Warriors Look to Improve Seeding Against Wizards

Golden State nearly locked into play-in tournament, aims to climb standings

Mar. 27, 2026 at 8:48am by Ben Kaplan

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With a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament almost certain, the Golden State Warriors will look to improve their positioning down the stretch, beginning with a Friday matchup against the Washington Wizards in San Francisco. The Warriors have won two straight after a recent slump, led by strong performances from players like Gui Santos and Kristaps Porzingis filling in for injured stars like Stephen Curry. The Wizards, meanwhile, are trying to end a franchise-record 16-game losing streak, getting a boost from rookie Julian Reese's double-double efforts.

Why it matters

The Warriors are nearly locked into the play-in tournament, so improving their seeding could give them a better chance of advancing to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Wizards are hoping to end their lengthy losing streak and build momentum heading into the offseason.

The details

The Warriors (35-38) have pulled out of a recent tailspin, winning their past two games, including a 109-106 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Coach Steve Kerr has relied on a rotating group of players to step up in the absence of injured stars like Curry. Gui Santos scored a career-high 31 points in the win over the Nets, while Porzingis has provided a boost since being acquired in a midseason trade. The Wizards (17-55) are coming off a 133-110 win over the Utah Jazz that snapped their franchise-record 16-game losing streak. Rookie Julian Reese had a career-high 26 points and 17 rebounds in that game, joining elite company as one of just a few rookies in the past 40 years to grab 20 rebounds in one of their first five career games.

  • The Warriors and Wizards will face off on Friday, March 27, 2026.
  • The Wizards' 16-game losing streak was snapped on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.

The players

Gui Santos

A Warriors player who scored a career-high 31 points in the team's recent win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Kristaps Porzingis

A midseason acquisition for the Warriors who has provided a boost, starting four of the past five games and scoring 22 points with seven rebounds against the Mavericks and 17 points with five boards against the Nets.

Julian Reese

A rookie for the Wizards who had a career-high 26 points and 17 rebounds in Washington's win over the Jazz, joining elite company as one of just a few rookies in the past 40 years to grab 20 rebounds in one of their first five career games.

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What they’re saying

“He's played a lot of minutes here the last month with all the injuries, and he continues to get better. He's really crafty. He's finding ways to get to the rim.”

— Steve Kerr, Warriors Head Coach

“My rebounding has a lot to do with heart. I'm not the tallest guy out there. I just try to find the angle and go get it ... It just comes with a lot of consistent effort.”

— Julian Reese

What’s next

The Warriors will look to continue improving their seeding in the Western Conference play-in tournament, while the Wizards hope to build on their recent win and end their road trip on a high note.

The takeaway

With the Warriors nearly locked into the play-in tournament, their focus is on improving their positioning to give themselves the best chance of advancing to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Wizards are trying to end their lengthy losing streak and get their young players like Julian Reese valuable experience down the stretch.