing four players including Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder on the night. Except for the latter, the other three should be available to play on Sunday.

Billy Donovan's men still have a good chance of finishing as high as the third seed so expect them to go hard against the Washington Wizards. Chris Paul has continued to be at his best and will be expecting his teammates to deliver as well.

Key Player - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all OKC Thunder players in points per game

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wasn't at his best in his last two outings for OKC. However, there's a reason why he's averaged over 19 points per game this season. He scored 28 when the Thunder met the Washington Wizards early on in the season and with CP3 performing regularly, Shai could give his side the edge.

Thunder Predicted Lineup

Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams

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Thunder vs Wizards Match Prediction

The OKC Thunder are more or less expected to be at full strength against the Washington Wizards. They had the occasional blip against Memphis but as things stand on paper, this should be an easy win for the Western Conference outfit.

Where to watch Thunder vs Wizards?

Local broadcast of the game will be available on FOX Sports Oklahoma and NBC Sports Washington. You can also live stream the match-up via the NBA League Pass.

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