Kevin Knox Records Double-Double in Debut as Knicks Beat John Wall, Wizards
The New York Knicks kicked off their 2018 campaign with a 124-121 overtime win over the Washington Wizards in Monday's preseason game.
Damyean Dotson scored 12 of his 14 points in overtime to help secure the win for New York at the Capital One Arena.
Lottery pick Kevin Knox started and played 26 minutes in his first game for the Knicks outside the summer league, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Otto Porter Jr. took advantage of his limited minutes, totaling 13 points and six rebounds in the loss for Washington.
Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson Already Look Like Biggest Steals in Draft
Although Knicks fans weren't too excited when Knox had his name called with the No. 9 pick of the 2018 NBA draft, they are certainly thrilled now.
Knox was one of the brightest stars of the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 21.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game to provide Knicks fans with real excitement heading into the season. Now facing real competition, he is showing those games weren't a fluke.
The forward showed no fear with the ball in his hands, attacking the basket on several coast-to-coast plays in the first half:
Although he did take some bad shots on his way to a 4-of-9 night, he filled up the stat sheet against the Wizards and should be able to replicate this nearly every night.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson showcased his skill set while totaling six points, seven rebounds and a block. The second-round pick is clearly raw, but his athleticism was obvious in this one:
"Mario Hezonja & rookie Mitchell Robinson run the two-man game! #NBAPreseason #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/Px2Mf4477a
— NBA (@NBA) October 1, 2018"
These players will get a lot of playing time and should continue to improve as the year progresses, but the early results are spectacular. For a team that hasn't had a winning season in the past five years, having two young stars is a nice change of pace.
Jamie O'Grady of The Cauldron summed it up well:
This rookie class has the potential to be a good one, but the players taken ninth and 36th overall appear to be much better than their draft positions.
Second Unit Will Determine Wizards' Success This Season
At this point, we know what to expect from the top players on the Wizards. Bradley Beal and Porter combined for 24 points in the first half, while John Wall scored six points in just nine minutes.
While it wasn't exactly the best game from any of these players—Beal finished 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range—they will be fine once the season starts.
However, the squad has been held back by its bench play the past few years and will hope some recent additions will make a difference in 2018-19. Unfortunately, Austin Rivers and Jeff Green struggled to make much of an impact in their debuts with the team.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com provided his thoughts on the reserves:
Kelly Oubre Jr. did at least play well, finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Ian Mahinmi, who started against the Knicks but will likely come off the bench during the year, also showcased a new aspect of his game:
The center has zero regular-season three-pointers in his career.
Rookie first-round pick Troy Brown Jr. struggled with his shot but added seven rebounds and flashed his finishing ability a few times:
If these players all reach their potential, Washington could be a real threat in the Eastern Conference. Otherwise, the team could be looking at another early offseason.
What's Next?
The Knicks will have a short turnaround before their next preseason game, as they go on the road to face the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. The Wizards will host the Miami Heat on Friday.
