Getty Jalen Green and Josh Christopher of the Houston Rockets.
The new-look Washington Wizards kick off the preseason against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in a tilt at the Toyota Center.
The game (8 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Southwest (in local markets; Rockets broadcast), and it will also be available on NBA League Pass for everyone outside of the Rockets market. Games on League Pass are usually only available to out-of-market viewers, but this one will also be available for those in the Wizards market.
Here’s a full rundown of how to watch a live stream of the Wizards vs Rockets online:
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If You’re in the Rockets Market
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of AT&T SportsNet Southwest (live in local markets) and 100-plus other TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the Wizards vs Rockets live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV also comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which allows you to watch most games on-demand within three days of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” AT&T SportsNet Southwest (live in local markets) is included in “Choice” and up, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the Wizards vs Rockets live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
If you can’t watch live, DirecTV Stream also comes with 20 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours).
If You’re Outside the Rockets Market
Amazon Prime’s NBA League Pass Channel
Note: This is ultimately the same as regular NBA League Pass (more info on that below), but with this option you’ll be able to watch games on Amazon’s app, which tends to be available on more devices than the NBA app
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch every out-of-market NBA game (this particular game is also available to those in the Wizards market) via Prime Channels. You can try both Amazon Prime and the NBA League Pass channel at no cost with a free trial:
NBA League Pass on Amazon Prime
Once you’re signed up for the Prime NBA League Pass channel, out-of-market viewers and those in the Wizards market can watch the Wizards vs Rockets live or on-demand on the Amazon Video app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
NBA League Pass
Again, this is mostly the same as the Amazon Prime option above, with the big difference being you’ll watch on NBA’s platforms rather than Amazon’s:
Once signed up for NBA League Pass, out-of-market viewers and those in the Wizards market can watch the Wizards vs Rockets live or on-demand on the NBA app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or 5, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, Android tablet or other compatible device.
You can also watch on your computer via the NBA website.
Wizards vs Rockets Preview
The Wizards had a busy offseason, trading away former MVP Russell Westbrook to the Lakers and building a new roster around superstar guard Bradley Beal. New pieces in Washington include Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and Spencer Dinwiddie.
“It’s a new group – essentially a new team. Having those guys on the floor together, whether it’s drills or open run, getting the opportunity know each other on and off the court, but also developing an understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, where a guy likes his shots, what kind of actions does he prefer – some of the simple details. What box does he like to post on? All those little things you pick up as a player,” head coach Wes Unsled Jr. said. “We’re just allowing guys to feel it, play together and learn each other.”
Washington finished last season 34–38, surging down the stretch. The Wizards bounced Indiana in the play-in game but were bounced by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
The Rockets are in the midst of a major rebuild after finishing with the worst record in the NBA last season. Houston is looking to build around No.2 overall pick Jalen Green, who has already flashed some major upside as a future star in the league.
“There’s a few things. There’s an almost quiet confidence they all have. LeBron had it when he first came in,” Rockets second-year coach Stephen Silas said. “He just had a confident swagger but not in a loud kind of way. Luka was very much the same. Steph was supremely confident when he was a rookie but didn’t really wear it on his sleeve. They just had it. It was one of the things that made those guys really, really good. I see that in Jalen, his quiet confidence, and his ability to just know if he puts the work in, he’s going to be really good.
The elephant in the room for the Rockets is veteran guard John Wall, who is owed a boatload of cash but not expected to play for Houston this season as they work to find a trade. The five-time All-Star is due more than $44 million this season.
Injury report
Wizards: Thomas Bryant (knee, out), Deni Avdija (ankle, out), Rui Hachimura (personal, out)
Rockets: John Wall (personal, out)