111 — 109
A six-point halftime lead was not enough
The game spent most of the first half swinging between short bursts rather than long control. There were 12 lead changes by night’s end, and the opening two quarters set that tone. Trae Young hit two early threes for Washington, Anthony Davis scored 16 points in 17 minutes, and Kyshawn George quietly stitched together an all-around line with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. New York answered with its own balance as Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby all found space around the basket or at the line.
The Knicks still looked the more settled side by the break. They turned a 30-29 deficit after one quarter into a 63-57 halftime edge, helped by Karl-Anthony Towns’ late three, Hart’s layup with 32.9 seconds left in the second, and Anunoby’s dunk with 5.2 seconds remaining. That finishing stretch mattered because Washington had just trimmed the margin to four on a Davis layup.
New York then threatened to create real separation in the third. Landry Shamet supplied the cleanest burst of the quarter, drilling three triples, and Tyler Kolek added a layup that pushed the Knicks ahead 77-67 with 4:37 left in the period. For a team that finished with 28 assists and 17 offensive rebounds, that sequence looked like the point where extra possessions might finally become a cushion.
Washington did not let it harden into one. Felix Okpara scored twice inside, Bub Carrington buried a pullup three and a step-back three, and Anthony Gill added a late layup to close the quarter. By the time the fourth began, New York’s double-digit breathing room had been reduced to 84-81, and the game had been dragged back into one-possession territory.
Washington’s depth changed the last nine minutes
The decisive shift came after Andre Drummond’s free throws put New York up 90-89 with 9:09 to play. Washington answered in layers rather than one dramatic burst. Will Riley scored inside, Okpara added a free throw, Carrington hit a step-back jumper, and after Bruce Brown briefly cut the gap to one, Okpara finished an alley-oop dunk before Justin Champagnie knocked down four free throws across two trips. That sequence turned a one-point deficit into a 99-94 Wizards lead.
Washington’s bench then found the shots that finally widened the game. Chris Livingston hit a three from the left wing area at 4:31, returned for a layup at 3:08, and Champagnie followed with a 27-foot jumper at 2:47. When Tre Mann connected from deep with 1:23 left, the Wizards were in front 111-102. In a game where no Washington player scored more than 16, that felt like the clearest statement of the night: the visitors kept producing fresh offence from different places.
New York still made one last push. Jaden Akins hit a three, added a driving layup, Brown scored in close, and Tyler Nickel drilled a three with 27.9 seconds remaining to cut the margin to 111-109. The comeback was real enough to make the closing scoreline uncomfortable for Washington, but the board did not move again.
Our take
Washington won this game by making its advantages count before its mistakes overwhelmed it. The Wizards shot 46.5 per cent from the field and 39.4 per cent from three, won the rebounding battle 53-47, and collected 15 offensive boards. Those are winning numbers. The warning sign is just as plain: 22 turnovers is far too many, and New York turned them into 27 points. A cleaner night with the ball would have spared the Wizards a frantic finish.
The Knicks will look at the same box score and see opportunity lost. They attempted 95 shots to Washington’s 86, assisted on 28 baskets, and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. Usually that combination gives a team enough volume to win. It did not here because the shooting lagged behind the playmaking: 42.1 per cent overall and 11-for-38 from three left too many empty trips. New York also never got a true scoring spike from one player; Hart, Brunson and Shamet shared the team lead with 13 points.
That is what made the difference in a two-point game. New York generated more possessions and had stretches of control, but Washington was sharper on the shots that mattered most and deeper in the closing minutes. When the fourth quarter tightened, the Wizards did not need one dominant closer. They needed a string of useful plays from Carrington, Okpara, Champagnie, Livingston and Mann, and they got exactly that.
Scoring moments
- 1st Quarter · 11:28
AJ Dybantsa makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 10:08
Jalen Brunson makes 23-foot three point jumper (OG Anunoby assists)
- 1st Quarter · 9:51
Josh Hart makes running layup (Mikal Bridges assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:59
Trae Young makes 22-foot three point jumper (Kyshawn George assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:34
Karl-Anthony Towns makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 8:26
Trae Young makes 6-foot running pullup jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 7:59
Josh Hart makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jalen Brunson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:27
Anthony Davis makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 7:13
OG Anunoby makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:13
OG Anunoby makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 7:01
Deandre Ayton makes alley oop layup (Kyshawn George assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:49
Jalen Brunson makes 1-foot two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 6:42
AJ Dybantsa makes driving layup (Trae Young assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:09
Kyshawn George makes layup (Anthony Davis assists)
- 1st Quarter · 5:56
Kyshawn George makes 22-foot running jump shot (Trae Young assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:37
Anthony Davis makes 25-foot three pointer
- 1st Quarter · 4:26
Jalen Brunson makes 2-foot driving floating jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 3:57
Miles McBride makes 23-foot three point jumper (Mikal Bridges assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3:57
Miles McBride makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Quarter · 3:27
Andre Drummond makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 3:27
Andre Drummond makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 3:14
Anthony Davis makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 1st Quarter · 3:00
Miles McBride makes 10-foot pullup jump shot (Josh Hart assists)
- 1st Quarter · 2:41
Kyshawn George makes two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 2:23
Josh Hart makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 2:23
Josh Hart makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 2:11
Trae Young makes 24-foot driving floating jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 1:44
Josh Hart makes 8-foot fade away jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 1:18
Landry Shamet makes running layup
- 1st Quarter · 1:05
Trae Young makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 42.0
Trae Young makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 11:47
Landry Shamet makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 11:47
Landry Shamet makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 10:49
Trae Young makes 25-foot three pointer
- 2nd Quarter · 9:42
Jose Alvarado makes 15-foot driving floating jump shot (Andre Drummond assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:50
Tre Johnson makes 1-foot two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 8:43
Jose Alvarado makes driving layup (Mohamed Diawara assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:21
AJ Dybantsa makes driving layup (Trae Young assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:06
Jordan Clarkson makes 1-foot layup (Andre Drummond assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:36
Bilal Coulibaly makes running dunk (AJ Dybantsa assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:09
Jose Alvarado makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 7:09
Jose Alvarado makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 6:22
Jordan Clarkson makes 24-foot three pointer (Karl-Anthony Towns assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 6:08
Kyshawn George makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (AJ Dybantsa assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5:50
Karl-Anthony Towns makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 5:08
OG Anunoby makes 1-foot layup (Karl-Anthony Towns assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:58
AJ Dybantsa makes 18-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 4:52
OG Anunoby makes running dunk (Josh Hart assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:29
OG Anunoby makes free throw 1 of 3
- 2nd Quarter · 4:29
OG Anunoby makes free throw 2 of 3
- 2nd Quarter · 4:14
Justin Champagnie makes 1-foot layup (Anthony Davis assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 3:45
Anthony Davis makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 3:40
Mikal Bridges makes driving layup (Jalen Brunson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 3:15
Anthony Davis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:15
Anthony Davis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:04
Jalen Brunson makes driving layup (Karl-Anthony Towns assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 2:55
Trae Young makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:55
Trae Young makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:34
Anthony Davis makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 1:09
Josh Hart makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Jalen Brunson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 56.9
Deandre Ayton makes dunk (Trae Young assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 47.9
Karl-Anthony Towns makes 24-foot three point jumper (Mikal Bridges assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 32.9
Josh Hart makes driving layup
- 2nd Quarter · 9.3
Anthony Davis makes layup (Deandre Ayton assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5.2
OG Anunoby makes 1-foot running dunk (Josh Hart assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 10:30
Jalen Brunson makes running layup
- 3rd Quarter · 10:15
Tre Johnson makes 28-foot three point jumper (Kyshawn George assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 9:29
Karl-Anthony Towns makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 9:29
Karl-Anthony Towns makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 8:39
AJ Dybantsa makes driving layup (Kyshawn George assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 8:30
Jalen Brunson makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 7:33
Kyshawn George makes 23-foot three point jumper (Bilal Coulibaly assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:15
AJ Dybantsa makes running layup (Kyshawn George assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 6:35
Landry Shamet makes 23-foot three point jumper (Andre Drummond assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 5:11
Landry Shamet makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot (Tyler Kolek assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 4:37
Tyler Kolek makes running layup
- 3rd Quarter · 4:02
Felix Okpara makes dunk
- 3rd Quarter · 3:43
Andre Drummond makes tip shot
- 3rd Quarter · 2:51
Bub Carrington makes 25-foot running pullup jump shot (Tre Mann assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 2:35
Landry Shamet makes 22-foot three point jumper (Andre Drummond assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 1:51
Felix Okpara makes tip shot
- 3rd Quarter · 1:18
Bub Carrington makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 3rd Quarter · 59.2
Andre Drummond makes tip in dunk
- 3rd Quarter · 43.3
Bub Carrington makes free throw 1 of 3
- 3rd Quarter · 43.3
Bub Carrington makes free throw 3 of 3
- 3rd Quarter · 26.6
Anthony Gill makes 1-foot layup (Bub Carrington assists)
- 4th Quarter · 11:35
Pacome Dadiet makes running dunk (Tyler Kolek assists)
- 4th Quarter · 11:07
Justin Champagnie makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 11:07
Justin Champagnie makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 10:37
Bub Carrington makes free throw 1 of 1
- 4th Quarter · 10:25
Anthony Gill makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 9:52
Jordan Clarkson makes 2-foot driving floating jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists)
- 4th Quarter · 9:26
Tre Mann makes 3-foot floating jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 9:20
Justin Champagnie makes layup
- 4th Quarter · 9:09
Andre Drummond makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 9:09
Andre Drummond makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 8:53
Will Riley makes 2-foot two point shot (Felix Okpara assists)
- 4th Quarter · 8:27
Felix Okpara makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 7:33
James Wiseman makes layup (Jose Alvarado assists)
- 4th Quarter · 7:26
Bub Carrington makes 19-foot step back jumpshot
- 4th Quarter · 6:46
Justin Champagnie makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 6:29
Bruce Brown makes 3-foot two point shot (Mohamed Diawara assists)
- 4th Quarter · 6:14
Felix Okpara makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Will Riley assists)
- 4th Quarter · 5:47
Justin Champagnie makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 5:47
Justin Champagnie makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 5:31
James Wiseman makes 1-foot dunk (Mohamed Diawara assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:31
Chris Livingston makes 22-foot three point jumper (Tre Mann assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:55
Tre Mann makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:33
Pacome Dadiet makes 26-foot three point jumper (Bruce Brown assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:08
Chris Livingston makes driving layup (Tre Mann assists)
- 4th Quarter · 2:47
Justin Champagnie makes 27-foot running jump shot (Tre Mann assists)
- 4th Quarter · 1:43
Jaden Akins makes 25-foot three point jumper (Tyler Nickel assists)
- 4th Quarter · 1:23
Tre Mann makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 4th Quarter · 1:12
Jaden Akins makes driving layup
- 4th Quarter · 1:02
Bruce Brown makes running layup (Tyler Nickel assists)
- 4th Quarter · 27.9
Tyler Nickel makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jaden Akins assists)
Washington Wizards — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Davis | 17 | 16 | 6-11 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | -6 |
| AJ Dybantsa | 23 | 11 | 5-11 | 0-3 | 1-3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 |
| Kyshawn George | 22 | 12 | 5-11 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | -2 |
| Deandre Ayton | 17 | 4 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | +1 |
| Trae Young | 17 | 15 | 4-7 | 3-6 | 4-6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | +1 |
| Anthony Gill | 4 | 3 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +6 |
| Justin Champagnie | 19 | 12 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 5-6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +9 |
| Chris Livingston | 6 | 5 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 |
| Felix Okpara | 20 | 7 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | +2 |
| Reece Beekman | 6 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 |
| Tre Mann | 16 | 6 | 2-6 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | +12 |
| Bub Carrington | 17 | 11 | 3-6 | 2-4 | 3-4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | +4 |
| Bilal Coulibaly | 19 | 2 | 1-7 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | -8 |
| Will Riley | 19 | 2 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +7 |
| Tre Johnson | 18 | 5 | 2-6 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -8 |
New York Knicks — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OG Anunoby | 19 | 10 | 3-6 | 0-2 | 4-5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | -2 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 19 | 8 | 2-7 | 1-3 | 3-4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | -2 |
| Josh Hart | 21 | 13 | 5-8 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | -2 |
| Mikal Bridges | 20 | 2 | 1-6 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Jalen Brunson | 20 | 13 | 6-12 | 1-6 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Tyler Nickel | 6 | 3 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +3 |
| Pacome Dadiet | 12 | 5 | 2-8 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | -8 |
| Mohamed Diawara | 13 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +5 |
| Andre Drummond | 20 | 8 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 4-6 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | +1 |
| James Wiseman | 9 | 4 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Jordan Clarkson | 9 | 7 | 3-5 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -5 |
| Landry Shamet | 16 | 13 | 4-7 | 3-4 | 2-2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
| Bruce Brown | 10 | 4 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -3 |
| Jose Alvarado | 14 | 6 | 2-7 | 0-3 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -5 |
| Miles McBride | 16 | 6 | 2-7 | 1-5 | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +5 |
| Tyler Kolek | 10 | 2 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -1 |
| Jaden Akins | 6 | 5 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +3 |
Washington Wizards — Team statistics
| FG | 40-86 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 47 |
| 3PT | 13-33 |
| Three Point % | 39 |
| FT | 18-27 |
| Free Throw % | 67 |
| Rebounds | 53 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 15 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 38 |
| Assists | 22 |
| Steals | 11 |
| Blocks | 4 |
| Turnovers | 22 |
| Team Turnovers | 0 |
| Total Turnovers | 22 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 27 |
| Fast Break Points | 19 |
| Points in Paint | 48 |
| Fouls | 21 |
| Largest Lead | 9 |
| Lead Changes | 12 |
| Percent Led | 36 |
New York Knicks — Team statistics
| FG | 40-95 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 42 |
| 3PT | 11-38 |
| Three Point % | 29 |
| FT | 18-23 |
| Free Throw % | 78 |
| Rebounds | 47 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 17 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 30 |
| Assists | 28 |
| Steals | 10 |
| Blocks | 5 |
| Turnovers | 15 |
| Team Turnovers | 1 |
| Total Turnovers | 16 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 17 |
| Fast Break Points | 18 |
| Points in Paint | 52 |
| Fouls | 24 |
| Largest Lead | 10 |
| Lead Changes | 12 |
| Percent Led | 55 |