Trailing by 17, the Knicks found their rhythm when it mattered most.
In the shifting fortunes of a single evening in Washington, the New York Knicks reminded us that resilience is not merely a virtue but a competitive strategy. Trailing by 17 points and seemingly adrift, they found in the fourth quarter what had eluded them for three — cohesion, will, and the particular clarity that comes when a team understands what it is playing for. The 106-102 victory completed a season series sweep over the Wizards, a modest milestone that nonetheless speaks to a franchise rediscovering its sense of direction.
- A 17-point third-quarter deficit had the Knicks looking less like playoff contenders and more like a team about to hand Washington a lifeline.
- Alec Burks erupted for 15 points in the final period alone, transforming a quiet night into a defining performance that shifted the game's entire gravity.
- RJ Barrett's back-to-back scoring plays with under five minutes left cracked open a tied game, and an 11-0 Knicks run buried Washington before the Wizards could respond.
- Russell Westbrook's 8 turnovers and 3-for-15 shooting haunted Washington far more than Bradley Beal's 26 points could compensate for.
- The Wizards, sitting 13th in the East, are now banking on newly acquired Chandler Hutchison and Daniel Gafford to help reverse a season shaped by disruption and absence.
The New York Knicks nearly gave away what they had already half-won. Holding the season series lead heading into Thursday night, they found themselves down 17 midway through the third quarter, looking every bit like a team about to stumble. What followed was the kind of fourth-quarter performance that earns a team a different reputation.
Alec Burks was the story, pouring in 15 of his 27 points in the final period. RJ Barrett, finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, delivered the pivotal blows — a three-pointer and a three-point play with 4:45 left that tied the game. Immanuel Quickley and Julius Randle extended an 11-0 run that gave New York a 96-91 lead, and the Knicks ultimately outscored Washington 39-24 in the quarter to seal a 106-102 win.
Washington had looked sharp early, building a 60-45 halftime cushion. Bradley Beal contributed 26 points and nine assists, and Rui Hachimura added 21, but Russell Westbrook's night — 3 for 15 from the field, eight turnovers — proved too costly to absorb. The Knicks, playing without Reggie Bullock and Derrick Rose, chipped away through the third quarter and then overwhelmed the Wizards when it mattered most.
The victory gave New York its first season series win over Washington since 2013-14. For the Wizards, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference, the loss deepened a difficult season shaped by early coronavirus disruptions. General manager Tommy Sheppard pointed to newly acquired Chandler Hutchison and Daniel Gafford as reasons for optimism, with both players expected to be available as soon as Saturday. The Knicks, meanwhile, moved on to Milwaukee carrying the quiet confidence of a team that had just learned something useful about itself.
The New York Knicks walked into Thursday night's game against Washington already holding the upper hand in their season series, but they nearly squandered it. Trailing by 17 points midway through the third quarter, the Knicks looked like they might hand the Wizards a gift. Instead, they orchestrated one of those fourth-quarter reversals that separate teams with playoff ambitions from those still searching for their identity.
Alec Burks was the architect of the comeback. The guard erupted for 15 of his 27 points in the final period, turning a game that seemed decided into a statement. RJ Barrett, who finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, made the plays that mattered most—a three-pointer and then a three-point play with 4:45 remaining that tied the game when the Knicks needed momentum. Immanuel Quickley added a three-pointer in that crucial stretch, and Julius Randle capped an 11-0 run that gave New York a 96-91 lead with less than three minutes to play. The Knicks outscored Washington 39-24 in the fourth quarter, a margin that told the whole story of their resilience.
Two days earlier, New York had dismantled these same Wizards 131-113, controlling the game from start to finish. This time, they had to earn it. Washington came out sharp, building a 60-45 halftime lead behind strong early execution. The Wizards' starting guards set the tone—Bradley Beal finished with 26 points and nine assists, though his shooting was inconsistent at 8 for 23. Russell Westbrook, meanwhile, was a problem for Washington in ways that went beyond the box score. He shot just 3 for 15 and turned the ball over eight times, finishing with 13 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists. Rui Hachimura contributed 21 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Knicks' second-half surge.
New York's path back into the game began in the third quarter, when they chipped away at the deficit. The Knicks had struggled from three-point range early—they missed their first eight attempts before Quickley finally connected midway through the second quarter—but they found their rhythm when it mattered. By the end of the third, they had cut the lead to 11, setting up the fourth-quarter explosion that would decide the game.
The victory gave the Knicks the season series over Washington for the first time since 2013-14, a small but meaningful accomplishment. New York played without starting swingman Reggie Bullock, who was sidelined by a sprained right ankle, and Derrick Rose remained out as he recovered from coronavirus. Despite those absences, the Knicks found enough firepower to finish the job.
For Washington, the loss underscored the challenges the franchise has faced this season. The Wizards entered the game in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, only 3.5 games out of a play-in spot, but the damage done by early-season coronavirus absences and stoppages has been difficult to overcome. General manager Tommy Sheppard acknowledged the toll those disruptions took, though he insisted the team wasn't using them as an excuse. The Wizards were banking on reinforcements to help them climb back into contention. They had just acquired Chandler Hutchison and Daniel Gafford from Chicago in a three-way deal involving Boston, with both players expected to undergo physicals Friday and potentially suit up for Washington's next game on Saturday. Hutchison hadn't played since February 5 after missing time earlier in the season for coronavirus protocol, but Sheppard believed the swingman would be ready to contribute soon.
The Knicks, meanwhile, were heading to Milwaukee for their next matchup, carrying the momentum of a comeback that proved they could win games in different ways—dominating when everything clicked, and fighting back when they fell behind.
Notable Quotes
You couldn't foresee what happened to this team. That's something we had to experience, go through and deal with, and it's something that certainly hurt us in the win column.— Tommy Sheppard, Wizards general manager, on early-season coronavirus disruptions
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What made the difference in that fourth quarter? The Knicks were down 17.
Shooting. Washington's starting guards—Beal and especially Westbrook—couldn't find the basket when it mattered. Westbrook was 3 for 15. When your best players aren't making shots, a team with depth like New York can exploit that.
But the Knicks were also missing players, right?
They were. Bullock was out with an ankle injury, Rose was still recovering from coronavirus. So New York had to win with what they had—Burks, Barrett, Quickley. That's actually more impressive.
The Wizards seem stuck. They're 13th in the conference.
They are, but it's not entirely their fault. The coronavirus disruptions early in the season really hurt them. Sheppard, their GM, was clear about that. But he's also trying to fix it—they just brought in Hutchison and Gafford.
Do you think those trades will help them climb back?
Maybe. But they're already 3.5 games out of the play-in, and it's late March. They needed those reinforcements weeks ago, not now.
So this loss to the Knicks—does it matter?
It matters because it's the season series. The Knicks swept them, which is a statement. But for Washington, the real problem is deeper. They need to string together wins, and they're running out of time to do it.