Preview: The Wizards' Flip Saunders will coach against his former team Saturday, a day after his mother, Kay, died at the age of 90. Saunders left the team Tuesday and former Wolves assistant and head coach Randy Wittman coached a game against Golden State while Saunders was in suburban Cleveland. He will miss Sunday's game against Detroit to attend the wake and funeral. ... The Wizards have lost seven consecutive games, eight of nine and 16 of their past 18. The Wolves won 109-97 at Target Center in January.
Player to watch: No. 1 overall pick John Wall is second among all rookies in scoring (15.4 ppg) and first in assists (8.9). He won the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award in both January and February, the first in Wizards history to be named so in consecutive months. ... Nick Young, Wall's starting backcourt mate, leads the team by scoring 20 or more points 29 times this season. He scored 31 points against Golden State on Tuesday.
Injuries: Wolves G Martell Webster (back) and C Darko Milicic (family matter) are out and G/F Wes Johnson (gastroenteritis) is questionable.
JERRY ZGODA
