The New York Knicks traveled back home after an impressive win against the Milwaukee Bucks, a game which gave them a two game lead for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Coming to town were the Washington Wizards, a team that stood at 14-44 and officially out of the playoff hunt.
The Knicks started the game off strong and continued to play with their patented energy and quickness. New York was attacking the basket and Baron Davis scored seven of the Knicks' first 11 points. The team was forcing turnovers and used that to get easy looks in the paint. With 6:10 left to play in the first quarter, the Knicks were up 11-4.
As the quarter progressed, the Knicks took complete control of the game and had momentum on their side. The Wizards had trouble staying with New York and could not get anything to fall with the ball in their hands. After 12 minutes of play, the Knicks took a 26-13 lead behind eight from Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks' defense was also stellar and that forced the Wizards to shoot a putrid 29 percent.
The New York Knicks kept their foot on the gas pedal in the second quarter and they did not let the Wizards put a dent into the lead. New York was surging and the Wizards could not do anything to put together a run. They were playing well on both ends of the court, but the Knicks' defense was the reason why they had dominated the game.
The Wizards did come up with a 13-0 run in the latter half of the second quarter, but the Knicks answered right back with a 12-1 surge themselves. The Knicks restored order before heading into the locker-room and were leading by 21, 54-33. Carmelo Anthony had 18 points to go with four rebounds and Tyson Chandler had four points and 12 rebounds.
The Knicks continued with their stellar play in the third quarter and although the Wizards were getting their baskets in the open-court, the lead was never in jeopardy. Washington was the faster team and they used the athleticism of John Wall to give a little boost to their offense. However, the Knicks' hot shooting allowed them to keep a large cushion and after 36 minutes of play, the Knicks were up 79-47.
The fourth quarter was not needed and the outcome of the game was already determined. The Knicks' reserves were on the court for some valuable playing time and they led the Knicks down to the final buzzer. New York won a game they should have won and took home an impressive victory. 103-65.
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