Inside The Wizards

Cavaliers vs. Wizards Preview: Can Washington Bounce Back?

The Washington Wizards look for their first win of the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jeremy Brener

Feb 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) reacts along the sideline as Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) defends during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Feb 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) reacts along the sideline as Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) defends during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards fell in their season opener to the Boston Celtics, but they will have a chance to get in the win column for the first time as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Capital One Arena.

The Wizards started off their opener in lockstep with the Celtics, but ultimately Boston pulled away and cruised to a 20-point win. For the Wizards, their goal for tonight and in every game this season is to play a full 48 minutes at the highest level possible. They will certainly have to do that if they want a chance to beat the Cavs at home tonight.

The Cavs began their season with a win against the Toronto Raptors by 30 points on the road, making a statement with 136 points as an offense, the most by any team in its opener other than the Golden State Warriors, who scored 140 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

That means the Wizards defense will have to take a step forward against the Cavaliers, but it is still very much a work in progress. That's why playing Cleveland so early in the season will be a litmus test for how the team feels on the defensive end.

The Wizards do have one reprieve, and that is the fact that the Cavs will be on the second night of a back-to-back after facing off against the Detroit Pistons tonight. Perhaps the Wizards will run into some tired legs, which could help them compete.

On the flip side, the Wizards' job may also be a little harder as rookie point guard Bub Carrington suffered a "mild" ankle sprain and could be out for tonight's game. With Carrington out, coach Brian Keefe will have to change his starting lineup, which could mean fellow rookie Kyshawn George or Corey Kispert move into the first five.

Tipoff for the game is set for tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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