After one half of play at Verizon Center, the Washington Wizards have a one point lead over the New York Knicks. The Wizards enjoyed a 16 point lead early in the second quarter, building on their best offensive quarter of the season - scoring 32 points over the first twelve minutes against the porous New York defense. The Knicks, however, went on a 22-7 run to get right back in the game and cut it to just a one point advantage as the teams went to the locker room.
Nick Young paced the Wizards in their big first quarter with 12 points. He was a perfect two for two from behind the arc as New York's backcourt had no answers on the defensive end. Much like his team, he slowed down a bit in the second quarter and finished the half 14 points. Washington was plagued by turnovers at the end of the half, committing three in a row on their final possessions as the Knicks finished off their run.
Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 21 points on a hefty 16 first half attempts from the floor. New York has been cold from outside, missing all of their attempts from downtown thus far as they worked their way back from that miserable first quarter.
Washington will need the final half to go more the way of the first quarter if they want to pull out their first win of the season on Friday.
For more on the Wizards, please visit Bullets Forever, SB Nation's Wizards blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation New York and Posting and Toasting, SB Nation's Knicks blog.