New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 23, 2019 ) Washington 121, New York 115

The New York Knicks are showing some fight on the road of late, a trend they'll try to maintain when they visit an injury-ravaged Washington Wizards team on Saturday night. The Knicks split their last eight games following a 4-20 start and three of the wins during the 4-4 stretch came away from home, with Thursday's 94-82 triumph at Brooklyn perhaps the most impressive.

"We were just sharp," forward Julius Randle told reporters after New York held the Nets to 27 percent shooting, the lowest mark in the NBA this season. "To hold that team to 82 points, 14 points in the paint, is just really, really sharp. We grinded the whole way, played a complete basketball game and we got the win." The Wizards picked up a 121-115 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday before suffering a 30-point loss at Detroit on Thursday in a game that saw star guard Bradley Beal exit with a leg issue. "We'll see how he feels [Friday] and evaluate it," coach Scott Brooks told reporters. "He wanted to keep playing, but the bottom line is we were down a big number, so it's wise to let him sit out the rest of the game." Beal scored 30 points in the recent win at New York and he entered Friday fifth in the NBA in scoring (27.8).

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE KNICKS (8-24): Randle has settled in nicely in his first season in New York and scored 33 points on 14-of-26 shooting at Brooklyn after putting up 35 in the loss to the Wizards. Fellow forward Marcus Morris returned from a one-game layoff due to a sore left Achilles and finished with 22 points. Mitchell Robinson produced 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench while recording the Knicks' only two blocked shots to help fuel the strong defensive effort.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (9-20): Beal joins a growing list of injured Washington players as each of the team's top scorers behind him - Davis Bertans, Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura, Isaiah Thomas and Moritz Wagner - all missed Thursday's loss for one reason or another. Bertans (quad) is expected out a few more days while Hachimura (groin) will be re-evaluated before Saturday's tilt. Thomas has completed a two-game suspension for confronting a fan in Philadelphia and will provide a much-needed body against the Knicks.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wizards SG Troy Brown Jr. scored a career-high 26 points against the Knicks earlier in the week.

2. Knicks rookie SG RJ Barrett is shooting 34.8 percent from the floor in December after going 2-for-10 at Brooklyn.

3. Washington's starters combined for 31 points on 10-of-39 shooting at Detroit.

PREDICTION: Knicks 112, Wizards 110