The New York Knicks aren’t impressing with style points during their six-game winning streak, but it doesn’t seem to bother them.
The Knicks will look to continue their strong month when they face the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
The two teams will meet again in Washington on Monday.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points, and Josh Hart added a season-high 23 points with 13 rebounds in the Knicks’ 108-85 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday.
New York won despite committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 4 of 15 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc.
“The special thing about this team is that we can win games when we don’t shoot the ball well or don’t shoot many threes,” Hart said. “(Brunson) can have a bad game, or (Karl-Anthony Towns) can have a bad game, or whoever, but we have enough depth and talent to win games.”
The Knicks have won 16 of their last 20 games, including 10 of their 12 games this month.
Their success has also been strong on the road this season. New York is 11-6 away from home, tied for the second-most road wins in the NBA, and has won its last six road games.
After struggling defensively earlier in the season, the Knicks have improved in recent weeks. Forward Mikal Bridges said the team remains focused on making small improvements.
“I think we just look at each other and see if we’re getting better or not. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Bridges said. “I think we took a jump this month. Every day we just keep trying to get better. We want to win, that’s the main goal, but sometimes just getting better is what we’re looking for.”
The Knicks have won their last six games against Washington, including a 134-106 victory at home on Nov. 18. In that game, Brunson had 26 points and 11 assists.
The Wizards earned their fifth win of the season on Thursday, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 113-110. Jordan Poole’s 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left was the game-winner.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve been the man for the moment,” Poole said. “I make big shots all the time. Credit to the coaching staff for putting the ball in my hands.”
Poole had 25 points, and Bilal Coulibaly added 20 for Washington, which remains last in the Eastern Conference standings. The Wizards had six players score in double figures against the Hornets.
“Wasn’t always very pretty for either team, but that’s the way high-level basketball games can go,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said. “Who’s going to grind out the games? Who’s going to dive on the floor? Who’s going to win the loose-ball battles? We made some really key plays down the stretch.”
Washington’s Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain) will miss his second straight game on Saturday, and Kyle Kuzma (left rib strain) will sit out for the 12th game in a row. Poole is listed as questionable due to a left hip contusion.
If Poole is unavailable, the Wizards will need more scoring from players like Coulibaly, Malcolm Brogdon, and Corey Kispert.
In his second season with Washington, Poole is averaging a team-high 21.3 points, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three in 26 games.
