The Washington Wizards left Madison Square Garden with a preseason win, closing out a 111-109 result over the New York Knicks in front of 17,960 fans. The game swung in the fourth quarter, where Washington outscored New York 30-25 and found points at the line when it mattered most. Both teams finished with 40 field goals, but the Wizards were sharper from three and steadier late. The Knicks led for more than half the night yet could not hold off the final push.

A few numbers set the tone. Washington shot 39% from three on 13 of 33, while New York went 11 of 38 for 28%. The Wizards also attempted more free throws, going 18 of 27, with nine makes coming in the last 12 minutes. The Knicks matched the 18 made free throws but got to the line only 23 times and just twice in the fourth. That fourth quarter whistle count and perimeter edge carried the visitors over the line.

Fourth-quarter swing decides it

Washington’s late-game formula was simple and effective. The Wizards hit 9 of 17 from the field in the fourth quarter and went 9 of 13 at the stripe to stack efficient possessions. New York actually made one more field goal in the period at 10 of 21 and matched Washington at 3 of 7 from deep. The gap came at the line and in the foul column.

The Knicks committed eight fourth-quarter fouls compared to just one for the Wizards, which turned into a 13 to 2 free throw attempt split. That single category explained a five-point swing in a five-point quarter margin. Washington also controlled the clock late, spending 8:57 in front in the final 12 minutes and building a largest lead of nine. New York’s six turnovers in the period did not help the cause either, even with a 9 to 5 assist edge. The Wizards added four steals in the fourth to keep the pressure up. In a tight preseason finish, those details were decisive.

Knicks’ control for long stretches meets a three-point problem

This was a game New York controlled for 26:14 overall, with the biggest lead of 10 and a clean run through the third-quarter clock. The Knicks won the second quarter 34-27 behind sharp ball movement, posting 11 assists to Washington’s 6 and committing only two turnovers to five. They created shot volume too, finishing with 95 field goal attempts to the Wizards’ 86 and adding 17 offensive rebounds.

Shooting variance hurt. New York finished 40 of 95 overall for 42% and 11 of 38 from three at 28%. By contrast, Washington was 40 of 86 at 46% and 13 of 33 from deep at 39%. The Knicks’ assist total of 28 to 22 told a story of good creation that did not fully cash out. Even as they led the entirety of the third quarter and still ended it up 84-81, the three-point gap and fourth-quarter whistles pulled it back. New York’s free throw efficiency at 78% looked fine, but the attempt count late did not keep pace. When the looks dried up from deep, so did the cushion.

Rebounds and turnovers shape the middle game

The Wizards won the glass 53-47 overall and were strong on the defensive boards with a 38-30 edge. That limited some of New York’s second-chance bite, even though the Knicks still grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to Washington’s 15. The most lopsided rebounding pocket came in the third quarter, where Washington collected 20 rebounds to New York’s 12 and 15 of those were on the defensive end.

Possession security pulled the other way. Washington finished with 22 turnovers to New York’s 15, a gap that kept the Knicks ahead despite the rebounding swing. In that third quarter alone, the Wizards coughed it up seven times while New York had only one. The Knicks also logged three steals to zero in the period and rode that clean sheet to lead the full 12 minutes. In the fourth, the turnover count crept up for New York, and Washington’s late steals helped flip the script. Across 48 minutes, one team won extra shots and the other won extra free throws, and the free throws mattered last.

Standout numbers on the Wizards

Anthony Davis set the pace with 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting, drilling 2 of 3 from deep and adding seven rebounds and a block. Trae Young scored 15 points with efficient shooting at 4 of 7 from the field and 3 of 6 from three, and he handed out four assists with two steals. Kyshawn George delivered a well-rounded line of 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. AJ Dybantsa chipped in 11 points and four steals, turning defense into momentum.

The bench carried weight. Justin Champagnie posted 12 points on 60% shooting with two blocks and a team-best plus-nine. Bub Carrington added 11 points and a steal with a plus-four. Tre Mann impacted both ends with six points, five rebounds, four assists and a game-high plus-12. Deandre Ayton was perfect from the field at 2 of 2 and pulled down 10 rebounds in just over 17 minutes. Felix Okpara brought energy at the five with seven points and six boards, three of them offensive.

Knicks’ contributions and what fell short

Jalen Brunson led a balanced New York scoring chart with 13 points on 6 of 12 shooting and three assists. Josh Hart matched him with 13 points on 5 of 8, adding six rebounds and three assists in a typically tidy line. Landry Shamet also scored 13, hitting 3 of 4 from three to give the bench a spark. OG Anunoby had 10 points, five rebounds and a block with 4 of 5 at the line.

Inside, Karl-Anthony Towns tallied eight points and seven rebounds, while Andre Drummond posted eight points, nine rebounds and four assists with five offensive boards. Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson combined for 13 points off the bench, and James Wiseman added two blocks in limited minutes. The missing piece was perimeter efficiency and sustained free throw pressure in the fourth. Mikal Bridges had a quiet night with two points on 1 of 6, and New York’s 28% from three never balanced out its strong assist total.

When momentum changed

The game’s biggest run belonged to Washington at 10 unanswered points, compared to New York’s best of eight. The lead map shows a clear arc. The Wizards edged the first 30-29 and led 6:09 in the quarter. The Knicks took control in the second, led 7:20 in that period and carried a 63-57 advantage to halftime.

New York then held the lead for the entire third quarter despite being outscored 24-21, thanks to the earlier cushion and a one-turnover frame. The fourth went Washington’s way on the clock and the scoreboard, with 8:57 spent in front and a period-high nine-point margin at one stage. Add the 9 of 13 free throw tally and a 52% field goal rate in the last 12 minutes, and the path to 111-109 is clear. The Knicks still created enough shots to win, but the final quarter belonged to the visitors.

For full box score details, play-by-play and Sofascore Rating for every player, you can find the game page on Sofascore. It is preseason, but the data points are useful. Washington’s late three-point accuracy and free throw volume stood up to New York’s assist advantage and shot count.