Lance Thomas made two free throws with 0.2 seconds left in regulation to lift the Knicks to a 90-88 victory and hand the Wizards their second loss of the 2016 preseason. Thomas drew the foul on Danuel House after Casper Ware hit a runner in the lane to tie the game with 5.9 seconds left.
It was a sloppy affair on both sides. The Wizards and Knicks both had multiple starters either out or playing limited minutes while recovering from injuries. As a result, neither team could get into a good flow offensively, and remarkably, neither team had more assists than turnovers.
Eventually, the Knicks ability to control the three-point line won the day. They shot 13-30 from downtown, while the Wizards only shot 3-21 from deep. Wizards not named Bradley Beal only shot 1-16 on threes.
John Wall was fine in his debut
Wall played his first game since undergoing knee surgery back in May, and he looked like someone who hadn't played an NBA since having knee surgery.
He made the same ambitious passes, was still aggressive pushing the ball up court on fast break opportunities, and tried to wear his man down on pick and rolls. He looked like a John Wall impersonator who could mimic his style but couldn't quite replicate his production. He finished with 8 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes of action.
All of that is to be expected in Wall's first game back. The good news is it looks like the burst is still there, he isn't playing tentative, and best of all, the team wasn't relying on him to create all the offense when he was on the floor. He should be just fine with time.
Don’t try cheap shots around Kelly Oubre
I’m really enjoying how Oubre is channeling his inner-Matt Barnes
If this is a thing for Kelly we're down with it. #WizKnicks pic.twitter.com/71OzWnAIbs
— Hoop District (@HoopDistrictDC) October 11, 2016
The frontcourt rotation is still working out the kinks
It's still the preseason, but the frontcourt rotation has been a little confusing, to say the least.
Markieff Morris missed the game with a foot injury, but rather than go with Andrew Nicholson in Morris' spot, Scott Brooks opted to start Jason Smith at the 4 spot.
Starting Smith isn't ideal for offensive spacing, or defensive versatility (during the game Clyde Frazier wondered aloud "How do you lose a guy who's 7'3?" when Smith let Kristaps Porzingis get free for an easy bucket inside), but it would be an understandable move if he wanted to keep the bench unit more intact. The weird thing was, Andrew Nicholson still didn't get in the game when Smith came off the floor.
The honor went to Johnny O'Bryant III, who to be fair, had a solid outing with 6 points and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes of first-half action. Still, O'Bryant didn't get a four year contract to play for the Wizards over the summer.
Nicholson eventually got into the game in the third quarter, and finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block in 18 minutes against the Knicks’ reserves.
Scott Brooks has been playing around with rotations throughout the preseason, so perhaps this is coordinated, and we’ll see more of him in the coming games. Still, it’s a bit concerning that he’s gotten very little run with other players who should be key contributors this season. Hopefully that changes as we near the midway point of preseason action.
Can Marcin Gortat lift Kristaps Porzingis by his jersey?
Yes, yes he can.
Now you know.