Guards John Wall and Bradley Beal spearheaded a defensive surge with steals that they turned into dunks during a third-quarter burst Wednesday night, helping the Washington Wizards turn back the New York Knicks 121-103.

The Wizards (22-16) completed a 3-0 homestand by limiting the Knicks to seven points in the first 10 1/2 minutes of the third quarter while they turned a one-point halftime advantage into an 87-70 lead.

Wall had eight points, Marcin Gortat seven and Beal six in the decisive 23-7 run, during which the Knicks missed 13 of their 16 shots and committed six turnovers.

Wall accounted for one of the turnovers, stealing a Kristaps Porzingis pass and converting it into a dunk in the second minute of the period, pushing the Washington advantage to 68-63. Beal did the same to Jarrett Jack, stealing the ball and racing downcourt for a dunk that made it a 79-66 game at the 7:47 mark of the period.

The lead grew to 17 three minutes later, after which the Knicks got no closer than 11 in the third period and 10 on two occasions late in the game.

The loss was the fourth in five games for the Knicks (18-20) during a stretch in which they will play six of seven on the road.

Beal finished with game-high 27 points, Wall 25 and Gortat 21 for the Wizards, who shot 59.3 percent from the field. Markieff Morris added 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Wizards, who have won five in a row at home.

Michael Beasley had 20 points off the bench for the Knicks, who were facing the Wizards for the first time this season. Porzingis was held to 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting, and he committed three of the Knicks' 14 turnovers.

Kyle O'Quinn (13), Enes Kanter (12), Jack (10) and Doug McDermott (10) also scored in double figures for New York, which began the night tied with Atlanta and Utah for the fewest road wins in the NBA with three.

O'Quinn had a team-high 10 rebounds off the bench in his double-double.

The Wizards led by eight and the Knicks by nine in a high-scoring first half that ended with Washington holding a 64-63 advantage.

--Field Level Media