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After a huge win against the Memphis Grizzlies behind Bradley Beal's career night, the Wizards close off their homestand at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington. Additionally, on NBC Sports Washington Plus you'll be able to watch an interactive, alternate live-game experience, including a free-to-play predictive gaming contest with a $500 prize, along with real-time sports-betting data and statistics. 

If the Washington Wizards (30-40) want to make the playoffs, now is the time to start winning.

The Wizards are 3.5 games back of the 8th seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference, and they have just 12 games left in the regular season. Washington has won six of their last 10 games, including three of their last four games -- which have all been at home. Monday's game hosting the Utah Jazz (40-29) are on a three-game win streak and sitting in 7th place in the Western Conference.

Whether Wizards star Bradley Beal will have another 40-point game in the tank will be interesting to see, as if the Wizards will be able to contain Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.

Wizards-Jazz takes place on Monday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Capital One Arena and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Washington Plus. 

PREDICT THE GAME HOW TO WATCH

What is this broadcast? Predict the Game is an easy-to-enter, free contest that allows fans to predict various game and player performance outcomes through a series of approximately 30 questions that will appear on screen during the alternate telecast on NBC Sports Washington Plus. Predict the Game leaderboards will be displayed at select times, and the winner of the contest will be revealed during NBC Sports Washington’s postgame coverage.

Where can I find it? Contest questions and leaderboards will be displayed on NBC Sports Washington Plus (Channel Finder).

Additionally, the broadcast can be streamed on desktop, iOS and Android devices. 

How do I win? Fans will earn points for correct predictions, with the top eligible scorer at the end of the game earning or splitting the $500 prize. 

Fans must enter Predict the Game, which is open to join throughout the entire game, and submit their predictions at www.nbcsportswashington.com/predict

WIZARDS vs. JAZZ HOW TO WATCH:

What: Washington Wizards vs. Utah Jazz
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: The Wizards vs. Jazz game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington (Channel Finder Link).
Live Stream: You can live stream Wizards vs. Jazz on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and on the NBC Sports App.
Radio: Wizards Radio Network, 1500 AM

WIZARDS vs. JAZZ TV SCHEDULE:

6:00 PM: Wizards Outsiders
6:30 PM: Wizards Pregame Live
7:00 PM: Jazz at Wizards
9:30 PM: Wizards Postgame Live 
10:00 PM: Wizards Outsiders

WIZARDS vs. JAZZ INJURY REPORT:

Wizards: Wizards: John Wall (Out, Heel), Dwight Howard (Out, Back) J

Jazz: Thabo Sefolosha (Day-to-Day, Hamstring), Dante Exum (Day-to-Day, Knee)

WIZARDS vs. JAZZ PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Wizards, Bradley Beal: In his last two games, Beal has gone off for 40 points, and is averaging 31.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game since the All-Star break.

Wizards, Jabari Parker: In the month of March, Parker is averaging 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

Jazz, Donovan Mitchell: Mitchell leads the Jazz with 23.6 games per season, and he is also averaging 28 points per game in March.

Jazz, Rudy Gobert: The Jazz's second-leading scorer (15.4 points per game) is averaging a team-high 12.9 rebounds per game.

WIZARDS vs. JAZZ SERIES HISTORY: 

Number of all-time Meetings: 102 (no playoffs)
Regular Season Record: Jazz lead, 54-48 

MORE WIZARDS NEWS: 

• Don't Ask: Beal won't talk All-NBA, playoffs 
• Historic Night: Beal drops 40
• Playoff Push and Draft Lottery: Where do the Wizards stand?

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Washington has dropped seven of their last eight games and their schedule doesn't lighten up by any means in the near future. Detroit has won three of their last four games with their most recent victory coming in Houston as they defeated the Rockets without C Andre Drummond, and F Blake Griffin exiting the game early with a knee injury. 

In desperate need of a win here’s who Wizards' fans and players should keep their eyes on.

Blake Griffin, maybe?

Season stats: 16.4 pts, 4.6 reb, 3.3 ast

Griffin didn't play in Detroit's early November loss to the Wizards due to continued soreness in his knee and hamstring, and it's quite possible he doesn't play in this matchup either for the same reason. Griffin tallied 15 minutes in the first half of the Pistons 115-107 victory over the Houston Rockets Saturday, but only had 2 points on 0-for-7 shooting to show for it. After halftime, Griffin didn't return and was ruled out for the remainder of the game with knee soreness once again. In the month of December, he's averaging 19.7 points on 42.9% shooting and 5.1 rebounds. 

Washington's bigs have struggled mightily with injuries, which has subsequently hampered their paint defense -- One of the reasons why the Memphis Grizzlies scored 70 of their 128 total points down low last game vs the Wizards. Washington will most likely be without Moe Wagner once again who's struggling with an ankle injury and Thomas Bryant who's recovering from a stress reaction in his foot. 

Luke Kennard

Season stats: 16.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 4.1 ast

The Pistons leading scorer the last time these two teams faced off (24 points, 6-12 FG, 3-4 3P FG), Kennard has been a pleasant surprise for Detroit this season. He's averaging career-bests in nearly every category while maintaining his efficiency from deep. Last season Kennard averaged: 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 22.8 minutes per game, he may quietly have a case for most improved player and possibly sixth man of the year. 

Markieff Morris

Season stats: 10.6 points, 4.0  reb, 1.5 ast

If Blake Griffin can't go, Markieff Morris is the next man up. In the first meeting (which I inexplicably deemed the 'Keef revenge game' prior to tip-off) Morris had a lackluster 4 points on 2-for-4 shooting. However, in the last two games, he's averaging 15.5 points on 57.1% shooting from the field as well as 54.5% from 3-point range. He'll be looking for revenge for sure. 

MORE WIZARDS NEWS:

• Who's closer?: Wizards or Grizzlies
• Flat: Wizards fall to Memphis
• Moneyball: Dean Oliver's impact on team

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While watching the Wizards take on another rebuilding team, as they did on Saturday night in their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, it's only natural to compare the stages of those respective rebuilds and wonder which team is closer. That may be an even more interesting question with a game like Saturday's that matched the Wizards against a team doing things a decidedly different way.

In a sense, the Wizards are where the Grizzlies were last season. Memphis had unexpectedly bottomed out the year before, enough to land Jaren Jackson Jr. in the draft. And, like the Wizards this year, they were holding onto their core veterans, in their case Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol.

But the Grizzlies didn't bounce back into playoff contention like they had hoped and ended up trading both Gasol and Conley, and arguably too late. The Wizards wish to avoid that fate with Bradley Beal and John Wall.

Neither the Wizards (7-17) or Grizzlies (9-17) are a good team right now and both would like to be back in the playoff mix sooner than later, maybe even next year. So, who is closer?

The Grizzlies have the more impressive young core with Jackson and Ja Morant. Both are just 20 years old and they each look like future All-Stars, if not All-NBA talents.

Jackson is averaging 17.6 points and 1.2 blocks while shooting 40 percent from three on six attempts per game. He's a two-way unicorn who can make plays like a guard and has potential to become an elite rim protector.

Morant is the early favorite for rookie of the year, averaging 18.7 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 42.6 percent from long range. He has future star written all over him with a game reminiscent of a young Wall or Russell Westbrook.

The Grizzlies appear to have hit on their high draft picks, but have also nailed later ones, the type of moves that separate the best front offices. Brandon Clarke, the 21st pick this past June, looks like a steal. And Dillon Brooks, a second round pick in 2017, is a solid young player.

But the Wizards also have an emerging young core with Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura and Moe Wagner. None of them are as good as Jackson or Morant, but they are good players on the rise. And, most importantly, the Wizards have Beal.

While Jackson and Morant could someday be stars, Beal already is one and he's signed long-term. Potential is a commodity in the NBA, but nothing is guaranteed for young teams and young players. Just look at the Bulls and Hawks this season.

Now, the Grizzlies do have something the Wizards would absolutely love to have and that is real financial flexibility. They have close to $70 million in salary coming off the books this summer and have the second-lowest payroll committed for next season of any team in the NBA, second only to Atlanta.

The Wizards, meanwhile, are strapped with Wall's supermax contract which, depending on how he returns from a torn Achilles, could be an albatross for years to come. Though cap space doesn't mean the Grizzlies will be able to lure free agents, as Memphis has never been mistaken for a prime destination, but it's a preferable spot to be in. Wall's deal may prevent the Wizards from keeping players they would otherwise re-sign, when Memphis should have no such problem.

So, so far we have the Grizzlies with a better young nucleus and a much better salary cap situation. The Wizards, though, have the proven star and may have two if Wall returns to form.

But here's what may give the Wizards the edge, or at least secure a push. The Grizzlies have to give one of their next two first round picks to Boston by way of a 2015 trade. It is top-6 protected this year and unprotected in 2021 if it doesn't convey this June. That could be a major problem for a team trying to build through the draft.

Also, the Wizards are lucky to be in the Eastern Conference. Though the Grizzlies geographically should be in the East, they remain in the West which has been the superior conference basically since Michael Jordan retired from the Bulls.

There is, of course, no definitive answer to the root question of this analysis. The easiest way to settle it would be to say the Grizzlies have a higher ceiling at this point because of Morant and Jackson, but the Wizards probably have the more likely path to the playoffs next season, given they play in the East and have two guys with a track record of getting there.

But as we compare the teams, keep in mind what Memphis wanted to do and what they ended up doing in terms of trading their veteran stars. The Wizards don't want to take their rebuild that far, but sometimes things don't go according to plan. Just ask the Grizzlies.

MORE WIZARDS NEWS:

• Flat: Wizards fall to Memphis
• Moneyball: Dean Oliver's impact on team
• IT's good heart: Bringing kids to charity events