Wizards and Raptors Clash at Capital One Arena in Pre-New Year Showdown

As the Washington Wizards prepare to host the Toronto Raptors at Capital One Arena, fans are bracing for what promises to be an electrifying encounter. The Wizards, despite their struggles this season, have shown flashes of brilliance that could spell trouble for any complacent opponent.

Looking back at the Wizards' recent performance on December 27 against Orlando Magic, they put up a valiant fight but fell short with a score of 119-127. The game was a high-scoring affair with both teams showcasing their offensive prowess. The Wizards shot an impressive 49 percent from the field and an even more remarkable 38 percent from beyond the arc. However, turnovers were their Achilles heel as they gave up possession 20 times compared to Magic's 16.

The bench contributed significantly with 35 points, matching that of Orlando's reserves. This depth will be crucial against Toronto as it provides flexibility and resilience throughout the game. Moreover, Washington demonstrated its ability to score in transition by putting up 23 fast break points and will look to exploit this strength against the Raptors.

Toronto comes into this matchup after a series of competitive games themselves. They have been consistent on both ends of the floor but will need to be wary of Washington's potential for explosive scoring runs.

For WAS fans looking ahead, there is reason for cautious optimism. Despite their record standing at just five wins against twenty-four losses before facing Golden State Warriors on December 23 where they scored a respectable 118 points in defeat – it’s clear that offense isn’t where Washington lacks capability.

The key battle will likely take place in paint where WAS has shown efficiency; shooting at a rate of over sixty percent inside during their last outing versus ORL should give them confidence going into this contest.

Defensively though is where improvements must be made if WAS hopes to turn close losses into wins; allowing over one hundred points regularly won't cut it against high-caliber NBA offenses like Toronto's.

In conclusion, while many may write off WAS due to their record thus far – those who dig deeper know that within this team lies untapped potential waiting for its moment to shine through consistently. It’s these glimmers that keep fans hopeful as another opportunity arises come December 27th when they face TOR at home soil starting from seven o'clock in evening Eastern Time (ET).

Fans can catch all action live via NBA TV nationally or MNMT2 locally or SportsNet internationally ensuring no one misses out witnessing whether Wizards can conjure magic once more before year ends!