The San Antonio Spurs play host to the Washington Wizards at AT&T Center on Monday.

The Wizards (13-7) were expected to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, but they've been anything but that. They actually have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, grabbing two road wins in their two most recent outings. The victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday was one of the most impressive of the season, grabbing that narrow win against one of the best teams in the NBA. What's really been a pleasant surprise is to see this rag-tag group come together and play so well. Players like Montrezl Harrell, Daniel Gafford, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Kyle Kuzma have all been cast-offs over recent years, but all four guys are in the midst of career years. That's amazing since Bradley Beal is well on his way to an All-Star game, making Washington one of the most exciting teams in the NBA.

The Spurs (5-13) have one of the worst records in the NBA, but they're certainly not one of the worst teams. They've had one of the most demanding schedules in the NBA and continue to lose close game after close game. The good news is that they snapped a six-game losing streak in their most recent game, beating the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. They finished that game on a 15-0 run to grab that win, getting another gem from Dejounte Murray. That explosive point guard has been one of the best players in the NBA this season, leading the Spurs with 18.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. That has him in line for some Most Improved Player votes, and he might be the frontrunner if this team can clean up this ugly record.

San Antonio swept the two-game season series last year and has dominated Washington over recent years. In fact, they've won 26 of their last 30 games over the Wizards, dating back to 2006.