Wizards Receive Disappointing Injury News

On the season, George is averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on shooting splits of 46.7% from the field, 40.8% from three, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. He has been a consistent shot-creation threat for both himself and others, while also providing some of the best perimeter defense on the team.

Wings Corey Kispert and Cam Whitmore will also be out for this game as they continue to rehab their respective injuries. Kispert’s hamstring strain is an injury that can nag over time, but all signs point to him being able to return in the next few weeks. As for Whitmore, there is still no timeline on his return, as DVT can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Washington will likely turn to their rookie pairing of Will Riley and Jamir Watkins to fill the void of those out with injury, as it has in recent weeks. Riley will provide a solid replacement for George offensively, as he shares a similar skillset with his combination of size and guard skills. Watkins, on the other hand, will have to help out defensively, as he will likely be tasked with guarding everyone from Ja Morant to Jaren Jackson Jr.

Despite the hard-hitting injury news, the Wizards could still very well pull off the upset if they play their cards right. Washington will still be able to fall back on Alex Sarr, CJ McCollum , and Bub Carrington to generate offense as they hope to compensate for George’s absence.

Along with that, Washington’s recent winning stretch may be enough to draw some fans into the home arena for the first time in a while, hopefully creating the energy needed to continue the momentum.

The Wizards will still enter this game as heavy underdogs, as Memphis is still the more proven team at this point. However, the stars could be aligning for Washington to pull off yet another upset, even with the absence of George.