4 studs and 1 (semi) dud from Knicks' dominant preseason win over lowly Wizards

The night after The Rizzler balled out at MSG during the team's Tip-off Event, the New York Knicks won their first home preseason game. Coincidence? No.

New York's starting five started strong, jumping out to a 16-4 lead. Karl-Anthony Towns' shots weren't falling (yet), and the Knicks' defense made it difficult for the Wizards to run their offense. Washington managed to claw its way back into the game but ultimately didn't have enough gas to keep up with New York.

Several Knicks played well, but four performances stood out more than the others.

Stud: Karl-Anthony Towns

KAT started cold from the field, but he finished with a game-high 25 points (7-of-20 shooting), 12 rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal in 28 minutes. His +/- of +24 was the second-highest on the team. Considering he hadn't practiced with the Knicks this time last week, the big man looked good in his first two preseason outings.

Stud: Mikal Bridges

Are you beginning to understand why the Knicks sent the Nets five first-round picks and a pick swap for Mikal Bridges? It's just the preseason, but he was a madman on defense. Bridges and OG Anunoby disrupting offenses will be a lot of fun to watch when the real fun begins.

Bridges finished with 16 points (6-of-11 shooting), five rebounds, and three steals. He had good reason to be pleased with his performance.

Stud: Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson posted 23 points (7-of-10 shooting), three rebounds, three assists, and one steal in the win for a team-high +/- of +26. He shot 6-of-9 from the field in the first half for 17 points. As Clyde said, vintage Brunson was out there. There's a reason people believe the star guard could win NBA MVP in 2024-25 (subscription required).

Stud: Tyler Kolek

Remember over the summer when SNY's Ian Begley reported that Tyler Kolek would be ahead of Cam Payne on the depth chart? The rookie was a Summer League standout, and he's carried that energy over to New York's first two preseason games. He led the bench with 15 points (6-of-10 shooting), five assists, two steals, and two rebounds.

It's still early, but fans are already calling for Kolek to be in Tom Thibodeau's rotation. The four seasons the 23-year-old spent in college served him well. He's the floor general the Knicks need when Brunson's on the bench.

Semi-dud: Jericho Sims

Two weeks ago, New York fans thought Jericho Sims would be the team's backup center behind Precious Achiuwa. Oh, how things have changed. Sims is entering his fourth season in the league and is fighting for a rotation spot.

To be fair, Sims hurt his ankle in Wednesday's game and was limited to only two minutes, but he didn't look like he was anywhere close to backup center material. Hopefully, his injury isn't serious, and fans will get to see more of him in the team's remaining preseason games. Sims still has a lot to prove.