2026-10-08 · 6:30 PM CT · Preseason
Washington Wizards17-65
New York Knicks53-29ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Washington Wizards2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 112.9 | 25 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 41.9 | 26 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 25.0 | 25 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 15.1 | 29 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.0 | 21 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 5.5 | 5 / 30 |
| FG% | 46.3% | 22 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 35.9% | 16 / 30 |
| FT% | 76.6% | 23 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 53.5% | 21 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 13.2% | 26 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.235 | 26 / 30 |
New York Knicks2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 116.5 | 10 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 45.6 | 7 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 27.4 | 13 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 12.8 | 5 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.1 | 19 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 3.9 | 29 / 30 |
| FG% | 47.8% | 11 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 37.3% | 4 / 30 |
| FT% | 79.2% | 10 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 55.7% | 9 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 11.5% | 7 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.238 | 25 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
This is preseason. Use the team numbers as background and watch how the new lineups play together. No spread or Lab win probability is published for this game.
Last season 17-65 | 15th in the East | Missed postseason
2025-26 efficiency 109.7 offense | 121.5 defense | -11.8 net per 100 possessions
Washington finished last in the East at 17-65 with a minus-11.8 net rating. The team allowed 121.5 points per 100 possessions, so a more entertaining offense will not be enough by itself. Much of the season was developmental, and the veterans acquired during it barely contributed to those final numbers.
Michael Winger and Will Dawkins now have Trae Young and Anthony Davis together after last season's trades. Young played only five games for Washington and Davis none. The Wizards added first pick AJ Dybantsa, Deandre Ayton and Khris Middleton, while Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and the young perimeter group continue developing. The available roster is materially stronger than the one responsible for most of the 65 losses.
The unresolved concern is whether the lineup balances development with a practical defensive plan. Davis and Sarr can change the interior, but several possible combinations compress the paint and demand disciplined perimeter coverage. Young needs players who can finish the opportunities he creates and protect him on the other end. Management added established names without making the minutes distribution obvious. Veteran health also determines how much the youngsters are being asked to solve.
Projected finish is 12th in the East. We credit the large talent change while refusing to treat a collection of veterans as an automatic playoff team. Washington can escape the bottom tier without immediately becoming coherent. The useful evidence will be a lower defensive rating, a defined role for Dybantsa and lineups that make Young's creation easier to convert.
Last season 53-29 | 3rd in the East | Won NBA Finals
2025-26 efficiency 118.7 offense | 112.3 defense | +6.4 net per 100 possessions
The Knicks finished third at 53-29, then won the championship by beating San Antonio in five games. Their regular-season offensive rating was 118.7, and it improved to 119.9 in the playoffs. That is unusual evidence of a team getting better when opponents had time to prepare, rather than surviving only on regular-season volume.
Leon Rose retained the central group of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Andre Drummond replaces part of the center depth lost when Mitchell Robinson joined Boston. Mike Brown gets another season with a lineup that found highly effective offensive combinations during the title run. Continuity is a legitimate advantage against rivals introducing several major pieces.
The concern is frontcourt depth and whether last spring's shooting gains repeat. Drummond can rebound, but he does not reproduce every part of Robinson's defensive and offensive contribution. Anunoby's exceptional playoff shooting should not be treated as his new automatic baseline. Management has preserved a champion, yet injuries to a key forward could quickly push less established players into important minutes. A title does not make the rotation longer.
Projected finish is first in the East. The combination of strong measured offense, established roles and playoff execution gives New York the safest overall case. We expect competition from Boston and Cleveland. The repeat bid depends on preserving the defensive standard and enough frontcourt health, rather than expecting every hot stretch from June to last for six more months.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
