Game Preview: Knicks at Wizards, November 17, 2023

The New York Knicks (6-5) embark on the second leg of their inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament journey tonight against the Washington Wizards (2-9).

The Knicks have won 4 of their last 5, and hope to keep the good times rolling. Despite the absence of RJ Barrett in their last two games, the New York offense has been clicking lately, and the combination of improved three point marksmanship and a more efficient Julius Randle has been directly translating into wins.

However, two typical starters are questionable: RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes. As mentioned, Barrett sat out the last two matchups with an illness. And in the fourth quarter of the Hawks game on Wednesday night, Quentin Grimes went back to the locker room with a hand injury. Thibs has been extremely reluctant to play anyone outside of the typical nine man rotation - keep an eye out to see if that changes tonight.

On the other end of the floor, the Wizards are a true enigma of an NBA team. They score the basketball at an efficient rate, but they have a bottom-3 defense in the NBA. Their team is composed of mostly young players, with the two marquee names on the roster being Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole. Washington has the fastest pace of play in the association. Expect a lot of up-and-down action, and more shots put up early in the shot clock.

Keep an eye out for a big Mitchell Robinson game tonight. The Wizards are last in the league in rebounding, and the Knicks are in the top 3. Washington concedes an average of 13.3 offensive rebounds per game. Robinson is the perfect big man to take advantage of it.

Projected Starters:

Knicks:

• G Jalen Brunson (22.7/3.0/4.6)
• G Immanuel Quickley (15.0/3.4/3.8)
• F Josh Hart (7.3/6.6/2.7)
• F Julius Randle (19.0/10.3/5.2)
• C Mitchell Robinson (6.5/11.7/0.5)

**This is assuming RJ and Grimes do not play. Knicks are on a back to back - my intuition tells me Thibs does not rush them back but this is obviously subject to change

Wizards:

• G Tyus Jones (9.6/2.6/4.8)
• G Jordan Poole (16.2/2.6/3.6)
• F Deni Avdija (12.7/5.7/3.9)
• F Kyle Kuzma (23.9/6.1/3.0)
• C Daniel Gafford (8.4/7.2/1.2)

Prediction:

Washington is a squad that has lost 8 of their last 9 games. In their first two In-Season Tournament matchups, they lost to both Miami and Charlotte, respectively. They’re still seeking out their second home win of the season, and they have much to clean up on both sides of the floor. If Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole don’t get hot and stay hot, the team has trouble finding ways to win.

On the other side, New York has looked good lately, and this is the perfect scene for another offensive explosion. Despite the possible absences of both Grimes and RJ, the Knicks should cruise to a road win by double digits tonight - barring disaster.

Game Details:

Who: New York Knicks at Washington Wizards

When: 7:00 pm EST, Wednesday, Nov. 17

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington DC

Watch: MSG Network

Follow: @ptknicksblog