The District Dispatch · Game-Day PrimerSat · Oct 24, 2026
Tired legs
in Chi-Town
Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back. Washington's coming off a 23-turnover loss to Toronto. Chicago's coming off a comeback win in Milwaukee. First road game of the season. Gut-check time.
Wizards
1-1@
8:00 PM ET
United Center
Bulls
1-1📺 TV / StreamMonumental Sports Network 2 (MNMT2) · Monumental+ app · NBA League Pass
📻 Radio106.7 The Fan · 1500 AM · SiriusXM · Wizards App (Dave Johnson & Glenn Consor)
📍 WhereUnited Center, Chicago · Next: Mon at Charlotte, 7 PM ET
1
Last Night: Raptors 112, Wizards 102
Toronto led for 98% of the game and Washington never got in front. The Wizards' late rally came up short.
The bright spots
Trae 22 & 12. Tre Johnson 20.
Trae Young had 22 points and 12 assists. Tre Johnson went off for 20 points with four threes. Washington hit 12 of 37 from deep and 30 of 35 at the line. Davis and Young combined to shoot 8-for-23, and it was still a 10-point game.
23Wiz turnovers
6Wiz off. rebounds
12Trae assists
20Tre Johnson pts
Players saw "signs of progress" in the fight-back, per Josh Robbins in The Athletic (free gift link).
2
The Matchup at a Glance
115.0Wiz PPG
112.0Bulls PPG
130.0Bulls opp. PPG
19.8%Bulls 3P%
Season-to-date team numbers from the Wizards' official game notes. Chicago's numbers include a 135-92 opening loss at Toronto.
🐂 Recent history: Chicago swept the 2025-26 series 3-0 and has won five straight against Washington. The Bulls have won 10 of the last 12 meetings at the United Center (since 2019). But 18 of the last 27 games were decided by single digits.
👀 Familiar faces: Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. coached the Wizards from 2021 to 2024. Bulls big Jalen Smith is from Baltimore and played at Maryland.
👀 Familiar faces: Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. coached the Wizards from 2021 to 2024. Bulls big Jalen Smith is from Baltimore and played at Maryland.
3
Injury Report
| Team | Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAS | AJ Dybantsa | OUT | Left ankle sprain |
| WAS | Tristan Vukčević | OUT | Left hip impingement |
| WAS | Jamir Watkins | OUT | Left ACL repair/surgery |
| CHI | Nic Claxton | OUT | Left hamstring strain |
| CHI | Noa Essengue | OUT | Right head contusion |
Per the official NBA injury report, 6:45 PM ET, Oct 24. Dybantsa misses his third straight game. Brian Keefe told Josh Robbins the team is "still evaluating [AJ] one day at a time right now." Anthony Davis is not on the report. He's playing his first back-to-back since December 2025 (@WizardsMuse1).
4
Keys to the Game
Play tough
"This is the second night of a back-to-back, and those are jarring," Robbins writes. The Bulls are on one too. "The Wizards have to gut this one out."
Take care of the ball
23 turnovers against Toronto. Washington is averaging 18.0 turnovers a game so far (game notes). That has to come down on the road.
Watch the hands
Robbins: foul trouble disrupted Kyshawn George's rhythm in the first two games, and fouls hurt most of the team Friday.
Key on Powell
"The Wizards can expect Norman Powell to hoist lots of 3s. He's a dangerous scorer, and Washington cannot afford to give him open looks." (Robbins)
Live at the line
Washington leads the NBA in free throws made (31 a game), per @WizardsMuse1. The Wizards are 62-of-76 at the line through two games.
5
Player to Watch + The Bulls Threat
Trae Young
21.0 PPG · 12.5 APG
VS
Norman Powell
25 pts at MIL
Trae runs the show. He opened with back-to-back 20-point, 10-assist games and ranks eighth all-time with 195 of them (game notes). On Alex Sarr's slow start (6.5 PPG), Trae said: "It's two games bro… Alex will have his time" (@WizardsMuse1).
Chicago's punch. The Bulls came back from 15 down to beat Milwaukee 132-125 Friday afternoon. Powell had 25, rookie Caleb Wilson had 21 (including four clutch free throws late), Leonard Miller added 19 off the bench, Jalen Smith had 14 and 13, and Josh Giddey had 9 assists. Chicago scored 62 points in the paint and shot 28-of-30 at the line (Bulls.com, official box).
Washington's last starting five (vs. TOR): Young, Coulibaly, George, Davis, Sarr (game notes). Tonight's starters were not official when this was published.
6
What DC Media Is Saying
Josh Robbins@JoshuaBRobbins · The Athletic
𝕏Game No. 3 preview: Wizards at Chicago, 8 p.m.
These should be the Wizards’ keys tonight:
+ Play tough … + Watch the hands … + Key on Powell
Washington Wizards@WashWizards
𝕏Injury report ahead of our matchup against the Bulls.
AJ Dybantsa (left ankle sprain) - Out
Tristan Vukčević (left hip impingement) - Out
Jamir Watkins (left ACL repair/surgery) - Out
Wizards Muse@WizardsMuse1
𝕏REPORT: Anthony Davis WILL Play Today on the Second Night of a Back to Back
This is AD's FIRST Back to Back since December 2025
Locked On Wizards@lockedonwizards
𝕏Toronto was a 5th seed last year and added Kawhi this past offseason. They are a very physical team. In a game where AD and Trae went 8 for 23 from the field Washington kept it close.
7
Prediction
Opinion · not a forecast
Wizards steal one on the road
Both teams are tired. Chicago is shooting 19.8% from three and has given up 130 points a game. If Washington keeps the turnovers in the low teens and keeps living at the line, this one is very winnable. If it's another 20-turnover night, Powell and the Bulls' paint attack will make it a long flight home.
Our gut: Wizards in a close one. Pure vibes; there's no model behind it, and we didn't check betting lines.
📚 Previous issue: Fri Oct 23: Raptors at Wizards