Three Keys to a Washington Wizards Preseason Victory over the Knicks

The Washington Wizards are ready to embark on a new journey in basketball. After years of rebuilding, the team is finally ready to compete and win games in the East. Preseason is where they can shake off the rust and finally give rookies a real test at the NBA level.

With the Wizards opening up against the defending champions, here are three things they must do to generate a win.

1: Get to the Free Throw Line

Nov 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) reacts after a foul call against the Houston Rockets during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last season, Washington averaged only 21.2 free throws a game. This was the fifth-worst in the NBA. Despite that, they took the 7th-most shots a game while finishing in the bottom half in three-point attempts.

Some of this was because the Wizards were younger and lacked big-name talent. The bigger stars typically get more calls, and the Wizards had no stars, respectively. Trae Young and Anthony Davis changed that, and those two alone will get a friendlier whistle when attacking the hoop.

Another way is to not be afraid of contact. Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and AJ Dybantsa need to embrace the contact when driving. This alone will help them generate a few more trips to the charity stripe.

2: Average Perimeter Defense

Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) defends during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Interior defense isn't much of a worry, as even without Alex Sarr, Davis and Deandre Ayton will manage. The perimeter defense, though, has to improve, and if the team wants to win, they have to limit driving opportunities.

Coulibaly is the best perimeter defender on the team, and George also holds his own. Justin Champagnie also plays good perimeter defense, but the guards struggle. Tre Johnson and Young are not good perimeter defenders. Johnson can be better, but Young will remain a weak link because of his size.

AJ Dybantsa also needs to show he can play defense. At BYU, he was not asked to play much on that end of the court. Now in the NBA, he is aiming to show he is a good defender, and he showed glimpses in Las Vegas. At the end of the day, though, the path to winning not just this game but every game begins with a sturdy perimeter defense.

3: Playing with Pace

Washington Wizards guard Trae Young celebrates with guard Tre Johnson — Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) celebrates with guard Tre Johnson (12) during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This team is young and athletic, not something the Knicks can say. Sure they have OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. Still, outside of that, the team is slower and not nearly as athletic as these young Wizards. So the team should use that to their advantage.

Anytime there is a fastbreak opportunity, everyone needs to look ahead and get down the court. On offense, they need constant movement to wear down the Knicks' defense. This not only helps generate buckets, but also makes the Knicks lose stamina and reduces their offensive production.

This doesn't mean they just need to be fast; they need to control the pace. Know when to accelerate, and know when to slow down. Playing fast without control blurs your vision, narrows the court, and makes you one-dimensional. The key is to know their pace, go fast when needed, and slow down when needed.

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