The New York Knicks’ deconstruction project hit a new low, setting a team record with a 13th consecutive loss.
The Knicks fell 101-91 to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, giving New York its longest in-season skid in the proud franchise’s 69-year history.
With J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert traded away, and with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire missing because of knee injuries, the Knicks made dubious history by giving major minutes to the likes of Cole Aldrich, Langston Galloway and Cleanthony Early.
Their 23rd loss in 24 games featured all the now-familiar follies and a few new ones: passes that went nowhere, shots that became bricks, and Tim Hardaway Jr.’s bizarre decision to pass the ball away from the basket when he had a two-on-one fast break right in front of him.
“We can’t get caught up in the history and record and number of games,” first-year coach Derek Fisher said, “and so we’re coming out and trying to win one game, and we’re supposed to celebrate because we broke a streak? No. That’s not who we’re going to be.”
The idea of celebrating was pretty much moot after Washington made a 9-0 run late in the first quarter. The Wizards never really put the Knicks away, but there was also never a sense that they were in danger of losing, and Rasual Butler’s back-to-back baskets midway through the fourth quarter quieted any and all concerns after New York had cut the deficit to five.
John Wall had 18 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who avoided slipping in an obvious trap game after a tough five-game road trip.
Jose Calderon scored 17 points for the Knicks, whose roster requires a flow chart these days just to keep up. Galloway, signed to a 10-day contract earlier in the day, played 18 minutes. Team president Phil Jackson is mostly concerned with clearing salary cap space for the future.
“It’s not easy,” Calderon said. “All the things going on, in a season like that, all the changes happening to us — our teammates, they are going and new guys are arriving — and we’ve got so many injuries as well.”
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