The Golden State Warriors, surrounded by questions about the short- and long-term plan as Steph Curry enters the twilight of his career, get a nice spot on Saturday to pick up a little momentum.
The Warriors are among a cluster of teams fighting for positioning in the tight Western Conference play-in tournament race but currently find themselves on the outside looking in. Many expect another move to happen after Dennis Schroder’s arrival, but first, a visit from the Washington Wizards.
With a score of 6-32, the Wizards find themselves at the bottom of the NBA standings, seemingly destined for one of the bottom four spots and the best odds at the first overall pick. While Cooper Flagg may be waiting for them at the end of the season, they must first endure another half-season of hardship.
With the Wiz making the trip across the country to the Bay Area on Saturday night, check out our Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors predictions, including our NBA expert picks, with tip set for January 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Matchup Washington Wizards vs Golden State Warriors Overview
Teams: Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors
Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Chase Center
Win Probabilities
The prediction tip for the winner in the game between the Washington Wizards and the Golden State Warriors is the Golden State Warriors.
Projected Final Score
Our predicted final score for this NBA matchup is Golden State Warriors 128-102 Washington Wizards.
Expert Prediction: Who Wins?
It seems odd, with the Golden State Warriors, the NBA’s defining franchise of the last decade, and the Washington Wizards, arguably the league’s worst over that same span, but these two teams are interlinked with one another. The connection that exists between these cross-conference foes makes any Warriors versus Wizards matchup intriguing, despite any gap in quality between the two.
That connection exists because of last year’s trade, which saw Jordan Poole move to Washington in the wake of still-lingering animosity with Draymond Green. That animosity showed its head in the first meeting between these two teams. Despite the Wizards’ being destined for the league’s worst record and the Dubs’ mediocrity, that animosity also leaves us with a matchup worth looking forward to on Saturday night.
Why the Washington Wizards Can Cover
There are three major reasons to lean on when backing the Washington Wizards to cover at the Chase Center on Saturday night.
The first is a schedule spot, as so often comes into play during the marathon NBA regular season. Schedule losses are a norm in the NBA, with a late flight or a road trip back-to-back leaving teams without fresh legs and an inability to compete at the highest level, as is necessary.
The Dubs have a tough schedule spot as the Wizards come to town. While it’s not on either end of a back-to-back, it does come right in the middle of some intense games. The Warriors will be in Minnesota on Wednesday night for an always intense game with the Wolves. Then, right after Washington’s visit, they will host the Boston Celtics and then travel to face the Sacramento Kings. To say the Dubs may be looking past the lowly Wiz would be an understatement.
The second looming factor is that the Warriors have completely flatlined over the last six weeks. The early season brought celebrations around Golden State’s revitalized depth, intense defense, and Stephen Curry’s mastery.
However, after a 12-3 start, the Warriors are now 7-17 and increasingly losing. That bleak stretch includes losses to the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors, two teams that could join the Wizards with the best NBA Draft lottery odds at season’s end. The Warriors have proven they can be beaten by anyone—even the Wizards.
Lastly, we should take into account the Jordan Poole factor. Partly because of his messy exit from Golden State, the former Michigan Wolverine, at least internally, has high expectations against the Dubs. And, for all his faults, Poole can get red-hot. In Washington’s six wins this year, all six have featured Poole scoring above his season average of 21.5 points per game. If Poole gets hot—and he’ll have the chance to do so—Washington could be on upset watch in the Bay.
Why the Golden State Warriors Can Cover
From a Golden State Warriors perspective, it’s very simple. It is now or never for a Dubs team that has consistently been a factor in the Western Conference when healthy for a decade now. With as many as eight teams vying for seeds five through 10 in the conference, there can be no more losses to the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Washington Wizards of the world. They’re a proud champion in a dying moment.
And, after a truly low moment of a loss against the Raptors to start the week, they need to respond. Luckily for Golden State, it can respond here. By every metric, it is vastly superior to the Wizards.
The Dubs are a poor 21st in adjusted offensive rating, but the Wiz are 30th. They have consistently maintained their position as a top-10 team in the adjusted defensive rating, while the Wiz are ranked 30th. By net rating, Golden State is a league-average team, yet they average approximately 14.5 points more than the last-place Wizards per 100 possessions.
The past couple of months have seen the Warriors face indignities as Curry and Draymond Green face questions about their basketball mortality. In a loss to Toronto, one would think the Dubs got quite a wake-up call. Unfortunately for the Wizards, they’ll be the ones to see the Warriors after they get up off the mat.
How to Make Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors Picks
Ready to make picks on the Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors matchup on Saturday, January 18? Make sure to head over to Sportzino, where you can find every NBA game on the slate this weekend and so much more!
