How to Watch Warriors-Wizards Preseason Games In Japan
It has been a crazy and wild NBA offseason, but basketball is officially back!
The 2022-23 NBA Preseason schedule will begin on Friday, September 30 overseas in Japan, as the league continues to branch out to other countries in hopes of growing the brand of basketball even further.
Two teams that experienced completely different endings to the 2021-22 season in the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards will kick things off in the city of Saitama, Japan, which is about 30 minutes to 45 minutes away from Tokyo.
Fresh off of winning their fourth championship in the last eight seasons, the Warriors now find themselves as this generation's dynasty in the league and this may very well be the beginning of more championships for Golden State.
Stephen Curry is looking like he has just reached the prime of his career and with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green both healthy, the sky’s the limit for what this team can continue to achieve.
The Warriors will also be welcoming in some new faces in their second unit with the arrivals of JaMychal Green, Donte DiVincenzo, rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. and the return of former second overall pick James Wiseman.
On the other side of things, the Washington Wizards failed to reach the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons after going 35-47 last year. Bradley Beal still remains the leader of this franchise, but the Wizards have some new faces of their own on their roster in Will Barton, Monte Morris and Delon Wright, all of which are experienced veterans that will look to elevate this franchise back to its winning ways.
With two games set to be played in Japan to open up the NBA Preseason, here is everything you need to know to watch these two preseason games with gametimes and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.
How to watch Warriors vs. Wizards - Game 1
- WHO: Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards
- WHEN: 6:00 a.m. ET, Friday, September 30
- WHERE: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama City, Saitama (Japan)
- TV: NBA TV
- Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
How to watch Wizards vs. Warriors - Game 2
- WHO: Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors
- WHEN: 1:00 a.m. ET, Sunday, October 2
- WHERE: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama City, Saitama (Japan)
- TV: NBA TV
- Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
Key Stats & Facts For Warriors vs. Wizards
- The Warriors finished the 2021-22 season with a 53-29 record, marking the seventh time in the last nine seasons that they have won at least 50 games during the regular season.
- The Wizards finished the 2021-22 season with a 35-47 record, marking the fourth consecutive season that they have failed to reach 40 wins during the regular season.
- Golden State recently won the 2022 NBA Finals, their fourth championship in the last eight seasons.
- Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins are all beginning their first season with the Golden State Warriors.
- Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Will Barton, Taj Gibson and Johnny Davis are all beginning their first season with the Washington Wizards.
- The Warriors and Wizards met twice during the 2021-22 season with both teams winning on their home court.
Betting Odds:
- The Warriors are currently 6.5-point favorites over the Wizards for Friday’s game as of Thursday afternoon, according to Fanduel.com.
- The over/under for the first game on Friday is currently set at 229.5 total points.
PROJECTED WARRIORS STARTERS (2022-23 Regular Season):
- G Stephen Curry, 6-foot-2 guard: 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists (2021-22 stats)
- G Klay Thompson, 6-6 guard: 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds
- F Andrew Wiggins, 6-7 forward: 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds
- F Draymond Green, 6-6 forward: 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists
- C Kevon Looney, 6-9 center: 6.0 points, 7.3 rebounds
PROJECTED WIZARDS STARTERS (2022-23 Regular Season):
- G Monte Morris, 6-2 guard: 12.6 points, 4.4 assists
- G Bradley Beal, 6-4 guard: 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists
- G/F Will Barton, 6-6 guard/forward: 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds
- F Kyle Kuzma, 6-9 forward: 17.1 points. 8.5 pounds
- C Kristaps Porzingis, 7-3 center: 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds
About NBA Japan Games 2022:
For years, the NBA has been hosting preseason games in other countries as a way to grow the league’s brand as a whole. This year, the NBA is playing games in Japan at Saitama Super Arena. According to the league, The event will celebrate the game of basketball and showcase the convergence of the NBA and popular culture for a unique fan experience featuring appearances by Warriors and Wizards players, NBA legends and special celebrity guests, a slam dunk contest featuring professional dunkers, a “Shooting Stars” challenge, a three-point contest featuring players from the Warriors and Wizards, a musical performance by Japanese rock duo Yuzu, and more. The Golden State Warriors are sponsored by Rakuten, which is a Tokyo-based company, and Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura is from Toyama, Japan, which is why these two teams make sense to participate in this showcase.
