Game Preview: Knicks vs Wizards, 3/25/2021

Hey Knickerbockers, it’s me again, yup. The one who dropped 131 on the awful Wizards but quiet is kept. Well it’s time to get back out of bed and take heed of the new landscape. Hopefully no one wakes up from their mid day nap to find themselves in a different shade of blues. Well, maybe not no one. Certainly no one I have deep and passionate care for.

Anyway, whatever the Knicks did on Tuesday, rinse and repeat it tonight. The Wizards have been in town scheming on how to exact their revenge. So Julius Randle and the gang better lace ‘em up tight!

Photo credit should read TED MATHIAS/AFP via Getty Images

Projected Starters

Who am I to say what goes through Tom Thibodeau’s head but I think the stellar performance from one Mitchell Robinson might be enough to vault him back into the starting lineup. Nerlens Noel has a done a fantastic patch job, but catching is the sickness and Mitch is the medicine.

Eric Bledsoe v Russell Westbrook

Reggie Bullock v Bradley Beal

RJ Barrett v Garrison Matthews

Julius Randle v Rui Hachimura

Mitchell Robinson v Alex Len

Of course Mitchell isn’t without issue on the offensive end. He would do himself a major service to come down with it and power up every now and then. Instead he seems satisfied to twist and bend to make every finish an awkward one motion mind-melter. Not always so easy, my friend. Robinson is a talented player but he’s really more of a sledgehammer than he is an 18-in-1 multi-tool.

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Keys & Predictions

I don’t think you can expect a second consecutive monster game from Julius Randle. The Wizards will absolutely be collapsing faster and doubling from different angles. That might mean we’ll get more of a decoy Jules night. That’s just as important though! Randle will need to make sure he keeps everyone in motion and hitting switches.

Of course, the Knicks and the Wizards could both theoretically undergo major overhauls today because it’s the NBA trade deadline! Maybe nothing will make sense after the that comes and goes. Look for RJ Barrett and Eric Bledsoe to go wild.

I would like to just point out that Elfrid Payton can probably fit right into the Milwaukee Bucks’ $4.8m trade exception.

Trade deadline is at 3:00, Game is at 7:30, Knicks by -44.

Photo credit should read MARK D. PHILLIPS/AFP via Getty Images

Parting Shot

It’s always a challenge to smack a team around twice in a row and the Knicks certainly have a penchant for drilling down into the muck and turning every game into a slug fest. A two possession game is just the space where they feel most themselves. The inner dimension. The may like the deck stacked against them but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t come out on top.

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