The first ones left out of the Eastern Conference's postseason proceedings entirely do battle in Washington D.C. on Friday night, each headed in relatively different directions.
On the one hand, the New York Knicks, last season's 11th-place finishers in the East, seem destined to spend the second half of the ongoing campaign battling for one of the conference's automatic six playoff spots. That feeling's been brought upon by winning four of their first five games of the new calendar year, including a 119-113 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks continue to hold one of the most uncanny distinctions in the NBA this season, serving as the only team with a non-winning record at home (11-11) and a positive mark on the road (12-8).
Washington, on the other hand, feels destined to be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline, currently sitting in 12th place in the East, the same place they finished last season. They're only one game out of the final Play-In Tournament spot but have gone 8-17 since a 10-7 start. The Wizards had lost three in a row entering Friday's game before prevailing in a 100-97 final against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
Friday marks the first of four meetings between the Knicks and Wizards this season and the first of two over the next five days. New York took last season's set 2-1.
What: New York Knicks (23-19) @ Washington Wizards (18-24)
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.
When/Watch: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, MSG/MSG Go
Who's Favored: NYK -4.5
Keep an Eye On: Quentin Grimes
Firmly entrenched in the Knicks' lineup, Grimes was a surprising scratch from the majority of the fourth quarter of Wednesday's close yet crucial victory, playing only the final 75 seconds. Even with Immanuel Quickley's progress this season, it was nonetheless to see the Knicks' primary shooting guard nailed to the bench in clutch moments.
Grimes made the most of the time when called upon, however, sinking the final five points of the night, including a clinching three-pointer off the feed from Jalen Brunson.
"You never know when your number is gonna get called. Mine was kind of the last minute of the game, had to be ready and knock that down after sitting on the bench for 11 minutes,” Grimes said of his late heroics, per the New York Post. “So, I've got to be ready. Big shout-out to the coaching staff, for sure, for getting me ready for those positions.”
It just goes to show that Grimes still has a little something to prove, even as he's become a staple in the Knicks' starting five. It's good to get these challenges out of the way in January rather than April, but Grimes would no doubt like to create a sense of security around his role at the end of the game rather than the start.
Wizard to Watch: Deni Avdija
Modern showings between the Knicks and Wizards are perhaps defined by New York reuniting with one of its fallen heroes, Kristaps Porziņģis, who currently stands as Washington's top rebounder.
Porziņģis missed the Wednesday win over the Bulls with a rib injury and is a game-time decision for the Knicks' visit. His prowess in the post and on the board was fulfilled by Avdija, a third-year man who pulled down a career-best 20. Wednesday's heroics came just over two weeks after he provided the winning difference in a win over Philadelphia, swatting a game-winning attempt from the hands of Joel Embiid.
That takeaway came after Avdija endure his worst nightmare ... a night off. While mostly used in a reserve's role, Avdija has shown remarkable durability since coming over as the ninth-overall pick in 2020. He was, for example, one of five players to appear in all 82 games last season. The 20-board outing against Chicago is a sign that he's not going to take any of his next opportunities for granted.
Prediction
While a showdown with a team currently away from Play-In contention hardly seems like an opportunity to make a statement, this feels like a strong chance to show how far the Knicks have come since last season. Contrary to their new century perception, this Knicks team appears to be taking advantage of opportunities presented to it, especially on the court. With the Wizards inching closer toward sellers' oblivion, expect them to do so again tonight.
Knicks 107, Wizards 94
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