The Knicks fell to the Wizards 120-103 during their preseason game on Monday.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
- Honestly, I feel for anyone who bought a ticket to see this. Honestly, it might have been more enjoyable to binge-watch Netflix or even sit in a dental chair. The Knicks rested all their key players like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, and Josh Hart. New coach Mike Brown mentioned he wanted to evaluate the rest of the team, especially those vying for roster spots on non-guaranteed contracts.
Brown remarked, “That’s important. We’d like to give some of our players a little more time tonight to look at them. They’ve all given their all, and that’s significant because making these decisions is tough.”
Unfortunately, it seems like none of those players really stood out.
The game was intense from the start until the end.
Defensively, the Knicks struggled immensely, allowing a staggering 75 points in the first half with numerous open three-point attempts. The standout, if anyone could be called that, was Landry Shamet—who’s also competing for a spot but didn’t play due to illness.
The Wizards, despite having some starters like Khris Middleton, Alex Sarr, and CJ McCollum resting on the second night of a back-to-back, still managed to dominate the Knicks.
As for highlights? Well, a fan sprinting and diving to win a tic-tac-toe game during halftime might have been the most entertaining moment.
- Among the players on the bench, Gershon Yabusele has me worried. Expectations haven’t been met so far. He may be feeling some fatigue after the FIBA World Cup participation, but he just looks off. Yabusele started as center—a position he’s probably not suited for—and the Knicks fell behind by 33 points while he was on the court. Meanwhile, Pacôme Dadier, who was supposed to be a first-round pick, is disappointing, but I guess it’s a bit easier to deal with since he’s only 20 and not expected to play heavily in the regular season.
- Looking at the Wizards, you can’t help but think about that first-round pick. Originally, it was acquired by the Knicks from a complicated 2022 draft-day trade and will be protected from 1-8 in 2026. If the Wizards don’t end up in those top eight, it will turn into two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Given how the Wizards have been, it seems like a likely scenario. They are definitely the kind of team that wants to protect their assets. Still, some optimistic Knicks fans might hope the Wizards perform well, providing Leon Rose with a trading chip or something useful in the summer.
