AJ Dybantsa’s night turned from highlight reel to horror show in a hurry Thursday, and the Washington Wizards still needed every bit of him before Detroit finally escaped with a 144-140 win in double overtime.
Dybantsa, who had delivered an epic dunk for Washington against the Pistons three nights earlier, was on the floor again in a much rougher scene this time. While defending on the perimeter, he tracked Cade Cunningham as Cunningham came toward him. The two made contact, with Cunningham hitting Dybantsa in the head and sending him to the court clutching his face.
The troubling part came next: Dybantsa began bleeding visibly from his mouth.
The collision came with 25.7 seconds left in regulation, and Washington later requested a coach’s challenge over a possible technical foul. Even after the hit, Dybantsa stayed in the game and helped force another five minutes by drilling a pull up shot from the free throw line.
That basket tied it at 132-132 and pushed the teams into overtime inside Capital One Arena.
AJ DYBANTSA SENDS IT TO DOUBLE OVERTIME 🚨 pic.twitter.com/pyNPT03S0x
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 13, 2026
Detroit ultimately held off a stubborn Washington group by taking the sixth period 12-8. Dybantsa logged 44 minutes but had a quiet night offensively after the collision, finishing with five points. He also added eight rebounds and four assists.
Washington got major scoring from elsewhere. Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis each poured in 30 points, with Davis also collecting 15 rebounds for a double-double. Trae Young led the Wizards in scoring with 37 points and handed out 14 assists in the loss.
Cunningham delivered the biggest performance of the night, torching Washington for 52 points and 11 assists. Daniss Jenkins added 21 points for Detroit, finishing second on the team in scoring.
In Other News...
Wizards Loss Put Alex Sarrs Role Into Sharper Focus
Alex Sarr gave the Wizards a rare bright spot in a loss to Detroit, turning in one of the more encouraging individual performances of Washingtons season. The rookies scoring burst and work on the glass stood out even as the team kept stumbling, and it added another data point to the idea that his development can still be a meaningful part of the franchises long-term picture.
What made the night more interesting was not just the production, but what it said about how Washington is using him. Sarr has been on the floor plenty, yet his place in the offense has not always matched the value he can bring when he is involved early and often. For a team still searching for traction, giving him a bigger say in how possessions unfold could help answer more than one question at once. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards May Be Reaching A Breaking Point With Deandre Ayton
The Wizards six-game slide has pushed the front office and coaching staff into a difficult spot, and Deandre Ayton is suddenly at the center of it. His role has been shrinking as his production has dipped, and the teams numbers with him on the floor have not helped his case. For a club trying to steady itself after a rough stretch, every rotation decision now feels like a referendum on what still works and what does not.
Brian Keefe has already trimmed Aytons minutes, and the next step could be even more significant if Washington decides it needs a different look in the middle. The Wizards are trying to squeeze more value out of their center minutes as they search for answers, and Aytons place in that equation is far from settled. What happens next will say a lot about how quickly this team is willing to pivot while the losses keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards May Need To Make A Tough Call On Bilal Coulibaly
Bilal Coulibalys second season has become one of the more uncomfortable questions on the Wizards roster. The young wing has not made the offensive leap the team hoped for after drafting him, and his shooting has been rough enough that Washington is at least having to weigh whether his long-term fit is as clear as it once looked.
That kind of conversation is never easy this early in a rebuild, especially with a player still viewed as part of the future on the defensive end. But if the Wizards decide his limitations on offense outweigh the upside they still see, they may have to explore the market before the deadline and see whether another team is willing to bet on his tools and development path. [Read more 🡒]