Wizards-Knicks Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Nov 29 2012 6:46PM

After enduring the worst start in team history, the Washington Wizards finally got in the win column their last time out.

Another victory could be hard to come by with a visit to Madison Square Garden in store.

The Wizards try to build on their latest result Friday night against the New York Knicks, who look to stay unbeaten at home and continue their recent domination in the series.

Washington opened 0-12 before escaping with an 84-82 win over Portland on Wednesday. The Wizards surrendered their fewest points of the season and held the Trail Blazers to a season-low 34.9 percent shooting, but they still had to sweat things out after blowing a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.

"Well, we made it interesting, but we won," coach Randy Wittman said. "We just broke through the ice. I've lived in Minnesota for 15, 17 years. That ice was four or five feet deep, but it's broken through now.

"When you get to this level, you've got to have some thick skin, and you've got to be able to overcome those kind of things."

Jordan Crawford had 19 points off the bench while Kevin Seraphin scored 10 to go along with 10 rebounds.

"It's a great moment for us, but at the same time we can't celebrate too much," rookie Bradley Beal said. "We have a great team coming up next in New York. We have to be ready for Friday.

"We know they can shoot the ball, they're capable of pretty much anything. They spread the floor, 3-point shooters everywhere ... so we really have to be on our toes and make sure we're aware of who's on the court."

The Wizards have dropped nine straight to the Knicks (10-4) by an average of 14.0 points. They suffered a 103-65 defeat in the last matchup April 13, their 15th loss in 17 visits to New York.

After falling 96-89 in overtime in Monday's much-anticipated showdown at Brooklyn, the Knicks bounced back with a 102-88 win at Milwaukee two nights later. Carmelo Anthony continued his impressive play, scoring 29 points and shooting 9 of 18 from the field.

"He's playing at an all-time high, I think. And it's a beautiful thing to watch," coach Mike Woodson said of Anthony, who's gone 17 of 26 (65.4 percent) from 3-point range and averaged 32.5 points over his last four games.

"He's just been solid, and it's kind of nice to see. He's put a lot of time in this summer with the Olympics, and it carried over to the summer program when we got back. He came to vet camp in great shape, and it's been a nice carry-over to the season."

Anthony has been especially good at home, where he's posted an NBA-best 28.6 points per game in helping New York open 5-0 for the first time since a 9-0 start in 1992-93.

Anthony is averaging 27.1 points against Washington, his third-highest mark versus any opponent. He may need to shoulder even more of the load with Jason Kidd uncertain to be available for a third straight game due to back spasms.

The Knicks may also want to get Steve Novak more involved. The 3-point specialist went 5 for 7 from beyond the arc and finished with a season-high 19 points against the Bucks. New York is 11-0 when he scores at least 16 dating to last season.

Knicks beat Wizards for 10th straight time, 108-87

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Nov 30 2012 11:18PM

NEW YORK (AP) Shot after shot clanged off the rim, the crowd growing restless and eventually booing the home team.

Luckily for the Knicks, the bad shooter was just an actor in a movie scene being filmed at halftime. The real players had absolutely no problem with the dismal Washington Wizards.

Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith each scored 20 points in the Knicks' 108-87 victory Friday night, their 10th straight over the NBA's worst team.

"With teams like that who are struggling, you've got to jump on them early so you don't give them any confidence, because at the end of the day they are NBA players," point guard Raymond Felton said.

Tyson Chandler and Ronnie Brewer each added 12 points for the Knicks, who improved to 6-0 at home and beat the Wizards for the ninth straight time at Madison Square Garden. Both winning streaks are their longest active against one team.

New York improved to 11-4, its most wins in a month since going 11-6 in March 2000. The Knicks hadn't won 11 in November since winning 12 in 1972 on the way to their last NBA championship.

"That's a big month for us. Coming into the season, my goal and our goal was to at least get 10 wins for this month," Anthony said. "Any time you can get 10 wins in a month, especially the first month, that's always good."

Chandler finished with 10 rebounds but his 5-of-8 shooting represented a cold night after the NBA's leading shooter had made 16 of 17 over his previous two games and came in shooting 71.8 percent for the season.

Felton scored 11 points for the Knicks, who shot 53 percent from the field in their third straight game without starting guard Jason Kidd, who remains out with lower back spasms.

Jordan Crawford scored 17 points and rookie Bradley Beal had 14 for the Wizards, who beat Portland 84-82 on Wednesday for their lone victory after an 0-12 start but were never in this game after the first 10 minutes.

"We made it hard on ourselves," Crawford said. "They did a good job of moving the ball and the ball kind of stuck in our hands. We didn't do a good job of moving it."

The Knicks led by nine after one and kept increasing their lead, going ahead by double digits throughout the second half and by as much as 23, improving to 17-1 at home in the regular season under coach Mike Woodson.

Woodson won only 13 games in 2004-05, his first season in Atlanta, and he said the key to the Hawks' improvement through the years was their improved play at home.

"The last two years in Atlanta we were a force at home and now that I'm here in New York, you're talking about trying to win the division, you can't lose at home," Woodson said.

The only time the home fans grew impatient was at the half, during the filming of a scene for the upcoming Vince Vaughn film "Delivery Man." After a hard foul, the actor playing the Knicks star had to shoot two free throws but couldn't make both, the boos growing louder with each miss until he had to be shaken.

The real Knicks had nothing to worry about.

Leading by one, the Knicks closed the first quarter with a 10-2 spurt for a 26-17 lead, holding Washington to 32 percent shooting. The Knicks then made 12 of 19 shots in the second, getting eight points from Pablo Prigioni and building a 13-point advantage before going into the locker room up 57-46 after Anthony rattled in a jumper at the buzzer.

Kevin Seraphin finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who had 17 turnovers against 11 assists.

"Our handling of the ball, whenever we turn it over like that it puts them out in transition, and they have shooters who spread the floor and that puts you in a bind," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said.

Notes: The Wizards' last victory in New York was Dec. 6, 2006. ... Kidd did some shooting Friday morning and hopes to return next week, though Woodson wasn't sure, saying the Knicks would have to just continue to wait. .. Chandler's "Rebound 4 Rockaway" campaign will team up with the NBA players' association on Saturday to deliver items to families affected by Superstorm Sandy in Far Rockaway, N.Y. ... The Knicks honored Peter Vadola, Dale Mapp and Danny Idiaquez of Midland Beach, N.Y., with the Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" award for their actions after Sandy, when they used a boat to help usher more than 200 Staten Island residents to safety after more than 5 feet of water flooded the streets. The award is named for Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the first African-American to play for the Knicks.

Notebook: Knicks 108, Wizards 87

Adam Zagoria, For NBA.com?
Posted Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:18 PM - Updated Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:18 PM

THE FACTS: J.R. Smith put up 20 points and six assists off the bench and Carmelo Anthony also added 20 points as the Knicks won their second straight, 108-87 over the Washington Wizards Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks (11-4) improved to 6-0 at home to start a season for the first time since 1992-93, when they won 60 games.

Tyson Chandler added a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, Ronnie Brewer had 12 points and Raymond Felton scored 11.

For the Wizards (1-13), Jordan Crawford had 17 points off the bench, Bradley Beal added 14 and Kevin Seraphin scored 13.

QUOTABLE: "It's easier when you shoot in front of a crowd like this."

-- J.R. Smith on MSG

THE STAT: The Knicks went 12-for-29 from beyond the arc, highlighted by Steve Novak's 3-for-6 effort.

TURNING POINT: Once again, the Knicks got out to an early lead at home, seizing a 26-17 first-quarter advantage and 57-46 halftime edge. Anthony had 12 points at the break and Smith tallied 10.

QUOTABLE II: "Every time you look up, this guy has 20 points."

-- Walt "Clyde" Frazier on Anthony

WHO'S HOT: Pablo Prigioni continues to be a sparkplug off the bench for the Knicks. He tallied eight points and five assists one game after putting up 11 points and seven assists in Wednesday's win in Milwaukee.

WHO'S NOT: The Wizards. They snapped their one-game winning streak with their 12th loss in 13 outings this season.

QUOTABLE III: "I want Raymond [Felton] to score the ball but Pablo [Prigioni], he's a pass-first guy, so all the players love that."

-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson

NOTABLE: Woodson declined comment on the NBA's decision to fine the San Antonio Spurs $250,000 for sitting four of their five leading scorers in Thursday's Miami Heat game. "That's Pop and his team, and I gotta deal with our team," Woodson said.

NOTABLE II: Jason Kidd (back spasms) missed his third straight game. He said at shootaround he's targeting next week's three-game road trip, beginning Wednesday in Charlotte, for his return. "I hope so,'' Kidd said. "That's the plan -- to get me back out there sometime next week. I feel great -- a lot better as the week's gone on. That's the goal is to be 100 percent when you come back. No need to rush. Today was a great day working out. We'll see how I feel tomorrow."

QUOTABLE IV: "Now that I'm here in in New York, you're talking about trying to win the division, you can't lose at home."

-- Mike Woodson

INSIDE THE ARENA: Vince Vaughn was on hand, shooting a movie that filmed a scene between a fake Knicks team and a fake Wizards squad.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Wednesday @ Charlotte, Thursday @ Miami, Saturday @ Chicago. For the Wizards, Tuesday vs. Miami, Friday @ Atlanta, Saturday vs. Golden State.

• Wizards: Booker, Wall
• Knicks: Shumpert, Stoudemire

• Wizards: --
• Knicks: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #7 Kevin Fehr, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 19033
• Duration: 2:04