Wizards Can Shake Up NBA Cup Group

The Washington Wizards could make some noise in the NBA Cup.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 22, 2024

Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are playing in their second NBA Cup game tonight as they take on the defending champion Boston Celtics at the Capital One Arena.

Going into tonight, the Wizards are in fourth place but mathematically could move as high as second place with a win and some help.

After the Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, Boston took over second place in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics' early loss against the Atlanta Hawks last week in group play will have Boston hunting for points in order to try to win a tiebreaker or a wild card spot.

This could mean the Wizards are due for a big blowout tonight against one of the best teams in the league, fresh off a win against the once-undefeated Cavaliers, who started off 15-0, becoming just the fourth team in NBA history to accomplish that feat.

However, the Hawks are the ones in the driver's seat for the group, especially after beating the Celtics to begin the tournament.

The Hawks have a chance to move one step closer to the knockout stage tonight as they visit the Chicago Bulls, who are currently in last place in the group after losing by 18 points to the Cavaliers.

If the Hawks win tonight against the Bulls, they will clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win against the Cavs next Friday at home.

In the meantime, the Wizards are still very much in it for the group, so they have to put their past struggles aside and focus on pulling out a win against the Celtics no matter how improbable it may seem.

The Wizards and Celtics are set to tip off tonight at 7 p.m. ET inside Capital One Arena.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Nov 22, 2024

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.