Against the New York Knicks, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. and the Washington Wizards gave a nearly perfect clinic on how to tank.
They sat veterans with various aches and pains, including Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Kuzma and Monte Morris — four of their usual five starters. They played the kids (more on that in a moment), even giving rookie Johnny Davis his first start. They put on what Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen called a “scrappy” first half.
And then, they got their doors blown off in the second half until a garbage time run brought the final margin down to a respectable nine points.