3 reasons to expect a Wizards win over the Warriors on Monday

With the Golden State Warriors coming into town, expect the Washington Wizards to walk out of Monday’s game with a win.

The Washington Wizards, for just the third time all season, has strung together two back-to-back wins.

They easily handled the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, and then surprisingly took down the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Having yet to string together three wins in a row this season, it seems that a victory against the Golden State Warriors on Monday is in the cards.

Three few reasons why fans can expect a Wizards win over the Warriors in DC:

Last name Beal, First name Bradley

Regarding players that will actually be on the court Monday, Washington’s six heads up on Golden State in terms of talent. With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson still out with their respective injuries, 23-year old D’Angelo Russell has been playing the role of alpha.

And while he’s had a respectable first campaign with the Warriors: 23.8 points, 6.3 assists on a 43/48/78 shooting split, Wizards’ guard Bradley Beal is years ahead of the young guard.

Typically, when teams walk in with that much of a disparity in talent, the win is theirs to take. And that’s not even accounting for Beal’s play as of recent. Washington’s star shooting guard has been on an absolute tear, and is only more motivated now that he was snubbed from the All-Star roster.

Over the Wizards last seven games, a span that’s seen them go 4-3, Beal is averaging: 36.9 points, 6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and one steal on a 52/37/86 shooting split. He’s strung together more than a few high scoring performances, including two nights with 40 or more.

Frontcourt Depth

Washington has been blessed this season, at times, with something that has long eluded the Warriors: depth at the center position. Now, while Golden State has prided themselves and built their brand on small-ball lineups, games like Monday’s are where it plays out of their favor.

Especially considering the Warriors just traded away Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for nothing more than draft compensation. Kevon Looney is the lone true center in Golden State now, and has played just one game since returning from injury.

But with the Wizards, frontcourt depth is one of their stronger suits.

They’ll be walking into Monday’s game against Golden State with all of Thomas Bryant, Ian Mahinmi, Moritz Wagner, and Anžejs Pasečņiks healthy and available. Which makes their dominance on and off the glass all the more inevitable in this matchup.

Healthy Roster

If nothing else, Washington has the upper hand going into Monday simply due to the availability and health of their players. When you’re a team like Golden State who’s committed so much money to Curry and Thompson, that doesn’t just free up once they’re injured longterm.

No, the Warriors have become sort of an island for misfit toys this season, and that’s one of the few team makeups the Wizards stand a chance against. Especially when fully healthy.

Fred Katz of The Athletic reported on Sunday that both Wagner and rookie forward Rui Hachimura are not listed on the Wizards’ injury report for Monday.

Which means Washington will be missing just Garrison Mathews and Jordan McRae. Shooters who, in the longterm, are more expendable than others as far as team make-up. Monday’s game against the Warriors will represent the most healthy the Wizards have been this season.

Expect that to make a difference on both the scoreboard and outcome.