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Wizards vs. Knicks preview: Washington faces New York on Thursday in their last game before Christmas

The Knicks will be missing many players due to health and safety protocols.

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Game info

When: Thursday, December 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

How to watch: NBC Sports Washington

How to listen: The Team 980 AM, 106.7-2 FM

Injury Report

Wizards: Corey Kispert (Day-to-day); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; (health and safety protocols, Out)Rui Hachimura (Non-injury related, Out); Thomas Bryant (Knee, Out)

Knicks: Miles McBride (health and safety protocols, Out); Obi Toppin (health and safety protocols, Out); RJ Barrett (health and safety protocols, Out); Kevin Knox II (health and safety protocols, Out); Immanuel Quickley (health and safety protocols, Out); Quentin Grimes (health and safety protocols, Out); Derrick Rose (Ankle, Out)

Pregame notes

The Washington Wizards (16-15), who had their Tuesday game against the Brooklyn Nets postponed, will resume play Thursday against the Knicks (14-17). It will be the first time the teams match up in the regular season but the teams did face each other in a pair of Preseason games, which resulted in losses for the Wizards. So far, Washington has a 10-9 record against Eastern Conference opponents compared to the New York’s 9-14 record against Eastern Conference teams.

Despite having several players in health and safety protocols, the Knicks have willed their way to win. They are coming off a win against the Detroit Pistons. Julius Randle, Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier led the team with 20-plus points each. Mitchell Robinson put up 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds off the bench. Randle is averaging a team-high 19.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while Walker has put up an average of 25 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in his last two games while shooting 39 percent from the field.

The Wizards have not played a game since their win against Utah on Saturday so they should be ready to go for Thursday night. The team will be without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who entered health and safety protocols Tuesday. Hopefully the Wizards don’t have any additional players added to protocols before tip-off at Madison Square Garden.