Knicks at Wizards
While superstar Carmelo Anthony has struggled, the New York Knicks have seen both ends of the spectrum through their first two games. Anthony looks to break out and the Knicks seek some consistency when they visit Washington on Saturday.
Returning from knee surgery, Anthony is just 14-for-43 from the floor so far - including 1-of-12 from long distance - as New York has posted an easy victory at Milwaukee and a lackluster loss at home to Atlanta. "Yeah, it's nothing mechanical," Anthony said after the 112-101 loss to the Hawks on Thursday. "It's a matter of [getting in rhythm]. But it'll come. It's about getting back into basketball form, finding that rhythm." Washington has also taken advantage of Milwaukee's struggling defense, recording a 118-113 triumph on Friday night to improve to 2-0 for the first time in 10 years. The Wizards have taken seven straight in the series with New York, including three in a row at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (1-1): New York could have some shakeups in the backcourt as rookie Jerian Grant and second-year man Langston Galloway are deserving of some consideration for starting roles. Veteran point guard Jose Calderon is 1-for-10 from the floor in two lackluster starts and Sasha Vujacic - who is gaining minutes while starting shooting guard Arron Afflalo recovers from a hamstring strain - was 2-of-8 with a pair of turnovers versus the Hawks. Grant owns 12 assists against three turnovers while Galloway has buried 6-of-9 3-pointers through two games.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (2-0): Washington came from behind to defeat the Bucks with a 36-21 advantage in the fourth quarter. It also won the final stanza in the season opener at Orlando to steal an 88-87 win, showing early improvement in an area that hampered the squad in 2014-15, when they ranked last in the NBA with a minus-1.8 scoring differential in the fourth. Bradley Beal scored 14 of his 26 points in the final six-plus minutes Friday after netting seven points in the fourth quarter against the Magic.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards PG Ramon Sessions scored 23 points in 26 minutes off the bench against Milwaukee.
2. Anthony is 22-for-75 from the field in his last four games, including the preseason.
3. Washington PG John Wall had 18 assists in the previous home game against the Knicks on April 3.