The Wizards and Nets are both undefeated in preseason, but I do not think these two teams are actually on the same level. Brooklyn has looked solid, but Washington has more star power, more size and more ways to control the game. If the main rotation plays normal minutes, this is the type of matchup where the Wizards should slowly pull away and make the final score look worse than the game initially feels.
Washington has Trae Young controlling the offense, Anthony Davis controlling the paint and A.J. Dybantsa adding another scorer who can attack without needing the ball every possession. That alone gives the Wizards more top-end talent than Brooklyn can match. Trae’s passing also creates easier shots for everyone around him, which matters against a young Nets defense that can get pulled out of position. Brooklyn has Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr., but Washington has the better combination of talent at each position.
The biggest problem for Brooklyn is going to be the paint. Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr give Washington a ridiculous amount of size, and that changes how Brooklyn has to play. Randle likes to bully defenders inside, but doing that against Davis and Sarr is a completely different situation. If Brooklyn cannot score comfortably around the rim, the Nets are going to become much more dependent on jump shooting and second-chance opportunities.
Davis is the player I think Brooklyn is going to have the hardest time dealing with. He does not have to score 30 points to control the game because his rim protection and rebounding can change entire possessions. Guards become more hesitant when attacking the paint, and big men start rushing shots when they know Davis is behind them. Add Sarr next to him and Washington can cover a huge amount of space without constantly sending help.
Brooklyn has been shooting well in preseason, but relying on hot three-point shooting is a dangerous way to survive against a team with more talent. If the threes stop falling, Washington has the easier path to points. Trae can get downhill, Davis can score inside and Dybantsa can attack mismatches. That gives the Wizards more reliable scoring options if the game starts slowing down and possessions become harder to create.
The Nets’ best chance is probably to turn this into a weird preseason game. Brooklyn needs to push the pace, shoot a high volume of threes and hope Washington gets careless with the ball. Young teams can sometimes thrive in messy games because effort and randomness matter more. The problem is that Washington also has enough young players to match that energy, so Brooklyn cannot simply assume it will have the effort advantage.
The Wizards also have the better defensive ceiling. Davis gives them an elite rim protector, while Sarr adds even more length around the basket. Dybantsa gives Washington another long athlete who can switch onto different players. Brooklyn may end up settling for tougher shots as the game goes on, especially if Washington keeps forcing them away from the rim. The Nets can still score, but the quality of those shots should get worse.
One thing that could keep this game from becoming a blowout is the bench. Preseason rotations are unpredictable, and the fourth quarter can turn into a completely different game once the starters sit. Brooklyn has young players fighting for minutes, which could keep the score close late. Washington still has the deeper high-end rotation, but once the game gets into third-string lineups, most of the statistical advantage becomes much less important.
The only thing keeping me from predicting a complete blowout is preseason randomness. Starters might only play limited minutes, and the fourth quarter could be decided by players fighting for roster spots. That lowers the correlation between having the better roster and actually winning by a big margin. If this were a regular-season game with normal minutes, I would feel much more comfortable predicting Washington by double digits.
If Washington treats this like a normal game for three quarters, the talent gap should show. Brooklyn can keep it competitive early, but the Wizards have too many ways to attack and too much size inside. Washington also has the advantage of having multiple players who can create offense when possessions break down, which is usually where young teams start struggling.
Prediction: Wizards 120, Nets 108. I think Brooklyn stays around for the first half, but Washington starts separating once the game gets more physical and the Nets are forced into tougher shots.
Brooklyn is not a bad preseason team, but this matchup is terrible for them. Washington has the better creator, the better interior defense and more ways to score when the game slows down. The Nets need hot shooting and a messy game to keep this close, while Washington can win in several different ways.
If the Wizards play their main rotation long enough, the Nets are going to have a hard time keeping up. Washington has too much size, too much shot creation and too many players who can punish mistakes.
Washington will make Brooklyn look outmatched.
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