The New York Knicks secured a much-needed win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday, March 22.
With Jalen Brunson still sidelined due to an ankle sprain, Cameron Payne was given a rare opportunity to step into the starting lineup. The veteran guard performed well in his expanded role, ending the night with 13 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds.
When speaking to the media after the game, Payne was asked what it was like to be back at Madison Square Garden after a two game road trip, to which he provided a two-word response.
“It’s lit!,” Payne said.
The veteran guard then proceeded to provide additional context.
“It’s good to be in front of the fans. They give us a lot of juice. We needed the juice tonight. Wish we could’ve gotten a bigger win but we got the win, that’s all that matters. But it’s good to get back in my bed, see my dogs, see my family, and, like I said, man, it’s good to come in the Garden and see all these fans.”
The Knicks had lost both of their games on the road, making their win over the Washington Wizards all the sweeter. Tom Thiodeau’s team had looked concerningly disjointed in recent games, so the fanbase will undoubtedly have been pleased to see them grind out a hard-fought win on their home court.
Josh Hard Recently Called Out Knicks’ Lack of Effort
When speaking to the media following the Knick’s 115-98 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, March 20, veteran wing Josh Hart questioned his team’s lack of effort.
“The way we’re losing games is embarrassing,” Hart said. “We’re not doing what it takes, we’re not doing the extra effort, we’re not giving energy. And we’re crying to refs…We can be more aggressive defensively on the ball. We can be more assertive offensively. Not being stagnant, communicating better. I think we got outrebounded by 14 today. A lot of that is effort. None of that takes talent. None of that is schemes and those kinds of things.”
Hart is somewhat of an emotional leader for the Knicks roster. As such, his comments likely had an impact on how Thibodeau’s team approached their contest against the Wizards and why they were able to gut out a win.
Jalen Brunson is Nearing a Return
In what is good news for Knicks fans, it would appear Brunson is nearing a return to the rotation. According to Tom Thibodeau, the All-Star guard is out of his walking boot and doing light shooting drills at the team facility.
“Doing light shooting,” Thibodeau said. “…Whenever he’s ready, he’s ready. He’s putting a lot into his rehab, so right now, that’s where we want his focus to be. And then hopefully, he’ll get into some games where he works his way back into it.”
Getting Brunson back in the near future will be ideal for the Knicks. He needs time to get back to full fitness and find his rhythm, and doing so before the playoffs will ensure that he’s ready to contribute at a high level. Brunson is key to the Knicks’ chances of postseason success, so they will need him as close to 100% as possible.
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