Wizards 116, Knicks 105: Uh . . .
In this springtime of the Knicks’ voodoo, a rare stinker care of Washington
When asked on-air about the Washington Wizards’ cherry blossom pink jerseys, fashion icon Clyde Frazier said: “Hahaha . . . yep . . . very . . . uh . . . ”
My thoughts exactly on the Knicks’ performance in a 116-105 defeat that saw them trail the full 48 minutes on a night featuring the return of a legendary Knick big man to Madison Square Garden.
(Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Of course, Kristaps Porziņģis returned to the Garden, too, amidst a season where Knicks fans’ ill will toward him has seemingly begun to dwindle. His efficient 22/11/5 with 2 blocks was a big reason for their struggles, especially on the defensive end, where they struggled to scramble around the perimeter en route to a 16 of 42 (38%) Wizards’ shooting performance from deep. The Knicks entered the game 27th in share of shots allowed from three, a fact Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. was well aware of.
Kristaps’ Knick counterpart Julius Randle, on the other hand, had maybe his most dreadful performance of what’s been an encouraging season. Randle was 0 of 5 from 3-point range and just 2 of 5 from the free throw line en route to just 14 points, tied for his second-lowest output this season. Overall, it felt like a game the Knicks never really looked their best, whether it was fatigue or it was just-one-of-those-nights.
One big reason may have been an early hand injury for Mitchell Robinson. Easily one of the team’s most impactful players, Robinson played just nine minutes on a night he sprained his right thumb in the first quarter. Jericho Sims had some encouraging moments as a replacement, ending up +4 with a couple of blocks and a pretty alley-oop finish, though he fouled out after just 21 minutes. Robinson’s injury, of course, will be worth keeping an eye on.
New York’s brightest spot of the night may have been Immanuel Quickley, who continued his two-way tear in 2023. Quickley finished with an efficient 18 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter when he almost single-handledly got the Knicks back in the game. He finished a team-high +9. That’s a trend.
It feels like the Knicks currently lack the offensive explosiveness necessary for making quick, sustained runs to get back into games if they fall behind. Mike Breen mentioned on the broadcast that they’ve won only one (!) game this entire season when trailing at halftime. At some points tonight, they were tripping over themselves, like back-to-back bumbled fast breaks by Randle and Quickley in the fourth. Given the recent trade market rumblings, it will be interesting to see if the Knicks opt for more firepower; most recent rumors have centered around defensive-minded players like Alex Caruso and Reggie Bullock.
Notes
The Knicks entered the game as one of the league’s best first-half teams as well as the author of several second-half nightmares. That certainly did not hold true, as the Wizards burst out to a red-hot 14-3 lead and a lead they’d never relinquish.
Quentin Grimes is a true asset offensively. The quick-trigger treys and efficient drive and dishes are a real boon to the Knicks’ scoring, outside of the well-known point-of-attack defense he provides on the other end. Grimes was the only Knick to hit more than two threes in this game.Quentin Grimes is a true asset offensively. The quick-trigger treys and efficient drive and dishes are a real boon to the Knicks’ scoring, outside of the well-known point-of-attack defense he provides on the other end. Grimes was the only Knick to hit more than two threes in this game.
Monté Morris was stealing Jalen Brunson’s lunch money in the first quarter, forcing him into misses, getting a nice strip off a Brunson drive while splashing threes on him on the other end. That changed quickly, though, as Brunson effectively single-handedly kept New York afloat offensively for the remainder of the game in another 30+ point performance. His All-Star candidacy continues to hum along despite the loss.
RJ Barrett pulled the Knicks back within striking distance with a quick solo run at the beginning of the second quarter. Not to be controversial, but he’s really looked good with the second unit of late . . .
Outside that nice little run, Barrett had a highly inefficient game, finishing with four turnovers and 21 points on 21 shots. On the other end, for the second time in a week he was mostly cooked by Kyle Kuzma, who finished with 27/14/7 after a 40-burger in their previous matchup. This trend is something to watch, given Immanuel Quickley’s stellar play off the bench.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s touch offensively was really rough tonight, and it’s continuing a troubling season-long trend. After shooting 67% at the rim last year, he’s below 56% this year, per dunksandthrees.com.
It was a night to forget for the Knicks, but they’ll soon have a chance to put it behind them. Next game is a rivalry game, with Friday Night Knicks against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.
