Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
It is almost becoming hard to find ways to describe what is going on with this Wizards team. Another In- Season Tournament game, another loss… and significant one at that.
This game was basically over after the first quarter, when the Knicks and Jalen Brunson took advantage of the Wizards inability to put together a unit on the floor tonight that could score together. Without Kyle Kuzma, this game is a lot worse than a 120-99 loss to New York, it’s probably 25-to-30-point loss.
Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and Immanuel Quickley added 27 for the Knicks. Washington has dropped all three of its games so far in the in-season tournament. New York improved to 1-1.
Brunson’s 3-pointer made it 105-92 with 4:44 to play, and from there for the Knicks, it was bucket after bucket that ballooned the lead 115-92, with a little over 3:00 remaining in the game.
After the game Wizards Head Coach Wes Unseld and a couple of the Wizards players talked about the physical nature of the game and how the Knicks slowed the game.
“They want to slow you down, play physical basketball, especially on the defensive end of the floor,” Washington’s Tyus Jones said. “They want to play physical, hard-nosed, pack the paint, kind of wear you down throughout the night, throughout the game. That’s what they did.”
The only thing that seems to be going right for the Wizards is the development of Deni Avdija. Without his 18 points on 7 for 11 shooting and 2 for 4 from long distance, this game becomes laughable at halftime. But they must get him some help and figure how to have Kuz, Poole and Deni on the court together. Right now, the combo is failing. Poole posted a 2 for 11 night with just 8 points.
