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Knicks Post Game Recap: Offensive Struggles Lead to Loss Against Wizards

By Kenneth Teape

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142. Final. 83. 27. 98

The New York Knicks had a rough night Tuesday against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. They were never able to get into a flow, as the game was sloppy on both sides of the court right out of the gate. The Knicks were able to go up by as many as nine in the first half, taking a five point lead into halftime. The wheels fell off after that, as the Wizards rolled the Knicks in the second half in a game that turned almost as ugly as opening night. Here are some takeaways from the Knicks second loss of the season. This was the fourth straight victory the Wizards have recorded over the Knicks.

Matchup of the Game Recap:

Nov 4, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Shane Larkin (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Shane Larkin did as well as anyone could have expect him to do against John Wall. Wall was never able to get into the flow of the game, a big reason for that was the defense that Larkin played against him. Wall uncharacteristically missed multiple lay-ups in the open court, and did not dominate in the pick-and-roll and half court as he has come accustomed to doing. Larkin was able to hold Wall under double-digit assists for the first time this season, as he had only seven. It was also his lowest scoring output thus far, as he scored only 11 points on 5-11 from the field. It was another strong performance for Larkin, who is earning playing time even once Jose Calderon returns from his calf injury.

Player of the Game: Iman Shumpert

Shumpert was the Knicks’ best player on the court tonight. He showed the aggressiveness the Knicks have been looking for on the offensive end, as his confidence is sky rocketing. He looks like a totally different player from the one that was taking the court last season, as he looks more comfortable within the offense and knows when to look for his own shot.

Nov 4, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (21) passes the ball defended by Washington Wizards guard Garrett Temple (17) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Tonight with the Knicks struggling to find a hot hand, Shumpert did everything he could to will the team to a victory. He scored a game-high 19 points on 6-11 from the field, knocking down all four of his three-point attempts. He is locked in right now, and if he can continue carrying himself in this manner the Knicks will be extremely happy with the results.

-Mel-No

Tonight was not Carmelo Anthony’s night, as he just couldn’t get things going on the offensive end. Like many players tonight, Anthony just never got it going, or into the flow of the game. His shot was off all night, as he made only 8-23. He was not taking bad shots; he just couldn’t convert what was given to him. He also turned the ball over seven times, another example of just how off Anthony was tonight.

-Turning Back the Clock

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The Wizards have a couple of veterans in their rotation that are extremely important to their success. Tonight, they looked like their old selves against the Knicks. Paul Pierce knocked down timely shots as he continues to torment the Knicks even in the twilight of his career. Drew Gooden knocked down a momentum changing three-pointer after a bad call from a referee that deflated the Knicks’ morale. Last but not least, Andre Miller put on a clinic with the second unit. The crafty, savvy veteran took advantage of whoever the Knicks tried putting on him tonight, picking up the scoring load that Wall was unable to provide. Miller scored 12 points on 6-10 shooting in 17 minutes after coming into the game with only two in the first three games of the season.

-Poor Third Quarter

The third quarter did the Knicks in tonight the Wizards dug in defensively; knocking the Knicks out of the Triangle Offense it looked like, causing the Knicks to be out of sorts. They were unable to get anything going, shooting 6-22 in the quarter and scoring only 15 points. The Wizards at one point even went on a 14-0 run after the game was tied at 56 and essentially put the game away. They shot 11-20 in the quarter and scored 32 points, turning a five point deficit into a 12 point lead. The Knicks were able to cut it down to six early in the fourth, but the Wizards were able to hold them at bay.

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-False Shooting Barrage

The Knicks lit it up from behind the arc, knocking down 8-15, good for 53.3 percent. They were unable to take advantage of the great perimeter shooting, as they allowed the Wizards to knock down eight of their own en route to a 44.4 percent night from downtown and 48.8 percent overall.

Why this was false is because of how poorly the Knicks shot from the rest of the field. Overall on the night the Knicks shot 30-81 for 37 percent. Take out the three point shooting, and the Knicks shot an abysmal 33.3 percent. Credit has to be given to the Wizards for this poor performance, as they crowded the Knicks and forced them out of the offense. It was reminiscent of what happened opening night against the Chicago Bulls.

Much like opening night, the Knicks won’t have to think about this game long as they will be right back at it Wednesday night. They will travel to Detroit to play the Pistons and begin a three-game road trip. Hopefully the result in this back-to-back that started poorly is the same as the first one; a victory.

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