Knicks: Good news and bad news from 117-94 victory over Wizards

The New York Knicks emphatically won their second game of the preseason Wednesday, dominating the Washington Wizards by a score of 117-94 led by their new All-Star duo. New York improves to 2-0 on the preseason as they gear up for a regular season with massive expectations.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Knicks

The Knicks won this game behind their new tandem of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Brunson was locked in from the get-go, scoring nine of the team’s first 14 points in the game and finishing with 23 points on 7-10 shooting from the floor (2-3 from three).

Unlike Brunson, Towns took a while to get going, missing his first six field goal attempts to start the game. He also struggled from downtown, as he hit just one of seven shots from beyond the arc. However, he caught fire in the second half as he and Brunson made good use of the pick-and-roll, and finished the game with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and shot 7-20 from the field.

The Knicks got a glimpse of what their new All-Star duo will look like this season, and the enhanced floor spacing should allow Brunson to take more control of the offense. Brunson and Towns can be one of the best guard-center duos in the NBA, and they put that on full display Wednesday.

Mikal Bridges and the Knicks’ defense shined

Along with the sneak peek of their All-Star duo, the Knicks also got a glimpse of what their defense could look like this season. New York put on a clinic defensively, forcing an outrageous 30 Washington turnovers and recording 16 steals compared to the Wizards’ two.

The defensive effort was led by Mikal Bridges, their other newcomer who came via blockbuster trade over the offseason. Bridges recorded three steals, and five rebounds, and had a plus-minus of +21 in the contest. He made his presence felt in the passing lanes and on the perimeter and was critical to their success on that end of the floor.

Bridges and OG Anunoby are expected to be one of the best wing defensive tandems in the league, and they both showed off the potential they have for this team’s cohesiveness in this game. Anunoby recorded two steals and had a plus-minus of +22 despite shooting just 2-9 from the field, demonstrating the great impact he still has on bad shooting nights.

The Knicks bench put in solid minutes against the Wizards

The Knicks’ bench players put on an impressive showing in their first preseason game against the Hornets, and they once again showed some potential against the Wizards. Rookie guard Tyler Kolek, who had an impressive 11-point performance against the Hornets, topped that by recording 15 points on 6-10 shooting and dishing five assists, all in just 17 minutes of action.

Kolek is trying to earn a spot in a Knicks’ rotation that is full of guards. The expanded opportunity came with Miles McBride sitting the game out with an illness, and the young former Marquette product made another strong case to crack a spot in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation as potentially the backup point guard.

Kolek will have competition for that spot, though, as fellow backup guard Cameron Payne also put in a solid performance against Washington. Payne scored 14 points and shot 4-6 from three-point range in 23 minutes of action, showing off the perimeter scoring he could bring to the second unit.

The Knicks will have a few days off before their next preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. That game will mark the unofficial return to Madison Square Garden for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle, both of whom were a part of the Towns trade last week.