7:30 PM EST | Barclays Center

TV: MSG Network

Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

5 Things To Know:

1. Last night, the short-handed Knicks fell to the hottest team in the Eastern Conference despite 26 points from Carmelo Anthony. The Wizards continued to roll by outscoring New York 32-22 in the third quarter en route to their 15th straight home win. Brandon Jennings started in place of Derrick Rose and finished with 21 points in the Knicks second consecutive defeat.

2. Rose missed his third straight contest on Tuesday night due to a sprained left ankle. Rose is out for the game in Brooklyn tonight but he’s hoping to join the team on the floor for Saturday’s showdown against Cleveland. Kristaps Porzingis also missed Tuesday’s game with an illness and is listed as questionable for the matchup against the Nets. The second-year power forward was a late scratch from the game and rookie Willy Hernangomez started in his spot. Hernangomez was solid, posting a double-double (15 points and 14 rebounds) in 32 minutes.

3. The Knicks are happy to put January in the rear-view mirror and look ahead to February. In January, New York played 17 games, faced eight teams in the playoff hunt, and participated in four back-to-backs. February’s schedule is less intense with 10 games and the All-Star break allowing for five days off from game action.

4. Brooklyn might share the Knicks sentiment to the month of January. In the first month of the new year, the Nets only compiled a 1-15 record, including six straight defeats heading into February. At 9-39, Brooklyn sits in the last spot in the overall NBA standings. The bright spot for the Nets is seven of those victories have occurred on their home floor where they play seven of their next eight games.

5. The first meeting between the two teams occurred in early November as Anthony dropped 14 of his 22 points in third quarter and Porzingis added 21 in the 110-96 win for the Knicks at MSG. After tonight’s matchup, both squads will square off on March 12 and the season series finale on March 16 at the Garden.