The Wizards keep finding ways to make the same kind of game look different. At 4-3, they’re no longer leaning on one obvious formula.
They’re not winning by pounding the offensive glass or by launching a barrage of 3s. Instead, they’re using depth on both ends to drag opponents into their kind of game, and that was on display again in a 103-94 win over the Magic.
Washington handled an Orlando team dealing with a pile of injuries and, for the second straight game, knocked off a divisional opponent while keeping the other side under 100 points. The Wizards have now held back-to-back opponents below 100 for the first time since 12/30/22-1/1/23, when they did it at Milwaukee and at Orlando.
The biggest offensive spark came from the rookie, who posted his first 20-point game with a lively night in Orlando. He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals, going 7-for-17 from the field. He also hit all six of his free throws and added a 3-pointer for the third straight game, even as the whistles didn’t seem eager to reward the contact he kept inviting at the rim.
AJ Dybantsa tonight 🔥21 PTS5 REB2 AST3 STL7/17 FG pic.twitter.com/TehWDYJGBR
What stood out wasn’t just the scoring total. It was the way he kept attacking.
Dybantsa played like a rookie who wanted to leave fingerprints all over the game, using his strength, his downhill pressure and his energy to make something happen on possession after possession. Against an Orlando defense that likes to crowd the floor and make life miserable, that sort of ball-handling aggression matters, especially with two more meetings with the Magic still on Washington’s November schedule.
With Alex Sarr out for the trip, Washington had a decision to make in the frontcourt. Bilal Coulibaly had the experience edge after starting all four games before Dybantsa, but Deandre Ayton ended up being the answer as the backup seven-footer stepped into the starting role.
Ayton’s presence helped Washington win a rebounding battle, which has not exactly been a regular feature of this team’s season. The Wizards had been getting beat on the glass in wins and losses alike, but Orlando didn’t punish them in that area. The Magic came in as another bottom-three team in offensive rebounding average, and their center rotation of Wendell Carter Jr. and whatever remains of Nikola Vučević didn’t create the kind of second-chance damage that could have tilted the night.
Ayton finished with six rebounds, and that number looked useful in the context of what Washington needed from him. He battled for a few tough boards, moved the ball cleanly and finished a couple of easy looks around the basket. For a starting debut, it was the kind of steady contribution that fit the night.
Beautiful possession. Two guys go with Trae on the ball screen, he makes the pocket pass to Ayton who makes proper read to get Bub a 3-pointer. pic.twitter.com/B7X16J7vLq
The Wizards also got a reminder that the bench picture still isn’t fully settled. Khris Middleton was a healthy scratch for the second time this season, and Will Riley didn’t do much with the reserve wing minutes that seemed available to him. In four minutes, his only notable contribution was drawing an offensive foul in the first half.
That leaves Washington still sorting through the final piece of its rotation. Justin Champagnie’s foot fracture last week opened a lane for another wing option, and Dybantsa’s arrival gives the Wizards a new piece to work with. But Middleton doesn’t look like a clean replacement for Champagnie’s rebounding, and Riley has not yet shown enough comfort off the ball to lock down a second-unit role.
It’s not a major problem with the way Washington’s reserve scorers are developing, especially with Sarr’s absence forcing some unusual substitution patterns. Still, the Wizards are clearly still auditioning for help, and that last bench spot remains worth watching as the season moves on.
In Other News...
AJ Dybantsa Is Already Giving Wizards Fans Real Hope
AJ Dybantsas arrival has given Wizards fans a jolt of optimism that has been hard to come by in recent seasons. The No. 1 overall pick has wasted little time looking comfortable, fitting into the offense alongside Trae Young and showing the kind of two-way presence Washington hoped it was getting when it made him the centerpiece of the draft.
What stands out early is how complete his impact already looks. Dybantsa has been efficient with the ball, active on the glass and disruptive defensively, the sort of early return that can change the mood around a rebuilding team in a hurry. The bigger question now is how quickly that promise can turn into something more lasting once the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Just Gave Wizards Fans Another Reason To Feel Good
The Wizards have opened the 2026-27 season with a 3-3 start, and there are already a few reasons for optimism beyond the standings. Rookie AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick, has settled in quickly after missing the first stretch with an ankle injury, giving Washington another young piece to pair with the veteran presence of Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Early on, the group has shown enough chemistry to suggest the fit could come together faster than expected.
AJ Dybantsa also gave fans a little extra to smile about off the court, adding a lighthearted moment to a season that already feels like it has some momentum. For a team still trying to define itself, those small signs matter almost as much as the on-court results, especially with Orlando next on the schedule and the Wizards looking to keep building on their encouraging start. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Sarr Is Emerging In A Wizards Trend That Actually Matters
Through the first six games, Washington has built an early identity that actually travels: perimeter defense. The Wizards have been the NBAs best team at guarding the three-point line so far, holding opponents to 28.7% shooting from beyond the arc, and that has shown up in the kind of disciplined closeouts and contests that can keep a young roster competitive even when the offense is still finding itself.
Alex Sarr has been a big part of that start, especially when teams try to test Washington above the break. He leads the Wizards in defending those attempts, and the broader picture is even more encouraging for a team trying to establish a defensive standard, with five Washington players showing up among the leagues top 15 in limiting opponents to under 30% on above-the-break threes with at least 100 attempts against them. The question now is whether that early edge can hold once scouting reports sharpen and the schedule starts asking more of it. [Read more 🡒]