3 Points of Interest to Watch in Knicks' Preseason Game vs. Wizards

Ring night and the banner raising aren’t until the regular-season home opener Oct. 20, but the New York Knicks play their first game at Madison Square Garden since winning the title when they host the Washington Wizards Thursday night. Here are three storylines worth paying attention to.

Does Mike Brown have a poker face?

We know Brown is a flexible coach. He experimented with all kinds of lineups and looks in the regular season. When the Knicks stumbled in the Atlanta series, he switched the offense from painting the corners with Jalen Brunson fastballs to the offspeed repertoire of Karl-Anthony Towns as point center. Man’s no dogmatic.

Yet in Sunday’s game at Philadelphia, there was a clear minutes hierarchy: the starters each played 13-15 minutes, returning reserves got the better of the backup minutes and besides Andre Drummond, a rotation lock, no newcomer played more than Bruce Brown’s 10 minutes. The starting five will see their minutes tick up over the preseason games. Rotation givens like Miles McBride and Landry Shamet will do the same.

If there are runes to be read, they’ll be found in who among the hopefuls plays how much. With every game that passes, their files get longer while their runway to impress gets shorter.

If players like James Wiseman and Ochai Agbaji are going to win the job, a strong showing against the Wizards would put their best foot forward. Who Brown plays more—or less—may be a tell on where the roster competition is headed.

These are Pacome Dadiet’s playoffs

Third-year Knick Pacome Dadiet played 18 minutes Sunday, more than any other member of the team. He’s only played that many twice before: a month into his rookie year, and the final game of his second. That’s it.

If Dadiet plays that many the rest of the preseason, it will be the closest he’s ever come to getting consistent run. He is somehow still the youngest Knick and likely at the end of his rookie contract. There are two ways he can help New York in its title defense: making such a huge leap he graduates from the end of the bench to someone they see in their future, or in a trade for someone more likely to fill a need.

The 76ers game was a reminder of all that confounds and all that's profound with Dadiet. For long stretches he was invisible, an absence of color all the more flagrant contrasted against everyone he's competing with having seemingly one highlight, minimum. Then he made a three and almost nonchalantly ker-plunked a long two. It feels the same as it has the past years with him: the occasional flash that makes you raise an eyebrow, but nothing that lasts.

Whether Dadiet’s career continues with the Knicks or with someone else, the Washington game is a chance to show someone he’s worth having around.

Is the tanking smell gone yet?

The Wizards can’t officially declare themselves tank-free, since teams can’t admit openly to tanking—even if their players do. But in drafting AJ Dybantsa, trading for Anthony Davis and extending Trae Young, the implication is clear. Washington is back! To trying!

Does that mean they’ll raise their intensity beyond what awaited the Knicks in Philadelphia, where the Sixers rested Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Joel Embiid? Wouldn’t the first step toward not-tanking be treating every game with respect?

Not that the Knicks will complain. Their starting five and bench mainstays have already proven up for any challenge, but there's no better time than the present to test their wannabes against top-shelf opponents. Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr are truer indicators of what James Wiseman can do than Dean Wade and Saint Thomas could ever be.

The more the Wizards bring of their A-game, the more of a feel Mike Brown and the coaches will have for who’s got the edge on their B-team. Who knew a preseason game against a team that'd be happy to make the play-in could offer so many potential insights for the Knicks? Such is life when you're the defending champions.

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