The New York Knicks lost possibly the biggest game of their season. After leading for most of this game, Bradley Beal and John Wall would give the Wizards all they needed in the end. They made plays and put the Wizards in position to win. It came down to one final play for New York. Carmelo Anthony would get the ball and lose it on his way to the basket. The ball would be knocked into JR Smith’s hands, but he would miss on a long three-point opportunity. The Knicks would lose 90-89 in a game they should have won.
It was excellent offense by Bradley Beal tonight. His ability to come off screens and score made his effective tonight. The Wizards ran the pick and roll many times tonight causing the Knicks to switch. That allowed Washington to have the matchups they wanted. In the end Beal was the hero for the Wizards tonight. His 28 points were great and effective tonight. He is really going to be a very great basketball player for years to come.
John Wall also was strong for Washington. He scored 19 points, but it was his passing that really helped tonight. Wall finished nine assists in 34 minutes tonight. His speed really makes him difficult to guard. His negative for awhile has been his shot, but tonight he really made some nice baskets using his shot. The Wizards have two nice young pieces in Beal and Wall. Tonight both had great games and showed why they are in the playoffs.
The Knicks had a very strong and effective game from JR Smith. His shot was on tonight as he scored a game high 32 points. He was on fire from long range as he connected on eight three-pointers. His shot over the last few games has really helped New York get to a better part in their season. Tonight he did his best to keep the Knicks in the game. He also made plays for his teammates including a very nice pass to Tim Hardaway Jr who slammed home the sweet pass. This was by far one of the better games from Smith this season. His effort and energy really helped get the Knicks going the right direction.
On the other hand tonight, Carmelo Anthony had one of the worst performances of his Knick career. His effort was their, but he made terrible plays at times that really took momentum and ultimately cost the Knicks a win tonight. Anthony turned the ball over nine times tonight. That was an area that made tonight a very tough one to look past. His shot wasn’t there due to some injury to his right shoulder. In the end tonight he made it difficult to win because of the turnovers and inconsistent offense. Anthony scored ten points tonight and really wasn’t the offensive juggernaut that he has displayed this season. This late in the season and with the season on the line, tonight’s performance was really sad to see.
The Knicks will not have an easy road ahead as they face the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon. That game will likely be the game that either gives the Knicks more life or the game that will likely end their season. Tonight it came down to the final play and the Knicks failed to execute. They now fall two games behind the Atlanta Hawks in the race for the eighth spot. Tonight’s loss really was bad considering they had the lead for most of the game.
Photo Credit: Reid B. Kelley/NBAE via Getty Images
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