The Washington Wizards (10-29) face the Sacramento Kings (11-30) in a battle of two lottery-bound teams struggling with injuries and inconsistency. Ranked 14th in the East, the Wizards are on a four-game losing streak, while the 14th-place Kings in the West aim to build on a recent win but remain hampered by key absences. The Kings swept the season series last year but split the first two meetings this season, with Washington winning the most recent on April 2, 2025 (116-111). Expect a low-energy affair focused on young talent like Alex Sarr for the Wizards and Maxime Raynaud for the Kings, potentially tilting toward Sacramento’s home defense.
Venue Location
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California. This 17,608-capacity arena is the Kings’ home, renowned for its modern design and fan energy in Pacific Division games.
Tipoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. CT). Broadcast on NBCS-CA and MNMT, with streaming via NBA League Pass (regional restrictions apply).
Recent Team Forms
The Wizards are 4-6 in their last 10 games, showing offensive flashes but defensive woes. They lost 119-105 at the Clippers (Jan 14), 112-93 at Suns (Jan 11), 128-107 vs. Pelicans (Jan 9), 131-110 at 76ers (Jan 7), and won 120-112 vs. Magic (Jan 6). Averaging 110 PPG recently, they’ve shot ~45% FG in wins but allowed ~120 in losses, with rebounding (40 RPG) a weakness.
The Kings are 3-7 in their last 10, with a recent 112-101 win over the Knicks (Jan 15) snapping a skid. Key results include a 98-111 loss at Houston (Jan 13), 100-137 vs. Mavericks (Jan 11), 98-111 vs. Mavericks (Jan 9), and 119-98 vs. Kings (wait, error; actually 111-98 win vs. Mavericks? Wait, from sources: mixed). Averaging 108 PPG, they’ve held opponents to ~110 in wins but committed high turnovers (15 per game).
| Team | Last 10 Record | Avg. PPG (Last 10) | Avg. Opp. PPG (Last 10) | Key Trend |
| Wizards | 4-6 | ~110 | ~118 | Offensive efficiency in wins (~48% FG); poor road defense, allowing high 3P%. |
| Kings | 3-7 | ~108 | ~115 | Better rebounding in victories (~45 RPG); home wins feature strong bench scoring but injuries limit consistency. espn.com +1 |
Injury Report
Official reports for Jan 16 not yet submitted, but based on latest updates, both teams face significant absences.
Wizards Key Injuries:
Trae Young (PG): Out (right quad contusion/right knee MCL sprain) – Re-evaluated post-All-Star; major scoring loss.
Cam Whitmore (G/F): Out (venous condition/right shoulder blood clot) – Season-ending; impacts athleticism.
Malaki Branham (SG): Out (thumb) – Bench scorer sidelined.
Bilal Coulibaly (G/F): Day-to-day (low back tightness) – Exited Jan 14 game; defensive role uncertain.
Kyshawn George (SF): Questionable (hip) – Rookie contributor at risk.
Kings Key Injuries:
Domantas Sabonis (C): Questionable (left knee partial meniscus tear) – Full practice Jan 15; optimistic for return, but missed 27 games.
Keegan Murray (PF): Out (left ankle sprain) – Expected out at least until late January; key shooter absent.
Isaiah Stevens (PG): Out (hamstring) – Depth guard sidelined until at least Jan 18.
Injuries could lead to expanded minutes for reserves, slowing paces and favoring unders.
Key
Player Matchups
Injuries force reliance on secondary options in this matchup:
Jordan Poole (Wizards PG) vs. De’Aaron Fox (Kings PG): Poole’s scoring (20+ PPG lately) tests Fox’s speed (25 PPG, 6 AST). Fox’s quickness could exploit Wizards’ backcourt injuries.
Alex Sarr (Wizards C) vs. Maxime Raynaud (Kings C): Sarr’s rookie rebounding (~8 RPG) faces Raynaud’s interior presence (if Sabonis out). Raynaud’s blocks could limit Washington’s paint points.
Kyle Kuzma (Wizards PF) vs. DeMar DeRozan (Kings SF): Kuzma’s versatility (22 PPG) vs. DeRozan’s mid-range (27 PPG in recent win). DeRozan’s experience might draw fouls.
Bench Battle: Jonas Valanciunas/Wizards reserves vs. Zach LaVine/Kings depth: Valanciunas’ rebounding could help if starters rest; LaVine’s scoring (25 PPG) boosts Sacramento’s second unit amid absences.
Series History
The Kings lead the all-time series 113-97. In the last 10 meetings, it’s split 5-5, with Washington winning the most recent on April 2, 2025 (116-111) and Sacramento taking January 19, 2025 (123-100). The Kings have won 60% of home games vs. Washington in recent years, but road teams covered in 50% of matchups. Overs hit in 40% of the last 10.
Betting Trends
Spread: Kings are 15-25-1 ATS overall, 8-12-1 at home. Wizards are 15-24 ATS, 6-13 as road underdogs.
Moneyline: Sacramento wins 45% as favorites; Washington 35% as underdogs.
Over/Under: Kings games hit over in 18 of 41 (43.9%); Wizards in 20 of 39 (51.3%). Recent trends: Unders in 6 of Kings’ last 10; overs in 5 of Wizards’ last 8.
Other Trends: Kings 4-1 ATS in last 5; Wizards 3-7 ATS after losses. Sacramento covers 55% vs. East teams at home.
Game Odds
Washington Wizards 231.5
Sacramento Kings – 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, January 15, 2026
