The New York Knicks have ruled out veteran point guard Dennis Smith Jr. for the team’s upcoming matchup with the Washington Wizards.
This Saturday night, the New York Knicks will travel to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Wizards. New York will be looking to improve after a big win over the crosstown rival-Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks defeated them at the Barclays Center on Thursday by a score of 94-82.
In their next matchup though, New York will be without one of their veteran guards. The team’s public relations department announced via Twitter that Dennis Smith Jr. will sit with a strained left oblique.
Injury Report for tomorrow’s game at Washington: Questionable: Ellington (sore left Achilles) and Robinson (sprained left great toe); Out: Bullock (cervical disc herniation) and Smith Jr. (strained left oblique).
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) December 27, 2019
This will be the second consecutive game in which DSJ is sidelined. He sat for the win over the Nets with the same type of injury.
Thus far on the year, Smith Jr. is experiencing a very rough and injury-plagued campaign. He’s averaging 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists through 21 games. DSJ is shooting 32.5% from the field and 29.3% from behind the arc.
Most of these numbers differ from the 21 games he played with the Knicks last season. In his time in New York after the Dallas Mavericks traded him, he averaged 14.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 41.3% shooting from the field and 28.9% from behind the arc.
Also, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, other ballclubs believe DSJ wants out of New York. It’s unclear if the Knicks would deal him and what they would desire in return. It may not be much though due to his low and inconsistent production.
