WASHINGTON — This time, it was less dramatic.
The Knicks didn’t need a double-nickel or a late comeback Monday to conquer the Wizards, instead getting a balanced attack, a triple-double gem from Josh Hart and a late scoring explosion from Karl-Anthony Towns for a 126-106 win at Capital One Arena.
It was the eighth straight win for the streaking Knicks (23-10), who finished 12-2 in December and are just a half-game behind the Celtics for second in the East.
Hart was the catalyst Monday with an injection of everything against the Wizards.
He finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Two days after dropping 55 points in the same arena, Brunson contributed just 18 in 36 minutes while shooting a disappointing 6 for 17 from the field — including 1 for 6 from beyond the arc.
The Knicks, nonetheless, created separation in the second half and never looked back.
Their 13-5 run in the final three minutes of the third period, highlighted by five points and a steal from Hart, took the will out of the overmatched Wizards (5-25).
Hart, the Swiss Army performer, was subbed out with a minute remaining to a standing ovation from the pro-Knicks crowd in DC.
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Towns finished with 32 points and 13 boards in 32 minutes despite going 0 for 3 from beyond the arc.
He took off in the second half, highlighting the performance with a one-handed jam with 4:20 remaining for two of his 21 points in the second half.
OG Anunoby, on the first anniversary of his trade with the Knicks, added 18 points in 34 minutes with eight rebounds.
Interestingly, he removed the wrapping on his surgically repaired elbow in the second half and shot better.
The Wizards returned Kyle Kuzma, who hadn’t played since mid-November because of a rib injury.
But the forward only logged 21 minutes with nine points.
The Knicks outrebounded Washington.
There was a scary moment in the third quarter.
Bub Carrington, the 19-year-old Wizards rookie, was wheelchaired to the locker room after colliding with a Knicks player and falling on the court, holding his head.
He was ruled out for the rest of the game with a post-traumatic headache, according to a Wizards spokesman.
