Wizards Face 'Must-Win' vs. Magic? 5 Questions Ahead of Matchup

ORLANDO - The Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic are on the outside looking in for the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The Magic appear to be out of it with 5.5 games separating the team from the final play-in spot, but the Wizards are just two games back, needing a win tonight to snap out of the funk the team has been in lately.

To learn more about the Magic's opponent heading into tonight's crucial contest, we spoke with Inside the Wizards publisher Candi Waller.

1. The Wizards are on the outside looking in for the playoff picture. Is tonight's game against the Magic a must-win?

Absolutely! This game and for most of the schedule are must wins for the Wizards. Where they are the better team on paper, the Wizards have to show up and be that on the court as well.

2. First-round pick Johnny Davis has been seeing some rotation minutes lately after being with the G League affiliate for most of the season. How has the 10th overall pick looked?

Johnny has looked much more confident on the NBA court. Last month he had a career high 25 points with the Wizards G League affiliate team Capital City Go Go and since then his demeanor has been entirely different on the court. I think he has had to shake some of the jitters off but he appears to be poised and ready for NBA game play now.

3. What's one thing people should know about the Wizards' recent affairs that cannot be found in a box score?

One thing that people should know about the Wizards is that they are not happy with their current record. They understand no one is going to feel sorry for them and with that are going to continue to fight to finish the season strong. The team is still together on this and want to bring their best night in and out.

4. If the Wizards win tonight, what would be the reason?

Bench play. The bench has been inconsistent most of the season. It’s understood that the bench has to show more in helping the starting lineup. Kyle Kuzma will be out with an ankle sprain so without one of the more dominant players on the team, everyone will have to show up and try to win in a dominant fashion.

5. What's your prediction for the game?

Wizards – 121; Magic - 105

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.