WASHINGTON – Jalen Brunson provided the box score with his double-nickel Saturday, but Precious Achiuwa was responsible for the most exciting – and celebrated – play in the 136-132 overtime victory over the Wizards.

With about 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Achiuwa received a pass from Landry Shamet in transition and set up Washington’s Kyshawn George with a high-flying, one-handed jam.

The Knicks bench began a wild celebration, clearing the bench and surrounding a serious-looking Achiuwa.

“They went crazy,” Achiuwa said. “I don’t know how they couldn’t get technology out of this. Everyone was on the pitch. It was a cool moment.”

Achiuwa, who said he always tries to remain emotionless after dunks, finished the game with just three points in 19 minutes.

But he provided the top-10 play moment.

“That gave us great energy in the first half,” Josh Hart said. “He’s a crazy athlete. We need to see this a little more.”

Surprisingly, the liveliest reveler was OG Anunoby, who chased Achiuwa after the dunk.
“I didn’t really see it,” Hart said. “I did my own little reaction.”

It’s bad for the Knicks that the Wizards are so bad.

After plundering their assets to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks are still left with the protected first-round pick over their opponent – the 5-24 Wizards – on Saturday and Monday nights.

The pick, acquired as part of complex 2022 trades to give up Kemba Walker’s contract and make room to sign Brunson, is protected in the top 10 in 2025.

Since Washington sits at the end of the East, this can very likely be conveyed.

If this is not the case in the next draft, the pick in 2026 will be protected in the top eight. If he doesn’t by 2026, he becomes two second-round picks.

The Wizards, tied to bad contracts with Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma, are nowhere near a contender or a turnaround.

But they gave the Knicks a scare on Saturday behind Justin Champagnie’s 31 points.