Wizards rally to edge Knicks 111-109 in first preseason test at Madison Square Garden

The Washington Wizards opened their preseason schedule with a narrow 111-109 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. It was the kind of result that matters less for the standings than for the early evaluation window, but the Wizards used the game to establish an identity with their key starters and held off a late Knicks push in the final minutes.

Washington’s first group from the opening stretch included a notable blend of playmaking and star power. According to the game recap, the Wizards started their “Big Three” of AJ Dybantsa, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and they built early rhythm rather than treating the night as purely experimental. Washington even managed a 30-29 lead, setting the tone for a back-and-forth matchup.

The one- or two-point margin that decided the final score suggests the game tilted on execution swings rather than a runaway stretch. In preseason, those margins can be especially telling because second units often rotate through different lineups quickly, meaning small defensive breakdowns or missed shot opportunities can determine who controls the closing possessions.

New York, playing in its own early preseason phase, kept pace well enough to force Washington to finish strong. With the game decided by two points, the Wizards’ ability to hold the lead when their lineup mixes shifted would be a primary takeaway for Washington’s staff as they sift through what worked against live rotation-level defense.

While the final total is the headline, the broader significance is how Washington chose to structure its early preseason rotation. Starting Dybantsa, Young and Davis indicates the Wizards viewed this opener as more than a tune-up, using their top names to generate early shot creation and to anchor the offensive flow before deeper substitutions begin to take over.

For the Knicks, the takeaway is similar but in reverse. Losing by two points in the first preseason game at home is the kind of result that can highlight defensive communication issues or timing lapses, especially if the Wizards’ late-game execution leaned on those starters. Preseason matchups like this are often less about who wins a box-score title and more about which habits appear reliable under pressure.

Washington now sits at 1-0 in the preseason, while New York drops to 0-1. The next steps for both teams are straightforward: tighten rotations, continue to evaluate role players in game conditions, and identify which offensive looks and defensive coverages hold up when lineups change rapidly.