Gee, Wiz! Knicks Whacked by Washington Despite 32 From Brunson
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... but that's not exactly a good thing for the New York Knicks' January.
The Knicks have now lost consecutive contests for the first time since a five-game drought between Dec. 21 and 29 after the Washington Wizards earned revenge in a 116-105 wire-to-wire victory at Madison Square Garden.
Behind 27 points and 13 rebounds from Kyle Kuzma, Washington avenged a four-point loss in the nation's capital at the hands of the Knicks last Friday. Former Knicks star Kristaps Porziņģis had 22 points and 11 rebounds in his first visit to MSG as a Wizard. the Wizards' headlining performance, however, was likely that of Bradley Beal's, as he put in 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting in just his second game of the calendar year and first since Jan. 3.
New York (25-21) was forced to go most of the game without Mitchell Robinson, who played only nine minutes due to a sprained thumb. Julius Randle kept his double-double streak alive, moving it to 12, but was held to only 14 points to go with his 16 rebounds, tied for his worst tally since Nov. 20. A good number of that output came in the dying stages when the Wizards were putting mere finishing touches on just their second win over the past seven games.
Jalen Brunson carried the brunt of the Knicks' scoring with 32 points.
By now, the Knicks' issues at MSG have been well-documented, as they remain the only NBA team with a losing record at home (11-13) and a winning mark elsewhere. Wednesday, however, accounted for one of the team's most lethargic outings of the season. Washington (19-26) jumped out to a 19-5 lead in the first five minutes en route to leading wire-to-wire. The Knicks inched only as close as even in the midway stages of the fourth quarter but a 10-0 Wizards run, one that allowed them to inflate their lead to its highest of the night at 17, doomed New York to its fate.
The Knicks' lack of ball movement (14 assists) and failure to counter a 16-triple assault from deep (sinking only 7-of-26 from three-point range) likewise played a factor in their defeat. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims failed to make up for the production lost to Robinson's injury, uniting for only six points and rebounds (though Sims eclipsed 20 minutes for only the second time since November in his first action in 12 days). Turnovers allowed them to chip away at the lead, as every Washington starter save for Monte Morris lost the ball at least twice, but there was a run to respond each time.
The Knicks and Wizards will meet again on Feb. 24 in Washington in their final get-together of the season. In the meantime, New York will try to get back on the right track on Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks on the road (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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