Aug. 14, 2026, 5:30 a.m. MT
The Washington Wizards’ 2026-2027 schedule features several difficult stretches, particularly in late December and early January.A strong start in the first nine games is considered crucial for the team’s chances of making the NBA play-in round.The period from late January through early March presents a key opportunity for the Wizards to accumulate wins.The team’s playoff hopes will depend on winning manageable games against teams like the Hornets, Grizzlies, and Bulls.
The Washington Wizards‘ 2026-2027 NBA schedule is set. Let’s offer some analysis of what’s ahead for BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and his team. The Wizards want to at least make a run at the NBA play-in round. Let’s see what is realistic for this team as it tries to get into the postseason for the first time since 2021.
Most sports team schedules can be divided into sections. The Wizards’ upcoming NBA schedule is no exception. The first nine games will be hugely important for AJ Dybantsa and his teammates. Washington plays the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks twice in that span.
The Wizards face the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks as well. The Wizards need to be at least 4-5 through those first nine games if they want to have a realistic chance of being in the NBA playoff picture.
More: USA TODAY ranks top NBA matchups AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson called a must-watch game this year
That’s because the next several games after the first nine are real beasts: Oklahoma City, Detroit twice, Indiana, and Houston.
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The next two weeks, rounding out the month of November, have a mixture of tough and manageable games. The Wizards face the Bulls and Hornets again while also facing the Memphis Grizzlies, a team they should beat.
The second half of December is brutal for the Wizards. They play the Boston Celtics twice, the New York Knicks once, and the Cleveland Cavaliers twice. They face Western Conference champion San Antonio on New Year’s Day 2027.
Early and mid-January are nasty for the Wizards. They play the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston, Indiana, Boston, Denver, the Clippers, and the Lakers again. It will be hard to find a lot of wins in that run of games.
The part of the season the Wizards have to ace – in addition to the first nine games – is late January through early March. The Wizards get games against the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings twice, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets twice, the Bulls again, the Utah Jazz twice, and the Bucks twice. That’s a six-week run in which Washington really could collect a large number of victories.
The middle of March is rough for the Wizards. From March 9 through 24, Washington faces the Knicks twice, the Spurs, the 76ers, the Timberwolves, and Nuggets, in addition to winnable games versus the Mavericks and Bucks.
From March 28 through April 7, the Wizards face the Mavs, Bulls, Pelicans, and Grizzlies, in addition to a few much tougher opponents. Washington will need to pick off those winnable games if the playoffs are within reach.
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