Wizards-Magic Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON

(AP) -- The Washington Wizards have been one of the NBA's best teams on their home floor, but they've looked mediocre everywhere else.

Washington will try to avoid a third straight road loss Wednesday night when it faces the Orlando Magic, who are hoping to build on a successful trip.

The Wizards (14-6) beat the Celtics 133-132 in double overtime Monday, avenging Sunday's 101-93 loss at Boston. John Wall scored Washington's final 10 points, helping it rally after falling into a seven-point deficit with 2:40 remaining in the second extra period.

The Wizards appeared to have the game in hand in regulation but squandered a 23-point third-quarter lead.

"You never want to get in those situations and you've got to learn a better way to close out those games," said Wall, who had 26 points and a career-high 17 assists. "But it's also a great lesson for us."

Wall is averaging 14.4 assists over his last five and a personal-best 10.4 on the season.

Paul Pierce scored a season-high 28 and is shooting 52.3 percent over his last 11 games after previously hitting 34.4 percent. He was 7 of 11 from 3-point range in the home-and-home set with Boston.

Washington is 10-2 at home for its best start there since 1984-85 but is still looking to play better on the road. It was the league's only team which didn't have a worse record on the road than at home in 2013-14, going 22-19 in both respects.

The Wizards have dropped two in a row on the road and are 4-4, averaging 96.3 points compared to 104.8 at home.

Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat have mirrored those struggles. Beal is averaging 11.7 points and shooting 34.1 percent in three road games, compared to 15.1 points and 47.0 percent in eight at home. Gortat, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds Sunday, has averaged 18.0 points in the last six home games and 9.2 in the past six on the road.

Washington's three straight wins in Orlando are a first, however, as the franchise had previously been 9-39 there. The Wizards have won six in a row overall in the series with two victories this season, most recently 98-93 at home Nov. 15.

Wall has averaged 24.0 points over his last four trips to Orlando and had 30 points and 12 assists in a 105-98 win there Oct. 30.

The Magic (9-14) are looking for a season-best third straight win after victories at Utah and Sacramento capped a 3-3 road trip. They've played 16 road games, at least three more than any other team.

Orlando nearly went 4-2 on the trek but squandered a late 11-point lead in last Tuesday's 98-97 loss to league-best Golden State.

"It's been a tough road trip for us, but I think any team going through a trip like this would take .500," forward Channing Frye told the team's official website. "Yes, it would have been nice to get that win in Golden State, but Steph Curry hit a shot. But we're getting better. It's going to be good to get back home and hopefully we can establish ourselves there."

Tobias Harris scored 21 or more in three of the last five games, including a season-high 27 in Saturday's 105-96 win at Sacramento. Victor Oladipo shot 56.7 percent on the trip after shooting 38.1 percent in his first eight games.

Orlando split its last four games despite being without leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Nikola Vucevic, who is questionable with a strained lower back.

Nene is questionable for Washington with a sore right knee.