Washington Wizards game previews between December 5 and December 11, including games against: Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic.

Brooklyn Nets

Monday, 5 December 2016 at 07:30 PM ET Away

After going 4-5 to start the season, the Brooklyn Nets will look for their second win in 11 games when they host the 6-12 Washington Wizards. The Nets rank second in the league in both pace of play and number of attempted threes (35.2), but they can convert only 32.6 percent of them (25th in the NBA).

Brooklyn gives up 114.2 points per game (30th in the NBA, the lowest in the league), which, even adjusted for pace, makes them the NBA’s second-worst defensive unit. Brook Lopez is delivering yet another solid season, leading the team with 19.6 points per game, while Sean Kilpatrick is averaging career-high 16.2 points per game. Trevor Booker should be back in the starting lineup for this matchup.

Orlando Magic

Tuesday, 6 December 2016 at 07:00 PM ET Home

Following a presumably high-paced affair on Monday night, the Wizards will have less than 24 hours to get ready for one of the slowest teams in the NBA. The Orlando Magic, who have won three of their last four games, including a 12-point win in San Antonio, average 94 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in the league).

It will already be the third encounter this season between the two teams, suggesting that the players and coaching staffs on both sides will know what to expect. In the end, it will come down to which team has made better adjustments. League-wide, Orlando ranks 28th in Offensive Rating and fourth in Defensive Rating.

Denver Nuggets

Thursday, 8 December 2016 at 07:00 PM ET Home

The Thursday night matchup will catch both teams at vulnerable points in their schedules. The game will be the third in four days for the Wizards and will be the fourth game of the visiting Denver Nuggets' road trip. Denver leads the NBA in rebounds per game and is in the top 10 in 3-point percentage.

The Nuggets are one of the most enigmatic teams in the league, with plenty of talent and interesting pieces that have yet to be put together. Despite the veteran Wilson Chandler leading the squad in points per game at 18.6, it is the development of Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic and Emmanuel Mudiay that will determine the future of this team.

Milwaukee Bucks

Saturday, 10 December 2016 at 07:00 PM ET Home

Only two nights later, Wizards fans will get a look at another young team that seems to be further along the developmental line than Denver. The Milwaukee Bucks have been playing well lately, and they rank in the upper half of the league in both Offensive (15th) and Defensive Ratings (10th).

The Greek Freak, also known as Giannis Antetokounmpo to those who feel comfortable pronouncing his name, is averaging 22.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game — all career-highs. By scoring 34 points in a win against Cleveland and 30 in a close loss to Golden State, Antetokounmpo has demonstrated that he can compete against the best. In the wake of Khris Middleton’s injury, the rest of the team has stepped up, and the Bucks currently sit in a firm position to make the playoffs.