It took the Washington Wizards long enough to win a game in regulation, but it’s finally in the books. Baby steps.
The Wizards beat the New York Knicks 108-95 Sunday night to improve to 2-7 and, for the time being, put to rest some of the existential concerns about the viability and chemistry of the team amid its disappointing start.
The Wizards protected a modest lead for most of the game before letting New York tie it in the fourth quarter, but the best defensive effort of the season allowed Washington to sneak away with free throws.
Wizards coach Scott Brooks said his favorite part of the evening was “that I didn’t see triple digits” from the opponent. Washington’s scoring defense, allowing 120.7 points per game entering Sunday, was the worst in the NBA.
“It was nice to see below 100,” Brooks said. “We haven’t seen that, and I thought the guys competed. We started off the game with our best defense of the early season, and then we finished it. We’ve had some struggles in the fourth quarter stopping teams.”
John Wall led with 26 points and seven assists, Bradley Beal had 22 points and eight rebounds and Markieff Morris added 16 points.
Two nights after he scored 20 points but grabbed just three rebounds in his Wizards debut, Dwight Howard went the other way and posted a low-scoring double-double: 10 points, 10 boards.
The Wizards entered Sunday 26th in the NBA in 3-point shooting (32 percent) and only made things worse, finishing 6-for-26 (2-for-14 in the first half). But they made up for it at the charity stripe, where they finished the night 30-for-39.
It was free T-shirt night at Capital One Arena, but some swaths of the upper deck looked like newfallen snow, the white Wizards-branded giveaways on the seats untouched. The announced attendance of 16,679 may have had something to do with it being an NFL Sunday, but it also spoke to the withering patience fans have had for the Wizards’ lack of early-season success.
But the win over the Knicks (3-7) snapped a five-game losing streak for Washington which Brooks said made each game become “heavier and heavier.”
“Guys have been working hard for the last couple of days,” Brooks said. “We got beat pretty bad last game and it took some pride to come back and win tonight.”
Wall led all scorers in the first quarter with seven points, putting the Wizards ahead by that margin after one. They grew their lead to 12 with some starters resting on the bench while the Knicks tripped themselves up with offensive fouls early in the second. Kelly Oubre pulled off a flashy dunk on the receiving end of an Austin Rivers steal and lob pass.
But Enes Kanter scored six unanswered points to slice the lead in half. Morris kept the Wizards comfortable by getting to the line often and posting a 12-point quarter, and Washington led 58-50 at halftime.
Wall and Beal began to carry the Wizards’ offense in the third quarter, particularly as each hit some 3-pointers, but a 14-4 Knicks run to close the quarter whittled the lead down to 81-78 through three.
The Knicks finally caught up and brought it to a tie, 84-84, then 86-86. But the Wizards held New York without a field goal for just more than three minutes and put the game away with a 10-0 run — in which they made 10 free throws.
The run included some good team defense from Washington, as well as Beal making a fantastic effort to block 7-foot-1 Knicks center Mitchell Robinson from behind.
Kanter carried the Kristaps Porzingis-less Knicks with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Otto Porter sat out with a toe contusion, and center Ian Mahinmi did not see the floor despite being active. Brooks called the latter a rotation-related decision.
“He’s just got to be ready. He’s a pro, as good of a pro as we have on our team,” Brooks said. “Today I was gonna shorten up the lineup.”
The Wizards hit the road again this week with games at Dallas, Orlando and Miami before return home Nov. 12 to play the Magic.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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