2017-18 Game Thread: Knicks @ Wizards

The Knicks head to Washington D.C. to take on the Washington Wizards.

The two teams are on the opposite ends of streaks, with the Knicks having lost 5 of their past 6 and the Wizards winning two straight. The Wizards are at home and the Knicks have struggled on the road. However, the Knicks have had had a bit of a mixed bag recently while playing in Washington. Last year, they got blown out once but the other game was very competitive. The previous year they won a game in Washington and were competitive in the other game.

The Wizards are a pretty good team, so this will be tough – but not impossible. Hopefully we get to see Frank show off some defensive skills on the speedy John Wall!

Let’s go, Knicks!

Knicks Morning News (2018.01.03)

  • [NYTimes] Isaiah Thomas Helps End Losing Streak in His Cavaliers Debut
    (Wednesday, January 03, 2018 5:13:26 AM)

    The All-Star guard, who missed 36 games with a hip injury, came off the bench to score 16 points in Cleveland’s 127-110 victory over Portland on Tuesday.

  • [NYTimes] Keeping Score: How Much Will Isaiah Thomas Improve the Cavaliers?
    (Wednesday, January 03, 2018 2:46:00 AM)

    The key player acquired for Kyrie Irving, Thomas is a tremendous offensive talent, but he might not do much for Cleveland’s defensive shortcomings.

  • [NY Newsday] Spurs defeat Knicks on both ends of court
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 11:49:07 PM)

    The Knicks opened the New Year at home, but it seemed the Manu Ginobili fans outnumbered their supporters.

  • [NY Newsday] Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina continues to show growth
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 10:56:11 PM)

    You only get one chance to make a first impression and Frank Ntilikina made an awfully good one on Gregg Popovich.

  • [NY Newsday] Ron Baker out while waiting for mask to protect face injury
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 8:58:01 PM)

    Ron Baker wasn’t only posterized when he tried to prevent an Anthony Davis dunk Saturday night in New Orleans. Baker sustained a left orbital fracture after taking an elbow to the face from Davis.

  • [ESPN] Three the odd way: Ginobili sinks pass attempt
    (Wednesday, January 03, 2018 12:32:43 AM)

    Manu Ginobili made a 3-pointer while attempting a pass and in the process confused both the Spurs and Knicks.

  • [ESPN] Knicks’ Baker has orbital fracture, out vs. S.A.
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 4:51:27 PM)

    Knicks guard Ron Baker, who suffered an orbital fracture while trying to stop the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis from dunking Saturday, is listed as day-to-day.

  • [NYDN] Frank Ntilikina made a strong first impression on Gregg Popovich
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 7:44:20 PM)

    Popovich once started a 19-year-old point guard out of France.

  • [NYDN] VIDEO: Manu Ginobili scores on attempted pass, refs don’t notice
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 5:15:13 PM)

    Nothing but net.

  • [NYDN] Knicks open 2018 with 100-91 loss to Spurs, fall under .500
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 5:02:56 PM)

    Not a good way to start the new year for the Knicks.

  • [NYDN] Ron Baker inactive for Knicks after suffering orbital fracture
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 11:56:31 AM)

    Anthony Davis’ posterization of Ron Baker truly was an in-your-face jam.

  • [NYPost] Manu Ginobili conjured some magic for his Garden-invading fans
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 8:00:46 PM)

    San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili expected it. His phone was exploding with text messages. “I saw it coming before the game. When I started getting texts saying, ‘Listen my doctor is coming, can you say hi?’ and ‘a friend of a friend’ and ‘my brother is coming,’ ” Ginobili said after the Spurs downed the Knicks,…

  • [NYPost] Frank Ntilikina moved by praise from his idol’s head coach
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 7:49:11 PM)

    The Knicks didn’t come close to winning this past Thursday in San Antonio, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did notice one thing: Phil Jackson drafted a good one at point guard. Sixteen years after Tony Parker became the NBA’s first French point guard, Frank Ntilikina is doing his native country proud in weaving a commendable…

  • [NYPost] How Enes Kanter surprised Kristaps Porzingis after joining the Knicks
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 7:37:34 PM)

    Kristaps Porzingis saw Knicks teammate Enes Kanter as an opponent through two NBA seasons, played against him in Europe during summer months. So he knew Kanter’s game pretty well. But the 7-foot-3 Knicks star admits surprise at one element. “I’m surprised for his size and with the whole league knowing what a great offensive rebounder…

  • [NYPost] Michael Beasley couldn’t coax Knicks out of poor shooting night
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 7:23:14 PM)

    You barely break 90 points. You just nudge over 40 percent shooting for the game. You normally don’t have anyone to be considered an offensive standout. But the .402-shooting, 100-91-losing Knicks in their effort Tuesday against the Spurs at the Garden, actually received a strong offensive game from Michael Beasley. Again. “You can call it…

  • [NYPost] Knicks fall below .500 with another crushing loss to Spurs
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 5:15:09 PM)

    The Knicks returned home Tuesday from a three-game road trip, but often times it didn’t feel that way. A Garden flush with international tourists weren’t chanting for Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis, but rather Argentine legend Manu Ginobili with the sing-song: “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Manuuu, Manuuu.” It went on right to the final minute, as…

  • [NYPost] Frank Ntilikina’s hero also came from humble NBA beginnings
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 4:13:00 PM)

    Gregg Popovich thinks back 16 years and wonders what he was thinking. This 19-year-old kid out of France was actually playing well enough during the preseason to make the grizzled coach wonder if he had what it took to be a point guard on his NBA team. “The way he played in training camp was…

  • [NYPost] Ron Baker will now pay for his Anthony Davis bravery
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 12:30:40 PM)

    Ron Baker’s courage in going up to lay a hard foul on Anthony Davis’ dunk attempt Saturday in New Orleans has cost him. Along with receiving three stitches to repair a bloody cheek, Baker suffered an orbital fracture, the team announced Tuesday. It’s an injury that could keep him out for a week but Baker,…

  • [SNY Knicks] Aldridge, Leonard lead Spurs to 100-91 win over Knicks
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 10:00:49 PM)

    LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs beat the Knicks for the second time in a week, this time at Madison Square Garden, as they held on to a 100-91 victory on Tuesday night. >> Box score

  • [SNY Knicks] Tonight’s game: Spurs vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 6:20:17 PM)

    NEW YORK — The last time the New York Knicks played the San Antonio Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge lit them up for 25 points and five other Spurs scored in double-figures in a 12-point win. Unfortunately for the Knicks, that was but a mere few days ago, as San Antonio scored a 119-107 home win over the Knicks on Dec. 28.

  • [SNY Knicks] Ron Baker out tonight due to orbital fracture
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 3:50:07 PM)

    The 24-year-old Baker has averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 assists in 17 games (14.6 minutes per game) for the Knicks this season.

  • [SNY Knicks] Hornacek gives reasoning to why Ntilikina won’t start yet
    (Tuesday, January 02, 2018 1:59:30 PM)

    Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek gave reasoning to why he isn’t ready to start rookie PG Frank Ntilikina just yet.