Wizards-Knicks Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON

(AP) -- The New York Knicks have a long history with Christmas Day, playing in the NBA's first game on the holiday and making the most appearances.

They're hoping to avoid some unwanted history this Christmas - their longest single-season home losing streak - when they face the Washington Wizards.

The Knicks began what's now a tradition for the league in 1947 and are set to play their 50th Christmas game Thursday. Among the highlights are Bernard King's then-franchise record 60-point outburst in 1984, an effort that was topped by Carmelo Anthony with 62 on Jan. 24.

New York enters this Christmas - its sixth consecutive appearance on the holiday - on pace for the worst finish in franchise history and having lost 15 of 16. The Knicks (5-25) have also dropped seven in a row at home, matching the single-season franchise record.

They have lost eight straight at Madison Square Garden just once, but that was across two seasons from March 28-Nov. 9, 1985.

New York returns home after giving up its most points this season in a 118-108 loss to Toronto on Sunday.

"It's a nightmare," guard J.R. Smith said. "You've just got to wake up from it and hopefully just try to figure it out and turn it around. Whatever it takes."

It's unknown if Smith will end his seven-game absence due to an ailing left heel, but the Knicks could get Amare Stoudemire back from a two-game rest for the matchup against the Wizards (19-8).

Washington will seek a fifth consecutive win over New York and fourth in a row at MSG.

The Wizards will also try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season after dropping back-to-back home games.

They had another subpar shooting effort - 42.7 percent - in a 99-91 loss to Chicago on Tuesday after connecting at 41.0 percent in a 104-92 loss to Phoenix on Sunday. Those defeats followed a six-game win streak during which Washington shot 50.0 percent and averaged 105.8 points.

The Wizards are playing six of their next seven on the road, including a season-high five-game trip that begins Monday.

"We've lost two in a row here at home so we've got to somewhere, somehow try to find ways to make it up on the road," forward Paul Pierce said. "We've got a tough road ahead of us. It would have been great to get the two at home. We didn't so we've got a challenge ahead of us. It's really going to test us this next couple of weeks."

The Wizards won 98-83 on Nov. 4 in the only matchup with the Knicks this season despite missing Bradley Beal, who was recovering from wrist surgery. Beal is averaging 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in his last four games against New York.

Anthony had one of his worst games of the season against Washington, missing 15 of 23 shots and finishing with 18 points. He's averaging 28.3 points in his last four games and has scored at least 32 in all three of his appearances on Christmas.