Grizzlies-Wizards Preview

By JACK CASSIDY

(AP) -- The Washington Wizards' usually solid defense failed them at times during their long losing streak, but they're hoping to revert back to their winning ways following their best defensive effort of the season.

They'll seek their first consecutive wins in more than a month Thursday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies, who have looked anything but dominant since the All-Star break.

Washington (36-28) downed Charlotte 95-69 on Monday, marking their fewest points allowed this season and fourth-fewest in team history.

The Wizards have won three of their last five while allowing 89.8 points per game. They had previously allowed an average of 100.2 points over a 13-game span that saw 11 losses and a season-worst six-game losing streak.

Washington has not won back-to-back games since Feb. 7-9.

"We just want to get back to winning," John Wall said. "We've had so many games lately, and haven't been ourselves ... 'We just wanted to come out and play the right way. We only have 18 games left. We want to try to get back to playing the way we played early in the season."

Washington held Charlotte to 32.5 percent shooting Monday and forced 17 turnovers, improving to 23-7 when its opponent gives it away at least 15 times.

Those turnovers helped the Wizards outscore the Hornets 20-0 in fast-break points, and to coach Randy Wittman it was their defense leading to offense that made the difference for Wall and his teammates.

"John got us off to a great start in the first quarter with his pace, but that was all attributed to getting stops," Wittman said. "John can't get out and run if we don't get stops and rebounds ... We just needed a win. We needed to play like this and win."

The Grizzlies (45-19) haven't been having a whole lot of offensive success lately, averaging 92.5 points while splitting their last 12 games after putting up 100.8 per game in their first 52.

Memphis shot 47.4 percent Wednesday at Boston but committed 21 turnovers in a 95-92 defeat.

Mike Conley had five of those - he did score 20 points while battling a sprained ankle - and Marc Gasol scored in single digits for the second time in three games, a span in which coach Dave Joerger has not appreciated his team's mentality.

"We came out and we walked around," Joerger said. "We were casual and it happens over and over and over, and we haven't learned our lesson."

The Grizzlies had generally been the ones leading the lecture against the Eastern Conference until Wednesday's loss, which snapped an eight-game interconference winning streak.

Memphis has won nine of its last 11 meetings with the Wizards, and beat Washington 110-104 on March 3, 2014. Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 44 points in that meeting, while Conley had 20.

Wall has totaled 70 points in his two career games against the Grizzlies in the nation's capital, with his career-high 47 in March 2013 leading to Washington's only win in the six games he's played in this series.