Knicks clinch playoff berth with victory over short-handed Wizards
CLEVELAND — Break out the kazoos. The Knicks have clinched.
A 118-109 victory Sunday over the Wizards assured the franchise a spot in the postseason for just the second time in the last 10 years, with Jalen Brunson leading the charge while Julius Randle and RJ Barrett logged injury/illness DNPs.
James Dolan, a kazoo enthusiast, wasn’t in attendance but he’s undoubtedly happy about the circumstances. He declared the playoffs as an expectation this season, and the Knicks obliged — providing the owner the added revenue from postseason games and a hike in ticket prices for next season.
Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes scored at least 21 points apiece, as the Knicks overcame an early deficit to punish the shorthanded Wizards in the second half.
The next step for the Knicks (46-33) is to stave off the Nets (43-34) to secure the fifth spot and a first-round matchup against Cleveland.
Sunday was a gimme.
The Wizards sat four of their regular starters, leaving a lineup that suggested the franchise wasn’t trying very hard. It was an indictment on Adam Silver’s play-in tournament since the Wizards aren’t eliminated from the play-in tournament.
But in the NBA — where only two or three teams in the East have a realistic chance at the Finals — the draft lottery is more appealing than the 10th seed.
Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma were all out for Washington (34-44). Two of them — Porzingis and Kuzma — are hitting free agency in the summer.
The Knicks were also shorthanded without Randle and Barrett, the latter becoming a late scratch due to an illness.
Quickley and Toppin started and scored 22 and 21 points, respectively. Brunson finished with 27 points and eight assists. Quentin Grimes added 27 points on six 3-pointers. Evan Fournier returned to the rotation but logged just seven scoreless minutes. It was his first action since Feb. 12.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 10 in the second quarter — and by 8 at halftime — but retook the lead midway through the third quarter and never looked back.
Cory Kispert led the Wizards with 29 points.
Thibodeau didn’t want to make too much of the playoff clinch.
“You go step by step. There’s steps you take through the course of the season, let’s establish homecourt, let’s have a winning record at home, let’s have a winning record on the road. We take care of each step then those things are going to take care of themselves,” the coach said. ‘And that’s what we have to understand. If we start skipping over things that’s usually when you slip. If by winning tonight takes care of that then obviously we’re pleased with that. Just keep moving forward. Don’t stop there. Run through the entire season and that’s from start to finish, don’t change the approach.”
RANDLE BOOTED UP
Randle wore a walking boot on his left leg while sitting on the Knicks bench during the game.
He sprained his ankle last week and is scheduled for a re-evaluation April 14 — one day before the start of the NBA playoffs.
“Just follow the protocol they’re laying out for you,” Thibodeau said. “That’s all you can do. So work your way through it day by day. When he’s healthy he’ll go. He’s just following their protocol, a lot of treatment, that sort of thing.”
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