Knicks hold on to beat Wizards after nearly blowing another lead

WASHINGTON — Julius Randle had posted on his Instagram account Friday a video of a funny conversation in which he asked his 6-year-old son, Kyden, what grade the youngster would give the Knicks a shade past the midpoint of the regular season. 

When Kyden replied that he would assess his father’s team a grade of “C,” Randle joked, “Tough critic, lol, looks like we got some work to do.” 

Much of that work has to do with closing out double-digit leads, of course, but the Knicks held on for a 112-108 victory over the Wizards at Capital One Arena on Friday night after nearly squandering a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. 

Jalen Brunson netted 34 points with eight assists while Randle contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds as the Knicks improved to 13-8 on the road this season, trailing just the Celtics and the Nets in road victories (14 apiece). 

Immanuel Quickley added 18 points and RJ Barrett finished with 17 for the Knicks, with each of them converting a three-point play for a 94-79 lead 3:30 into the fourth quarter. 

Kyle Kuzma’s “and-1” play and his driving layup drew the Wizards back within three with 27.0 seconds remaining. Randle missed one of two free throws and then committed a foul on a 3-point attempt by Kuzma, who knocked down two of three for a 108-106 score with 16.6 ticks on the clock. 

Brunson coolly sank four free throws in the final 13.3 seconds for the Knicks, who have won six of seven following a five-game losing skid for a 24-19 overall record. 

Kuzma finished with 40 points and former Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis had 21 on 6 of 19 shooting for the Wizards (18-25), slightly below his 22.0-point scoring average for the season. 

Porzingis missed his first five attempts, but the Knicks started the game 2-for-14 from the field and trailed 12-5 seven minutes in. Consecutive driving buckets by Quickley and Randle and a three-point play by Brunson evened the score and ignited a 12-0 run but the Knicks trailed 21-19 after one. 

Kuzma netted nine points in the first six minutes of the second quarter as Washington extended its lead to eight, but a late 3-pointer by Brunson drew the Knicks within 53-50 at intermission. He led the Knicks with 13 first-half points, with Randle scoring 12 and Quickley contributing 11 off the bench. 

Kuzma finished the half with 18 for the Wizards, who have been without leading scorer Bradley Beal (hamstring) for the past four games. 

The Knicks retook the lead on Quentin Grimes’ triple 3:12 into the third, and Randle’s posterizing dunk…