Charlie Cummings gives his prediction and pick for Friday’s NBA matchup between the Washington Wizards and the Golden State Warriors.

Friday night brings us a matchup between two teams limping to the finish line. The Washington Wizards never intended to be good this season, and they sure got their wish. But the Golden State Warriors had high hopes after a great finish to their last season. The toll this season has taken on the Warriors has been staggering, and now they find themselves fighting to stay alive.

Golden State is a 12.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Washington sits as a +550 underdog. The total is set at 230.5 points.

Let’s get into a prediction and pick for Wednesday’s matchup between the Wizards and Warriors.

Wizards vs. Warriors preview

The injury report sure holds a lot of sway over this game. Jimmy Butler III is out for the remainder of the season. Steph Curry will miss his 24th straight game tonight. Moses Moody is out for a long time after his patellar tear. Their team is also temporarily missing important rotation pieces like Al Horford and Quinten Post. That puts a lot of pressure on the remaining Warriors.

Washington hasn’t escaped the injury bug. In fact, for tanking reasons, the front office may have welcomed it to an extent. Veteran trade acquisitions Trae Young and Anthony Davis are both out. Kyshawn George, a promising young player, will be out. His fellow prospects Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr are questionable. Already, the Wizards had lost all incentive to win this game; without some of their best players, their ability to do so is up in the air.

With no Curry and no Butler, that means a lot of guard initiation for the Warriors. De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski will play very active roles in creating offense tonight. Gui Santos, who has stepped up in a big way during Butler’s convalescence, will take a ton of shots. Kristaps Porzingis will get involved on both ends of the floor. And Draymond Green will be there organizing the defense, which has stayed robust.

Washington will look to crack that defense with its young talent. Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, and Sarr will look to do most of the heavy lifting offensively. It’s a tall task, but the Wizards do have a distinct advantage: they are much taller and more athletic than this small, old Warriors roster. But is that enough of an advantage for them to pull the upset?

Wizards vs. Warriors pick, best bet

It’s tough to be confident in a team that has no intention of winning. But the Warriors have a hard time putting anybody away.

Just look at their last five games against tanking teams. They suffered losses to the Bulls and the Jazz, posting single-digit wins against the Mavericks, the Nets, and these same Wizards. It’s very difficult to put teams away when you can’t generate consistent offense. This spread is far too generous to the Warriors, and they’re going to have a tough time covering it.

Best Bet: Washington Wizards +12.5