GAMEDAY AT A GLANCE
Washington Wizards (40-30) vs. Spurs (41-30)
When, where: Wednesday, 8:30 p.m., AT&T Center
Season series: First meeting
Wizards’ last game: Beat Pacers 109-102, Saturday, Washington
Spurs’ last game: Beat Warriors 89-75, Monday, AT&T Center
Wizards’ last 10 games, streak: 5-5, won two
Spurs’ last 10 games, streak: 5-5, won four
Spurs’ injury report: Kawhi Leonard (rehabbing quad injury) is out for Saturday’s game.
Notable: The Spurs are sixth in the Western Conference standings with 11 games left on their schedule. San Antonio has the same record as No. 5 New Orleans, but the Pelicans have the higher seed because they are 2-1 against the Spurs in their season series . . . The Silver and Black would play against No. 3 Portland if the playoffs started Wednesday . . . Six of the Spurs’ last 11 games are at home, and all but one are against teams still in playoff contention . . . All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge has averaged 30.3 points, nine rebounds, and one block, and shot 55.7 percent in the Silver and Black’s last four games, all wins . . . San Antonio hadn’t won four consecutive games since early December. The Spurs haven’t won five in a row this season.
GAME PREVIEW
After scoring 19 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter Monday night, Spurs All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge was asked if he called for the ball before going on a run that included a stretch in which he had all of his team's 11 points in a three-minute span.
"Nah, the ball found me," Aldridge said. "My teammates always look for me, so I don't have to say that. I thought the ball found me and I made plays."
Even then, Aldridge understated his grand contribution in helping the Spurs beat the Golden State Warriors 89-75 for their fourth win in a row after three consecutive road losses had dropped them to 10th in the Western Conference standings.
Aldridge got his game-high 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting, and also finished with 12 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. In short, LA, as he is called by his teammates, carried the Silver and Black on both ends of the court.
In a season marred by the long absence of injured All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard, Aldridge has been the Spurs' rock and stepped up as leader on and off the court. With San Antonio in must-win mode after the three straight losses to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston put its playoff hopes in dire straits, Aldridge shifted to another gear and lifted his game.
He has averaged 30.3 points, nine rebounds and one block, and shot 55.7 percent during the Silver and Black's four-game win streak.
The Spurs (41-30) continue their six-game home stand Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards (40-30). San Antonio caps its extended run of home games Saturday against the Utah Jazz.
The Silver and Black are sixth in the Western Conference standings with 11 games left on their schedule. They have the same record as No. 5 New Orleans, but the Pelicans are seeded higher at this point because they lead the season series against the Spurs.
Aldridge's teammates have followed his lead, especially in shoring up a defense that had become uncharacteristically porous before the Spurs started their four-game streak of victories. The way Aldridge sees it, the improved defense has fueled the team's offense.
"When we play defense better like the last three or four games, it makes our offense better," he said. "I think it's (defense) definitely the focus right now."
The Spurs have allowed only 85.2 points per game and held opponents to 20 points or less in the fourth quarter during their winning streak. They have yielded an average of 16.7 points in the last four fourth quarters, a marked improvement over the 29.1 average they yielded in the fourth periods of the 13 games before they started their string of victories.
The Spurs were 3-10 during that span and gave up more than 100 points in each defeat. Opponents didn't reach the century mark in the Spurs' three victories.
"I think we've tried to find what we can hang our hat on this season," guard Patty Mills said. "We haven't really found our niche, and I think the last few games, especially at home, we've been able to settle in and be comfortable. It has been our defense that has won us games, and triggered that sense of rhythm and changed the game, the mentality as well.
"Everyone's really dug deep, taken responsibility of individual defense, but then understanding the team defense as well," Mills said. "We've come away with wins, so we've understood that that's what's going to get us where we want to be, especially at the end of this season heading into the playoffs, sort of keep at it. Now it's trying to maintain that over 48 minutes, and not wait for the fourth quarter for us to dig deep."
Up next for the Spurs after Wednesday's game: vs. Utah, Friday, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center
