Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Washington Wizards

San Antonio Spurs vs Washington Wizards

AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
Date: 12/02/16, Time: 7:30 PM Spurs Time
TV: NBA TV - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI

The first meeting between these two teams is best remembered for Tony Parker's throwback 20-point performance, some juicy Jonathan Simmons highlights, and That Danny Green Shot.

It was also the last of the Spurs' nine straight wins before dropping the next game at home against the Magic. The team's swoons at the AT&T Center continue to be a thing. A weird, probably-completely-random thing that won't go away until we physically will it away. So think positive thoughts, guys.

Stop Wall

The Spurs did a fine job of containing John Wall in their first meeting (21 points, five assists, four turnovers), forcing Bradley Beal and other guys to step up and create more. Beal is good off the dribble, too, but there's double value in the Spurs taking the ball out of the speedier, craftier Wall's hands so that, when the ball swings around on breakdowns, it's likelier to be him working as the spot-up shooter and not someone like Beal.

A #fullsquad is a good squad

For the longest time, the Spurs have been able to ride out the regular season slog by sporadically sitting key players and rarely missing a beat. That was largely a product of continuity and that sweet sweet corporate knowledge, but I'd add that having some redundancy on the roster helped, too. It feels like there are more specialists on the team this year -- which could result in a more compelling postseason team (if everyone's healthy) but complicates things when one or a few players sit.

The Spurs have a few days of rest on both sides of this game, which should mean a full team and a chance to restore some of that home-court mojo.

This team's Voltron probably includes Dewayne Dedmon

The defensive sequence before this is almost as tantalizing as the emphatic coup de grace, with Dedmon locking down the perimeter, pestering Andrew Bogut, switching onto Harrison Barnes, and helping force a low-percentage look for Dallas.

The advanced stats love Dedmon, and the case should only get stronger for him to be a bigger part of this rotation moving forward (and closing lineups). He was out for the first matchup in the nation's capital, but he figures to be a difference-maker tonight.

	vs
San Antonio Spurs (Record: 15-4)		Washington Wizards (Record: 6-11)
December 2, 2016
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
7:30 PM CDT
TV: NBA TV
Starters
Tony Parker	PG	John Wall
Danny Green	SG	Bradley Beal
Kawhi Leonard	SF	Otto Porter
LaMarcus Aldridge	PF	Markieff Morris
Pau Gasol	C	Marcin Gortat

Vegas line: Spurs by 9.

Game prediction: Spurs by 12.

For the Wizards fans' perspective, visit Bullets Forever.

As always Tony must dominate Fisher.

As always, PtR's Gamethread will be up this evening for those who want to chat through the game. But if you're not able to log in here, you can try the Fanvana app which helps connect sports fans and was created by a fellow Spurs fan. Check out the free app on iOS or Android to discover other Spurs fans and join the live chatter for tonight's game. You can follow PtR's tweet stream directly on Fanvana as the game unfolds.