A Win.

After not playing in 81 days, Tyler Kolek became the first Knick in franchise history to tally at least seven assists and three steals without committing a turnover in a single quarter.

Final Score: Knicks 122 - Wizards 103
Record: 44-26

The Knicks should have destroyed the woebegone Wizards. Washington has the league's worst record and was on the second night of a back-to-back. New York was at home, rested, and surely chomping at the bit to redeem themselves after the worst two-game stretch of the season.

In the first half, the faithful fans at MSG got precisely what they were expecting. Midway through the first frame, the Knicks built a double-digit advantage and were up by 25 at the end of the second quarter.

However, after extending their lead to 30 points in the third, New York allowed the tanking Wizards to creep back into the contest. Part of this was due to the 'Bockers taking their foot off the gas, but Washington also made some ridiculous shots. Fortunately for New York, the Wiz re-inserted their kids, and the Knicks stars took over down the stretch.

The hope heading into the game was that New York's overworked starters would be able to rest over the final 15+ minutes. That didn't happen, but ultimately, the home team walked away with a desperately needed victory.

It was a relatively ugly win, but it should help tamp down the temperature in and around the organization, which was close to reaching a boiling point, for at least a few days.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished the contest with a game-high 31 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, one assist, two steals, one block and one three-pointer in 37 minutes. All evening, he overwhelmed and overpowered Washington's rookie center, Alex Sarr. Although he missed four of his five 3PT attempts, KAT shot 10-of-20 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line.

OG Anunoby helped Towns seal the deal, racking 23 points, three assists, two steals and four three-pointers. He was impressively efficient on the offensive end, shooting 8-of-12 from the floor, 4-of-5 from downtown and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.

Mikal Bridges tallied 27 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block and four three-pointers. Most of his damage came in the first half, including a scorching hot streak in the second quarter.

Yet, the most interesting and consequential takeaway from this contest was the Knicks' point guard play.

Miles McBride, who had been starting in place of Jalen Brunson, was initially listed as questionable for the contest due to a groin contusion before being ruled out before tip-off. As it turns out, Deuce may be dealing with strain (more on that in a bit).

Cameron Payne was elevated to the starting lineup and helped get New York off to a solid start in the first quarter.

Then, something outlandish happened at the start of the second quarter: Tyler Kolek set foot on an NBA court. Based on what we'd been told about Kolek and how he was undoubtedly incapable of helping an NBA, I thought the Knicks would be forced to forfeit the game immediately. I was shocked the organization didn't fall apart the minutes he took off his warmups. Somehow, they allowed the contest to continue with a rookie in the game for New York.

Well, not only did the Knicks avoid hemorrhaging points and squandering their lead, but they played one of their more aesthetically pleasing quarters of the season. The ball was moving, players were cutting, and the Knicks were scoring. New York scored 35 points, shooting over 48% from the floor and 60% from downtown.

They also played well defensively, holding the Wizards to just 20 points (the fewest Washington scored in any quarter last night).

Kolek was on the floor for all 12 minutes of the 2Q. All he did was register seven assists and three steals without committing a single turnover.

Here are his seven dimes, which came in a seven-minute span:

Incredibly, according to Basketball Reference data (which dates back to the start of the 199-97 season), Kolek is the first and only Knicks to tally at least seven assists and three steals without committing a turnover in a single quarter.

He would see only six minutes of action in the second half, finishing with four points and a team-high eight dimes vs. zero TOs. He's just the third Knick in the last 30+ years with 8+ helpers and no turnovers in less than 20 minutes (joining Baron Davis and Greg Anthony).

Kolek led all NBA reserves in assists last night. The only players to dish out at least eight dimes were Trey Young, Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Giddey and Jimmy Butler.

The Knicks rookie had 21 "assist points created" vs. Washington, as five of his assists were on three-point baskets. The only player with more than 20 points created off assists in less than 30 minutes last night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

It's also worth noting that Kolek's teammates missed shots off some of his best passes. Per NBA tracking data, he has 10 potential assists in 18 minutes.

Look, Kolek is obviously nowhere near the same level as the players mentioned above. And we can't make too much out of a quarter-and-a-half against the worst team in the NBA. But it's impossible to have watched him operate the offense flawlessly last night and claim Kolek is utterly incapable of playing a few minutes here and there.

Remember, this is Kolek's first real run since January 1st. He had not played a second in the first half of a game since New Year's Day, 81 days ago. It's not easy for any player to knock off the rust after sitting out for three months and look that comfortable on an NBA court.

It's to something we've said about this kid since his Summer League debut. He's always in control and has a knack for putting his teammates in a position to succeed. Kolek also showcased his ability to positively impact the game during the preseason, when he was impressively productive (averaging 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 3.0 made three-pointers per-36 minutes).

There's a reason why the Knicks front office felt comfortable signing him to the highest-paying contract for a second-round pick in NBA history.

All this is why it's ridiculous that Kolek's head coach refused to play him for the past three months, especially after the team's starting point guard injured his ankle.

Will Kolek post a perfect 8-to-0 AST-to-TO ratio every night? No.

Will opponents look to exploit him defensively? Yes.

But Kolek still can help his team win ball games. Passing is a significant skill in basketball. The ability to see the floor, find shooters, know which guys have a hot hand, and then hit them in their shooting pocket is not easy. Only so few people on the planet excel at this specific task. Tyler Kolek, the guy who led the nation in assists as a senior at Marquette, is one of those persons. And Tyler Kolek is the best passer on the Knicks.

Does he have flaws? Yes.

But will the pros outweigh the cons most nights? Probably.

And that's why he should have been seeing consistent minutes this season. The common refrain from those who argued Kolek should remain shackled to the bench was that he wouldn't “save the Knicks season,” as if that was a valid reason for a guy not to see a few minutes each half.

Not only would giving Kolek reps in December/January have helped New York now that two injuries have forced Tom Thibodeau's hand in March, but it would have allowed Jalen Brunson and other starters a bit more much-needed rest over the first five months of the season.

After a tremendous first quarter last night vs. Washington, Cam Payne cooled off in the second half but did a solid job pushing the pace throughout the game. He finished the game shooting 4-of-12 en route to 13 points with four rebounds, seven assists, one steal and three three-pointers in 30 minutes.

Assuming McBride missed additional time, one could argue that Kolek should start games for New York, with Payne coming off the bench, a role he has held all season. This would allow the Knicks to hide Kolek's defensive deficiencies by playing him alongside Bridges, Hart, and OG more frequently. In addition, Kolek is a better catch-and-shoot three-point shooter than Payne, increasing the spacing for the rest of the starters. Payne is a better gunner off the dribble and more comfortable creating scoring opportunities for himself on the second unit.

However, partly because Kolek has been buried on the bench since Christmas, it's dubious that Thibs inserts a rookie into the starting lineup.

The other advantage to playing Kolek far more often earlier this season is New York could have experimented with different lineup combinations. Deuce is a 3-and-D wing in a point guard's body. He should have been playing alongside Kolek at times. Even Payne is more of a scoring PG. He and Kolek could have shared the floor occasionally in certain situations.

Given how poorly Landry Shamet has played recently, these types of lineups would warrant serious consideration. A decent sample size from which to cull data would be beneficial.

The most frustrating part is the misconception that Kolek needs to be "better" than Payne, Shamet, etc., to see the floor. Thibs should not use an 8-man or 9-man rotation most nights (certainly not on the back end of a back-to-back). If Thibodeau was playing 10 or 11 guys in the dog days of winter, the starters would have more tread on their tires.

Lastly, getting an extended look at Kolek over six months instead of six games would have provided Leon Rose with additional information.

To use a baseball analogy, September call-ups in MLB are essential not only because they help young players get some seasoning and experience in the big show but also because they allow the front office to make more informed decisions regarding free agency and the draft during the offseason.

Other Takeaways and Knicks Notes:

🏀 The Knicks provided an update on Jalen Brunson's sprained right ankle yesterday, announcing that he is doing controlled court work and his status will be updated in approximately one week.

Coach Thibodeau added that JB is making "good, steady progress."

New York has four games left in March before closing out the season with eight contests in April.

It's worth noting that The Captain has played in 61 games thus far this season. In order to qualify for the NBA's All-NBA Team and regular season awards (such as Most Clutch Player), he'll have to appear in 65 contests. If I had to speculate, I'd guess JB returns to action on April 5th (a Saturday afternoon matchup vs. Atlanta) and then plays in three of NY's five remaining contests, skipping two as they are part of back-to-back sets. That gets him to 65.

🏀 CP of KnicksFanTV tweeted last night that McBride will "miss multiple games with a groin strain." As noted above, if Deuce is dealing with a strain instead of a contusion, that certainly changes things.

First and foremost, he probably shouldn't have played in Thursday's loss to Charlotte, as it was clear he was far from 100%. Deuce was limping and dragging his leg at times during the contest.

Secondly, expect the Knicks' medical staff to err on the side of caution. Groin strains can linger if not healed properly, and you don't want this issue to impact McBride during the postseason.

Keep ready, Kolek.

🏀 New York ranks near the bottom of the league in PACE this season, averaging just 98 possessions per game. However, with Payne and Kolek at the controls last night, they wisely looked to push whenever possible. Without being able to rely on Brunson to get buckets in the halfcourt, the Knicks need to increase opportunities in transition before defenses can get set.

In Saturday's victory over the Wizards, they scored 21 fast-break points (six above their season's average) and played at a 105 PACE.

🏀 Standings Update:

• The Pacers welcomed back Tyrese Haliburton, who missed the team's previous three games due to an injured back, on Saturday but still received a scare from Brooklyn. However, Indiana held on to beat the Nets. They remain three games in back of the Knicks.

• The Bucks got a solid road win in Sacramento last night behind 32 points and 17 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dame Lillard missed his second straight game due to a right calf injury. Milwaukee trails New York by four games.

• The Pistons are 5.5 games behind the Knicks but just two games behind the Bucks in the loss column. They host the Pelicans on Sunday and the Spurs on Tuesday.

🏀 Down on the Farm:
Moses Brown was dominant in Westchester's victory over College Park on Friday night. The 7-2 center scored 27 points (on 9-of-13 shooting) and ripped down 28 rebounds, becoming the first-ever G-League Knick to tally 25+ points and 25+ boards in the same game.

You'd think he'd be more valuable to the big club than PJ Tucker. It's worth noting here that New York has been outscored by 90 points in the 450 minutes Precious Achiuwa has logged over the past two months. He is the Knicks' only rotation regular with a negative Net Rating this season.

In that same contest on Friday, Kevin McCullar Jr. racked up 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. It was the second-straight triple-double for the Knicks second-round pick. Pacome Dadiet chipped in 10 points, five dimes and a career-high 14 rebounds for Westchester.

I'd say Thibs should give one of these young wings some minutes over the season's final few weeks (like every other team will do with their draft picks), but…

🏀 Next Up:
Knicks vs. Mavs on Tuesday night (7:30 tip)

The Bockers will have two days off at home before returning to MSG Tuesday evening.

The Mavs had lost nine of ten before beating the Pistons on Friday. Dallas has been decimated by injuries this season and had just nine players eligible to suit up vs. Detroit. All nine played in the game. Spencer Dinwiddie scored a season-high 31 points, and P.J. Washington Jr. added 27.

New York will also have a rest advantage for Tuesday's matchup, as the Mavs play in Brooklyn on Monday night.

Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture) and Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain) all practiced Friday with the G League's Texas Legends, but coach Jason Kidd did not provide a timetable for their return.