The 2–15 Washington Wizards are slated to take on the 2–16 Indiana Pacers this Black Friday in a matchup between arguably the two worst teams in the NBA.
Both teams have gotten off to very slow starts this season, but for vastly different reasons. The Wizards were expected to be bad, having one of the youngest and worst rosters in the NBA. The Pacers, on the other hand, were expected to be a solid team at worst, carrying over momentum from their championship run despite being without superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton. This game creates a perfect storm for both teams to build some winning momentum that they can carry over the rest of the season.
Head of the Snake
With Haliburton out, Indiana has been left with a clear one-A, go-to option in forward Pascal Siakam. Siakam leads the Pacers in every major category — except blocks — and is undoubtedly the engine that makes this team turn. Siakam provides the Pacers with a consistent and persistent downhill playmaking threat in both the half court and full court. Slowing down Siakam will be a pivotal factor in the Wizards’ success vs. Indiana and will ultimately be the key to victory. Washington will need Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George to step up to the defensive challenge, allowing Alex Sarr to probe off the ball and defend the rim.
Alex Sarr 27 PTS (11/15), 11 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/dLvCE5bOAe
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 26, 2025Secondary Creators
In the absence of Haliburton, young guards Andrew Nembhard and Benedict Mathurin have been tasked with taking on bigger roles. Both men have proven capable of handling bigger loads to start this season, having career-best starts. Nembhard has proven the ability to be a lead creator in the past, handling lead-guard duties in spurts of the previous two playoff series. Nembhard makes his money in the half court, using his ball-handling and playmaking abilities to be a threat as a pick-and-roll ball handler. Nembhard is a key factor to the Pacers’ success, and his early-season injuries played a huge part in their slow start.
Mathurin, on the other hand, is handling the biggest role of his young career. Prior to this season, he had mostly been a sixth-man spark plug off the bench, providing scoring relief to starters. However, the injury-riddled Pacers were in dire need of another scoring option, leaving them with no option but Mathurin to fill that role. Mathurin has missed a fair amount of time to start the 2025–26 season, heavily influencing Indiana’s slow start. However, with him on the floor, the Pacers’ offense becomes far more dynamic, making them a much more difficult team to stop.
Apr 8, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The Pacers are easily the most banged-up team in the NBA today. They will be without key contributors like Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith in their matchup versus the Wizards, making the game all the more winnable for Washington. The Pacers will expect guys like Jarace Walker and T.J. McConnell to step up in order to replace the production of injured players. However, if Washington can slow the pace of Indiana and execute their offense efficiently, they should be able to pull out the win.