Wednesday night's slate of NBA action will feature several quality matchups, but one of the most important will be the contest between the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards. Both squads have 15 wins entering Wednesday, tied for the fewest in the NBA.
As such, one of those two teams will have sole possession of the fewest wins by the end of the night, given one of the Jazz or Wizards will win their 16th game on Wednesday.
The significance of that could end up being franchise-altering. Of course, the bottom three teams in the NBA each have equal 14.0%, but the floor of the draft selection on the night of the NBA Lottery varies based on final reverse standings. Being the worst team in the NBA -- versus the second-worst -- changes how far the draft pick could fall. It's the difference between the No. 5 pick being the worst-case scenario instead of the No. 6 pick.
Entering this contest on Wednesday, the Jazz hold the best draft lottery odds since they've lost two more games than the Wizards. But when it comes to teams at the bottom of the standings when wins are scarce, even one victory today could make all of the difference.
As such, Wednesday's game could ultimately impact the future of the franchise in Utah. It's a small chance, given how much luck goes into the draft, but landing Duke's Cooper Flagg, for example, would make all the difference.
The Jazz-Wizards game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. MST on Wednesday.
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This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 6:00 AM.