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Wizards-76ers Preview

Feb 25, 2016 - 6:49 PM There's a distinct difference of opinion on whether the Washington Wizards are overlooking short-handed opponents after another disappointing defeat.

They could be in danger of looking past their next opponent whether its at full strength or not.

The Wizards face the league's worst team twice in a four-day span beginning Friday night at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Washington (26-30) dropped its third straight on the road, 109-104 to Chicago on Wednesday. The Bulls shot 50.0 percent despite playing without Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler.

An exasperated coach Randy Wittman seemed to reference a 20-point loss Saturday to a Miami team without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to express his displeasure.

"It's happened to us numerous times," Wittman said. "If you don't learn from it, then that's our fault. If you don't learn from it, this happens all the time to this team, this group of guys, last year, year before that, last week."

Star John Wall, who had 16 points and seven assists, insisted that the Wizards did not take the short-handed Bulls for granted.

"We know that's when teams are at their toughest because you've got to worry about so much more," Wall said. "Usually the ball would be in Derrick Rose's hands and Jimmy Butler's hands a lot but without those guys in there, there's a lot more ball movement."

The only notable absence Friday for Philadelphia (8-49) could be rookie reserve guard T.J. McConnell, who missed his first game with an ankle sprain that kept him out of Wednesday's 111-91 defeat to Detroit.

Of course, if there's reason for the Wizards to overlook anyone Friday it will be because of the 76ers' awful record and what figures to be a drab atmosphere with Philadelphia last in the Eastern Conference in average home attendance.

Losers of six straight and 10 of 11, the 76ers fell behind by 13 points after one quarter against the Pistons and never recovered. Philadelphia trailed by as many as 30.

''We had that good stretch before the All-Star break, and it earned us some respect,'' guard Ish Smith said. ''The problem is that we've lost what we had, so teams are taking us seriously and beating the crap out of us. That's what the Pistons did tonight.''

Philadelphia is allowing an average of 121.3 points and 40.9 percent 3-point shooting in four games since the All-Star break.

Jahlil Okafor is averaging 17.3 points as he is in a tight race with Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns to finish as the league's top rookie scorer.

Smith may have a chip on his shoulder Friday since he was cut by the Wizards in training camp. He scored a team-high 22 in the Sixers' 106-94 loss at Washington on Feb. 5, with Wall recording his first triple-double of the season with 18 points, 10 assists and 13 boards.

The Wizards got a boost Wednesday with the season debut of Alan Anderson after left ankle surgery. He finished with nine points in 16 minutes.

"I just had to be patient and just be ready," Anderson said. "I didn't know how I was going to play, when I was going to play, I just had to be patient and when I got out there."

Washington has taken seven of the last eight meetings.