Game Preview

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Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd)

The Wizards are looking to snag their first win of the 2024-25 preseason as they head to New York City to take on the Knicks on Wednesday night. Here’s everything you need to know:

Where: Madison Square Garden (New York City, NY)

All three of the Wizards’ first-round draft picks (Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George) made their debut in Washington’s 125-98 loss to Toronto in Montreal on Sunday. Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick, made a particular splash as he started the contest and finished with an impressive statline: 6-for-8 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 from three for 15 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block. His versatility on both ends was evident, especially in the second half.

Meanwhile, Carrington and George each displayed their strengths off the bench. Carrington, though he struggled from the field (1-for-8), utilized his aggressive play style to lead the Wizards in free throw attempts (seven) for seven total points while George went 2-for-6 from deep for eight points, plus three rebounds and two steals. With Malcolm Brogdon out with a hand injury, Carrington’s role at point guard for the remainder of the preseason is likely to increase.

Washington’s two starting guards, Jordan Poole and Bilal Coulibaly, both filled the stat sheet in Sunday’s loss. The duo combined for 26 points, six assists and three rebounds while shooting 9-of-15 from the field. Coulibaly, who has noted throughout the offseason that he’s made a concerted effort to improve his ballhandling, did just that in Montreal, feeding off screens and knocking down pullup jumpers.

The Knicks are sure to provide the Wizards with a tough matchup, though. Guard Jalen Brunson, coming off the best season of his career, is looking to continue the Knicks’ good fortune after a narrow 111-109 preseason victory over the Hornets on Sunday. Fellow guard Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride lit a fire off the bench in that contest, leading all scorers with 22 points in just 25 minutes. Keep an eye on the two teams’ dueling guard combos on Wednesday.

Both the Knicks and the Wizards acquired two premier centers this past offseason. Washington was able to snag veteran post presence Jonas Valanciunas via free agency. Valanciunas, who started in Sunday’s loss and did what he does best (grabbing rebounds; he finished with six of them in just 16 minutes), is sure to be the Wizards’ go-to center to start the campaign.

Meanwhile, New York made a splash in the trade market as they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota late last month in exchange for fellow center Julius Randle, in addition to other pieces. Both Towns and Valanciunas finished in the top-25 of the NBA’s rebounding leaderboard last season with over eight per game. Their battle on Wednesday night will surely be something to watch.

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Preview: Wizards return to U.S. for preseason bout with Knicks

Chase Hughes

The Washington Wizards open their 2024-25 preseason schedule on the road in Montreal as they take on the Toronto Raptors in the Canada Series on Sunday night. Here’s everything you need to know...

Ja'Kobe Walter (sprained shoulder - day to day)

It may be an exhibition game, but it will be a meaningful night for the Wizards' three first round picks, as Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George will be making their NBA preseason debuts. It will be the first time they take the floor in an organized game, wearing their Wizards uniform with their new teammates, playing in an NBA environment against other pros.

As the trio gets their first glimpse of live NBA action, Wizards fans will get their first look at the future of the franchise. The results won't count, of course, but it will be interesting just to see them on the court in comparison to other players. The Wizards targeted all three of them in the draft in part because of their positional size. That should be apparent right away, as could their speed and athleticism, a plus for each of them.

The Wizards are playing in the 10th&nbsp;annual Canada Series, which brings NBA preseason games to different cities across the country. They last participated in 2015 when they played the Raptors, also in Montreal. This will be the first of two international showcases for the Wizards this season, as they will also travel to Mexico City to play the Miami Heat in a regular season game on Nov. 2.

The game in Montreal will have some extra significance for several Wizards players, as Sarr, George and second-year wing Bilal Coulibaly all speak French, which is the first language in the Quebec province. Sarr and Coulibaly are from France, while George went to high school there. George has family in the Montreal area and would travel there often as a kid. He expects to have over 30 family and friends in attendance.

It can be difficult to predict which veterans will play in the preseason and for how long and it's worth noting the Wizards have five games to work with before the regular season begins. However, this could be the Wizards debut of Jonas Valanciunas, their biggest free agent acquisition. Valanciunas would be playing against his former team in the Raptors, where he got his NBA start and made a name for himself. Valanciunas was the fifth overall pick by Toronto back in 2011 and played seven seasons there, establishing himself as a fan favorite.

His addition should make a profound difference for the Wizards, who needed both size and rebounding and got both in one package with the Lithuanian big man. How he begins to build chemistry with his teammates will be worth watching, particularly how the Wizards utilize him in pick-and-roll situations. Also worth monitoring will be how often, if at all, head coach Brian Keefe has him on the court as the same time as Sarr. Perhaps they start together at the four and five, or Sarr could come off the bench at either position.

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Preview: Wizards take on Raptors in Canada Series exhibition

wasatemperly

The Washington Wizards (15-66) close their 2023-24 season out on the road as they take on the Boston Celtics (63-18) on Sunday afternoon. Here’s everything you need to know about the Wizards’ season finale:

Where: TD Garden (Boston, MA)When: 1:00 p.m. ETTV: Monumental Sports NetworkRadio: Team 980 & The Wizards App

Anthony Gill (right knee soreness – questionable)Tristan Vukcevic (right ankle sprain – questionable)Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – out)Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)Jordan Poole (non-COVID illness – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

Jaylen Brown (rest – out)Jrue Holiday (left patella tendinopathy – out)Al Horford (rest – out)Kristaps Porzingis (rest – out)Jayson Tatum (rest – out)Derrick White (left ankle sprain – out)

Wizards forward Deni Avdija has been tasked with running point for the team at times throughout the season, but in Friday night’s 129-127 loss to the Chicago Bulls, he was in the unfamiliar territory of being the team’s&nbsp;starting&nbsp;point guard. He was up for the challenge.

Avdija finished with 24 points off 60% shooting from the field to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists. It was his third double-double in the month of April and his 18th&nbsp;on the season.

“We wanted to see Deni handling the ball more. We know how much of a playmaker he can be, wanted to see him in the lead playmaker role,” interim head coach Brian Keefe said following the loss. “Thought he did a tremendous job getting his teammates involved…part of what makes Deni good is his versatility.”

Avdija will play in his 75th&nbsp;game this season on Sunday, meaning he’s played at least 75 games in each of his last three seasons. He was one of just five NBA players to suit up in all 82 games during the 2021-22 season.

Though Washington couldn’t come away with a win, a positive note from Friday’s contest was how everybody on the team had an impact scoring the ball. Each player scored at least two points, with six Wizards putting up at least 15. Avdija led the scoring with his 24.

It was also a terrific shooting night for Washington. They shot 52% from the field and 42% from three on the night. They made 18 total threes on the night, two shy of their previous contest against Minnesota and three shy of tying a season-high.

Boston owns the NBA’s best record but is resting a number of their stars and key rotational players. Washington will have an opportunity to take advantage of the power vacuum on the floor on Sunday.

Corey Kispert put up 23 points in Washington’s loss to the Bulls on Friday, making it three straight contests in which the third-year wing has scored at least 21. He’s been one of the Wizards’ most consistent scorers this season, as he made note of postgame.

“Consistency through everything that’s happened this year [is what I’m most proud of],” he said postgame “Through the highs, through the lows, playing a lot, not playing a lot, coaching changes, roster changes, injuries – you name it, we’ve been through it. And I’ve stayed consistent throughout, with my attitude and with my play.”

Kispert has taken a marked step up this season, putting up career-highs in games played, points, field goal attempts, two-point percentage, and assists. He’ll play in his 80th&nbsp;game in the season finale on Sunday and has a chance to end his best season to date on a high note.

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Preview: Wizards take on Celtics in final game of the season

The Washington Wizards (15-65) back in D.C. to face the Chicago Bulls (38-42) in their final home game of the 2023-24 season on Friday night. It will also be Fan Appreciation Night for Wizards fans in attendance, including special giveaways and promotions. Here is everything you need to know:

Where: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)When: 7:00 p.m. ETTV: Monumental Sports NetworkRadio: Team 980 & The Wizards App

Eugene Omoruyi (non-COVID illness – questionable)Deni Avdija (non-COVID illness -- questionable)Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – out)Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)Jordan Poole (non-COVID illness – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Tyus Jones (back sprain – out)Landry Shamet (calf strain – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

Ayo Dosunmu (quadriceps – questionable)Andre Drummond (ankle – questionable)Julian Phillips (foot – out)Lonzo Ball (knee – out)Patrick Williams (foot – out)Zach LaVine (foot – out)

The Wizards came within one made three-pointer away from tying a franchise record in Tuesday night’s loss in Minnesota with 20 makes on the night. Corey Kispert (25 points) and Jordan Poole (24 points) notched five triples each in the 130-121 loss.

Deep shooting might be key in Friday’s home contest. Chicago ranks 28th&nbsp;in the NBA in threes made per game with just 11.5. Meanwhile, Washington has made at least 16 threes in three of their last four games.

The Wizards also made 14 and 13 triples in their last two contests against the Bulls, respectively. Hitting that 14th&nbsp;triple was especially key in their last contest: a 107-105 victory in Chicago back on March 25th.

Johnny Davis comes into Friday’s home matchup off arguably the best game he’s played all season against the Timberwolves. He went 3-of-4 from the field for 10 points (one shy of his season-high 11 back in November) and snagged three rebounds in 20 minutes.

Moreover, Davis looked comfortable with the ball in his hands. He had a good shot diet, knocking down a corner three for his first bucket and making a point to penetrate the lane from the wing for tough layups.

With his injury designation now behind him, it’ll be interesting to see how interim head coach Brian Keefe employs Davis against Chicago. Washington’s backcourt could be shorthanded with Tyus Jones out with a back sprain and Jordan Poole questionable with a non-COVID illness. Davis and fellow guard Jared Butler, fresh off signing a new NBA contract, could be of key significance. 

In the wake of recurring injuries, the Wizards have had to deploy some deeper rotational players more so than usual of late. Patrick Baldwin Jr. headlines that list, and has made good on his increased role over the last two games.

On Sunday in Toronto, the forward notched his first-career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, then followed it up with a 15-point, six-rebound night in Minnesota two days later. It’s the first time Baldwin has strung together two consecutive double-digit scoring outputs all season.

Baldwin is averaging 9.0 points per game and is shooting 48.1% from the field in the month of April, both sharp increases over his season averages to date. He’ll look to close out his season strong both at home on Friday night and in the season finale on Sunday afternoon in Boston.

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Preview: Wizards face Bulls in final home game of the season

The Washington Wizards (15-64) are up north in Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves (54-24) in their penultimate road game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday night. Here is everything you need to know:

Where: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)When: 8:00 p.m. ETTV: Monumental Sports NetworkRadio: Team 980 & The Wizards App

Anthony Gill (right knee soreness – questionable)Tristan Vukcevic (left knee soreness – questionable)Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – questionable)Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)Johnny Davis (left hip contusion – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

Jaylen Clark (achilles tendon rupture recovery – out)Karl-Anthony Towns (left meniscus tear – out)

Deni Avdija looks to be one of Washington’s hottest players as the 2023-24 season draws to a close. Not only is the fourth-year wing averaging career-highs in virtually every statistical category (including minutes, points, rebounds, assists, and shooting percentage), he’s also coming off the second-best game of his season on Sunday against Toronto.

Though the Wizards lost 130-122 up north, Avdija put up a game-high 32 points (the second-best mark of his season), 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals off 58% shooting from the field. It marks the third time in the last four games Avdija has scored at least 20 points.

Avdija’s ascension into his current form has even garnered serious praise from some of the league’s best players, including an NBA champion and two-time MVP.

“I think he’s going to be a great player, two-way player,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said after the Wizards’ 117-113 win over Milwaukee earlier this month. “Every year he’s getting better…Smart, understands the game of basketball. I wish him the best.”

Jordan Poole has been enjoying increased production since his move to starting point guard in the wake of Tyus Jones’ injury. Sunday’s contest in Toronto continued that trend.

Poole, like Avdija, finished a dominant double-double with 29 points, 12 assists, four rebounds and two steals while shooting 44% from the floor. It was his third straight game scoring at least 20 points, and the sixth time in the last nine contests in which he’s dished out at least eight assists.

With Washington again facing a heap of injuries, the bulk of the ballhandling duties will likely fall on Poole’s shoulders again on Tuesday.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves center and one of the best deep-shooting big men in the NBA, will miss Tuesday’s contest as he continues his recovery from a left meniscus tear. That’s good news for Washington.

The bad news is that Minnesota still boasts a tandem of two of the best players at their respective positions in the entire league: guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert. The duo went off the last time these two teams faced each other, a 118-107 win for the Timberwolves in D.C. in January: they combined for 57 points, 19 rebounds and six assists.

As hard as it may be, limiting Edwards and Gobert will be key for Washington on Tuesday night. They’ve been a key reason for Minnesota’s No. 1 seed in the Western Conference this season.

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Preview: Wizards visit Minnesota for matchup with Timberwolves

The Washington Wizards (15-63) are on the road in Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors (24-53). Here is everything you need to know:

Where: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Canada)When: 6:00 p.m. ETTV: Monumental Sports Network 2Radio: Team 980 & The Wizards App

WIZARDS: Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – questionable)Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

Raptors:Scottie Barnes (left hand fracture -- out)Chris Boucher (right knee partial MCL tear -- out)Bruce Brown (right knee soreness -- questionable)D.J. Carton (right ankle sprain -- out)Jakob Poeltl (left hand torn ligament fifth finger -- out)Jontay Porter (personal reasons -- out)Gary Trent Jr. (illness -- out)

Jordan Poole and Jared Butler have taken over as the primary ball handlers for the Wizards with Tyus Jones sidelined in recent weeks, with Deni Avdija also bringing the ball up as well. Poole and Butler have each seen an uptick in their assist numbers over the last 10 games. Poole is averaging 7 assists in his last 10 games, up from 4.3 for the season, while Butler is averaging 4.8 assists - an increase from his 2.9 average for the year. Poole has also set new career-highs in assists twice in that span.

Tristan Vukcevic has seen his role grow significantly in the last three games as he's logged 20+ minutes in each outing. With an increase in playing time he's made his mark on the court, scoring 14, 15 and 17 points in each of those outings. "These are great experiences for Tristan, he's learning daily on these guys. I thought another good game for him tonight. He can continue to grow and develop, so,  pleased with his effort," said interim head coach Brian Keefe following Friday's game against Portland.

The Raptors are coming off of a win over the Milwaukee Bucks but prior to that game they had dropped 15-straight games. Toronto has seen many players go down with injuries in the final weeks of the season.The Raptors will likely lean heavily on Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett for scoring on offense. Quickley has averaged 17.9 points and 6.6 assists since coming over in a trade from the New York Knicks, while Barrett has averaged 21.2 points and has shot 41.8% from deep since coming over in the same trade.

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Preview: Wizards set to take on Raptors in Toronto

The Washington Wizards (15-62) are back at Capital One Arena on Friday night to close out a six-game home stand against the Portland Trail Blazers (20-56) in their penultimate home game of the 2023-24 season. Here is everything you need to know:

Where: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)When: 7:00 p.m. ETTV: Monumental Sports Network 2Radio: Team 980 & The Wizards App

WIZARDS: Deni Avdija (migraine – questionable)Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – out)Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)Johnny Davis (left ankle sprain – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)Isaiah Livers (right hip joint capsule inflammation – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

TRAIL BLAZERS:Jerami Grant (right hamstring strain – doubtful)Justin Minaya (right ilium contusion – questionable)Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal surgery recovery – out)Anfernee Simons (right knee tendonitis – out)Matisse Thybulle (right ankle impingement – out)Robert Williams III (right knee ligament tear – out)Ibou Badji (lower back soreness -- questionable) Malcom Brogdon (right elbow tendinitis -- out)Toumani Camara (left rib fracture -- out)

Jared Butler has made an impact on both ends of the floor routinely for the Wizards this season. In the absence of Tyus Jones (sidelined for the past few weeks with a lumbosacral sprain), Butler has held down Washington’s backcourt along with Jordan Poole.

In the Wizards’ 125-120 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Butler filled the stat sheet: nine points, three rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block, and +18 on the floor. His level-headedness while bringing the ball up has seemed to keep the Wizards poised as they get into their halfcourt sets.

Butler has now logged double-digit minutes in nine of the Wizards’ last 11 games, and is sure to figure heavily into the rotation going forward as Tyus Jones remains out.

Tristan Vukcevic made his first career start against Los Angeles on Wednesday, and continued the encouraging streak of games he’s enjoyed to begin his NBA tenure. The rookie logged 20 minutes, shot 5-of-9 from the field for a career-high 15 points, grabbed three rebounds and blocked one shot for a +4 on the night.

Richaun Holmes has been hampered by a toe injury over Washington’s last few games, and with Marvin Bagley III out with a knee sprain, Vukcevic is likely to notch serious minutes over the remaining few games for the Wizards.

The Wizards played the Trail Blazers one other time this season, in December in the Pacific Northwest. Washington came away with a thrilling 118-117 win which came down to the final possession, in which rookie Bilal Coulibaly played sterling defense against Jerami Grant to secure the victory for the visitors.

DeAndre Ayton, Portland center and former No. 1 overall pick, notched a pretty dominant double-double in the contest with 23 points and 16 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards. Keeping Ayton off the offensive glass will be key for the Wizards to sweep the season series on Friday.

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Preview: Wizards close out homestand with Trail Blazers

The Washington Wizards (15-61) have won four of their last seven games and look to make it five-of-eight on Wednesday night in Capital One Arena as they host the Los Angeles Lakers (43-33). Here is everything you need to know:

WIZARDS: Richaun Holmes (left big toe contusion – questionable)Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)Johnny Davis (left ankle sprain -- questionable)Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)Isaiah Livers (right hip join capsule inflammation – out)Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)

LeBron James (left ankle tendinopathy -- questionable)Anthony Davis (left knee hyperextension -- questionable)Jarred Vanderbilt (right midfoot – out)Christian Wood (knee surgery recovery – out)Jalen Hood-Schifino (lumbar disc surgery -- out)

The Wizards won a thrilling 117-113 contest over the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday night, and couldn’t have done it without a torrid performance from Corey Kispert. Washington’s third-year wing put up a season-high 27 points off 56% shooting from the floor to go along with seven rebounds, a block, and a steal.

The 27-point output is tied for Kispert’s second-best mark of his career, only trailing a 29-point night against the Knicks which coincidentally occurred exactly one year before Tuesday’s matchup, on April 2nd, 2023.

"Nobody believed that we could win this game tonight but we did... I'm happy for the group because we needed it," Deni Avdija said following the win over the Bucks. "It's definitely a confidence booster and it makes us believe we can do good stuff even though we were the underdog."

Kispert has now scored in double-figures in eight straight contests, dating back to March 19th. He’s averaging career-highs in points, assists, two-point field goal percentage and shot attempts per game this season.

Tristan Vukcevic, in the absence of Richaun Holmes on Wednesday night, was primed to get solid playing time. Once Marvin Bagley III suffered what interim head coach Brian Keefe called a “knee sprain” in the first half, Vukcevic’s role as Washington’s go-to center was expanded even further. The rookie ended up having his best game of the season.

He enjoyed career-high numbers in minutes (31), points (14), rebounds (7), assists (3), and field goal percentage (45.5%). He had the daunting task of guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo for large stretches as well, but performed admirably on both ends of the floor and helped secure the win for Washington.

“I think you saw a little bit of everything [from Vukcevic],” Brian Keefe said postgame. “The floor spacing, passing, I liked his defense mostly. He’s big, vertical at the rim, got on the perimeter and switched a little bit, so we saw a little bit of everything. This was just great for development. We’re learning him too, and discovering parts of his game as we go, but this is why he’s here. And we’re thrilled that he wanted to be a part of us and be a part of our program.”

The only other time the Wizards faced the Lakers this season was a barnburner. The Wizards traveled to L.A. in early March and suffered a heart-stopping 134-131 defeat in overtime.

A few players enjoyed arguably their best game of the season to that point in the contest: Jordan Poole, off the bench for Washington, scored 34 points and seven rebounds, while Corey Kispert, Marvin Bagley III and Kyle Kuzma all put up 20+ points each. However, the Lakers’ Hall-of-Fame duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 71 points, 19 rebounds and 13 assists to guide the home side to victory.

Two big discrepancies in the box score were of key significance in the March contest: Los Angeles shot double the number of free throws as Washington (24 to 12), and scored 82 points in the paint to Washington’s 62. Getting to the free throw line and limiting scoring down low will be crucial for the Wizards on Wednesday night.