Trent Reinsmith
- What: Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards
- Date: Monday, December 12, 2022
- Location: Capital One Arena in Washington, DC
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: NBCSWA, YES, NBA League Pass
Two NBA Eastern Conference teams who are headed in opposite directions as we enter Week 9 of the 2022-23 NBA season face off tonight in the nation’s capital. In that game, the Brooklyn Nets are on the road to face the Washington Wizards.
Brooklyn has been climbing the standings as of late and the Nets are now the No. 2 team in the Atlantic Division, where they trail the league-leading Boston Celtics by 5.5 games. As for the team they face in tonight’s NBA action, the Washington Wizards, that club has fallen from the top of the Southeast Division to third place behind the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for the December 12, 2022 NBA matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards picks – December 12, 2022
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Brooklyn Nets | -220 | -220 | -220 |
| Washington Wizards | +180 | +180 | +185 |
Brooklyn Nets breakdown
The Brooklyn Nets had a bad start to the season. Ben Simmons struggled to find his footing after a long time away from the court, Kevin Durant had to overcome looking for a way out of town during the off-season and Kyrie Irving missed a stretch of games after he came out in support of an antisemitic movie and the team suspended him. The Nets have found their footing. The team is on a 7-1 run entering tonight’s game against the Washington Wizards. That one loss was to the hottest team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics. Brooklyn is 6-7 on the road and 14-5 in the Eastern Conference.
The one-two punch of Durant and Irving is carrying this team so far. Durant is averaging 30 points per game on 36.8 minutes, while Irving is putting up 25.3 points on 36.8 minutes per game. Nic Claxton leads the club in rebounds (8.7) and blocks (2.2), while also scoring more than 11 points per game. Claxton is questionable but probable for tonight’s game. He’s missed the past two games with right hamstring soreness.
The Nets are in the middle of the pack in road scoring, with an average of 112.1 points per game. Brooklyn give up more road points than they score, surrendering an average of 112.7 points when they play away from Barclays Center.
Washington Wizards breakdown
The Washington Wizards have had an up-and-down start to the 2023 NBA season. The club began the year with back-to-back wins but then went 2-6. The Wizards are currently in the midst of a slump. The team has lost six straight and are 1-9 in their past 10 games. The Wizards are 8-6 at Capital One Arena and 7-12 in the Eastern Conference.
Bradley Beal is the team’s leading scorer so far in 2023. The 29-year-old has 22.9 points per game on 35.1 minutes. Beal also leads the team with 5.4 assists per game. However, Beal has been out of the lineup since December 5 with hamstring tightness. He could play tonight against the Nets, but that decision has yet to be made.
With Beal out of the mix, the team has relied on Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis is averaging 22.7 points per game and leading the team in rebounds (9.1) and blocks (1.6) on 35 minutes per game. Kyle Kuzma, who has been playing 34.8 minutes per game, is also scoring more than 21 points per game.
The Wizards are not a high-scoring home team. The club averages 112.4 points per game in DC. The Wizards allow their opponents to score an average of 112.9 points per game at home.
Our pick
Without Bradley Beal, the Nets will likely add another game to the Wizards’ losing skid. Even if Bradley plays, the best bet in tonight’s NBA Eastern Conference matchup between the Wizards and Nets is to pick the Nets to win.
Pick: Brooklyn Nets to beat Washington Wizards
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