Knicks clinch playoff spot with 118-109 win over the Wizards

The Knicks clinched their playoff berth with an impressive 118-109 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Quentin Grimes and Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Knicks, scoring 27 points each, with Grimes going 6-11 from beyond the arc, while Immanuel Quickley added 22 points and Obi Toppin chipped in 21 buckets.

“The ball was moving. We were just out there, just having fun, moving the ball and just playing freely.”

– Obi Toppin

The Knicks have now won four games in a row, including both games since losing their All-Star Julius Randle to a sprained left ankle.

The Knicks were also without RJ Barrett due to a non-COVID illness, but it didn’t seem to bother them as they overcame a 10-point deficit in the second quarter and a 61-53 halftime deficit to outscore the Wizards 33-18 in the third quarter.

They took a commanding 20-point lead, 114-94, with just 2:34 remaining in the game. The Knicks dominated the paint, outscoring the Wizards 64-38.

The Wizards were led by Corey Kispert with 29 points and Johnny Davis with 16 points.

Former Knick Taj Gibson also contributed 14 points off the bench, making four three-pointers after having made only four in all previous games. The Wizards played without Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Kuzma, and Bradley Beal.

This win puts the Knicks in a comfortable position, and they are looking forward to the playoffs. With three games left in the regular season, the Knicks are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the Cavs and 3 games ahead of the Nets.

Up-next: The Knicks (46-33) will travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday to take on the 34-45 Pacers, who will miss the playoffs for the third straight time. Game starts at 7:00pm.