WASHINGTON _ Jeff Hornacek acknowledged that making Emmanuel Mudiay the Knicks starting point guard after just three games with the team may not have been the right move.
Hornacek wasn't acting entirely alone. He indicated that it was an organizational decision to name Mudiay the starter over Trey Burke and rookie Frank Ntilikina to see what he could do. Mudiay was inconsistent if not disappointing in his 14 starts.
But Hornacek made a switch Sunday, starting Burke and Ntilikina in the backcourt for the first time. The move worked as Burke continued his solid play and sparked a 101-97 Knicks' victory over the Wizards.
In his first start in three years, Burke scored 19 points, including four in the last 35 seconds to help lift the Knicks (27-47) to just their fourth victory in 23 games. With the Knicks down 95-94, Burke drove, scored and was fouled. His three-point play with 35 seconds left gave the Knicks the lead for good.
"It feels good to be back in the starting lineup, running a franchise," Burke said. "I'm going to look forward to build off of it."
Eight Knicks scored in double figures. Courtney Lee, who Ntilikina replaced in the starting lineup, scored 13. Michael Beasley had 12. But Ntilikina struggled. He was just 1-for-6 with two points in 21 minutes.
Mudiay, who was acquired from Denver Feb. 8, played his best game in several weeks. He had 11 points, had seven assists and six rebounds as a reserve.
The Knicks are in the evaluation portion of the season, which was why Mudiay had been starting. Hornacek said the Knicks already had a feel for Burke and Ntilikina.
"We all knew that we wanted to look at him," Hornacek said. "That's why we traded for him. Is it good? Maybe after the fact, you say, 'We put him in a tough situation.' Some guys can just pop in there and go right to it."
As a starter Mudiay averaged 9.0 points and 4.1 assists and shot 36 percent from the field. The Knicks went 3-11, and Mudiay was a minus-108. Hornacek said he wasn't as troubled by Mudiay's offense as his defense.
"He's done a good job for us," Hornacek said. "One thing we wanted to get on him about is to pick up the defense. He's got the size. He's got the strength for it, just to put that full effort out.
"This league is full of great point guards. We have to have guys that can put some pressure on those guys when they come off pick and rolls."
What this season has shown is the Knicks still need a point guard.
Burke has played well, and should be the starter going into next season unless the Knicks acquire a better one in the offseason.
If the Knicks, who currently own the NBA's ninth-worst record, pick around the nine range they could be in position to draft Oklahoma's Trae Young or Alabama's Collin Sexton. Otherwise they could look for a point guard in a trade or through free agency.
"As we go forward we'll change lineups, who comes off the bench, who starts, it doesn't really matter," Hornacek said. "We're trying to get the young guys enough playing minutes that they can all have that experience and try to grow from playing."
