Scores/Recap – Page 5 – NEW YORK KNICKS LOYALIST

Knicks Bench Closes Out Magic 106-95

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It was a sloppy game filled with haphazard play, but the Knicks made key passes and shots when it mattered to take a comfortable 106-95 win over the Magic.

This isn’t a game you’ll see many highlight packages on. Carmelo Anthony only had 15 points on 5/17 shooting. Porzingis was 5/11 for just 11 points.

The bench was where this game was won. Brandon Jennings’ play proved contagious and had the Knicks bursting with energy. He dished for 12 assists in 22 minutes with Willy Hernangomez as the main target. The rookie hit five straight field goals during the fourth quarter and finished with 15 points and 5 rebounds. Kyle O’Quinn had another monster night with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks. The bearded Queens native was a one man army that outrebounded the combined efforts of Bismack Biyombo and Nikola Vucevic.

Derrick Rose had a weird night. Biyombo blocked no less than four of his shots in the first half. He wasn’t particularly aggressive in pushing the issue in the second half. And yet, when you look checked the scoreboard, he was finished with 19 points in 26 minutes.

A scary moment came early in the the fourth when Porzingis fell awkwardly off a missed layup. He limped off the court, but luckily suffered just a right knee contusion and was eligible to return.

Tonight’s win continues the Knicks’ dominance at home, where they’ve won 10 of their last 12. However, it shouldn’t be lost on us that the Knicks face a reality check against the Celtics on Christmas Day. Boston is #1 in our division and New York has not won a nationally televised game this season.

Knicks Big 3 Storms Back from 15-Point Deficit to Defeat Pacers 118-111

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Midway through the third quarter, the Knicks were down 15 points and staring at the possibility of a fourth straight loss. But our Big Three of Melo, Rose, and Porzingis ignited a maelstrom of fourth quarter offense, scoring 32 of the Knicks’ 34 points to subdue the Pacers at Madison Square Garden.

From starting the game shooting a putrid 32%, and letting the ghost of Al Jefferson light us up for 18 points (14 in the first half), it was a frustrating game until the Melo went insane from behind the arc. He was 3/4 in the third, scored 15 points total, and single-handedly got the Knicks back in it by slicing the 15-point deficit to 84-87 headed into the fourth.

His scoring was so needed that Coach Hornacek switched up the rotation and had Melo start the fourth. After a few minutes, he got a brief rest as Rose and KP came back in. A Porzingis trey would tie it at 99. Another would put the Knicks up 103-101, and a Rose floater made it 105-101 to cap a 14-2 run. By then Melo was back in and effectively ended Indy’s chances with another three-pointer to make it 114-105 with 2:57 remaining.

BIG THREE GOES CRAZY: Let’s look at these numbers a little closer, shall we? Melo had a season high 35 points, going a ridiculous 7/11 from downtown. Overall his was 13/25 from the field and 11 of those points came in the fourth. Derrick Rose had a slow start (1/5 in the first) marked by erratic passing (4 turnovers), but his fourth quarter penetration provided the open looks needed for KP and Melo to do damage. Rose finished with 24 points (50% FG) and 6 assists. And Porzingis not only provided scoring (21 points), but made some timely blocks at the rim in the fourth (3 for the game).

NOAH RESPONDS: A lot of Knick fans have called for Noah’s head during this losing streak. Only averaging 4 points on the season, the Knicks big man responded tonight with a high energy double double (11 points, 11 boards, 2 blocks). But what impressed me the most was Noah making consecutive free throws and ending up 3/4 from the line.

The Knicks still have a lot of ground to make up as the losing streak toppled them from third to sixth in the East. Next up is Orlando on Thursday, then an important Christmas Day showdown against the Celtics on Sunday.

Fun Fact — The Knicks are now 10-5 at home, good for the fifth best home record in the league.

Fresh HIGHLIGHTS from the #Knicks 15-point comeback win featuring @carmeloanthony’s 35 pres. by @budlight! #NYKvsIND pic.twitter.com/85Hk2lSc0B

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 21, 2016

Road Trip Failure: Nuggets 127, Knicks 114

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After choking in Phoenix and getting embarrassed on national TV by Golden State, the Knicks claimed they were viewing tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets as a “must-win.” It turned out to be all talk as the Knicks had one of their worst defensive showings of the season giving up 127 points. Finishing 2-3 on this road trip after starting 2-0, it wouldn’t be hyperbole to call this our worst stretch of basketball this year.

PATHETIC DEFENSE: The Nuggets had free rein in the paint, outscoring New York 68-32. You know the effort is atrocious when shooting deficient guys like Kenneth Faried (25, 10/11) and Emmanuel Mudiay (22, 10/15) torch you. The Nuggets scored at least 30 in every quarter as every starter hit double figures.

EVEN MORE PATHETIC OFFENSE: The Knicks shot 32% in the first and barely got over 40% for the game. Carmelo Anthony was the only Knick to shoot well, scoring 29 points on 10/14 shooting. Porzingis dropped 22, but was 7/19 (1/6 from downtown). The lone bright spot outside of Anthony was Willy Hernangomez, who made the most of his 28 minutes with 17 points and 10 boards.

SLIPPING POSITION: This loss drops the Knicks to 5th in the standings. Luckily, most of the other teams outside of Cleveland and Toronto are struggling .500 teams. That means if New York can get their act together (big if…), they’ll regain the #3 spot going into 2017.

WHERE WAS THE EFFORT?: Frankly, the Knicks just gave up. They never matched the energy of Denver even when they got the deficit to 4 early in the third quarter. They never had the desperation of a team looking to break a losing streak. The futility prompted a rare tantrum from Coach Hornacek when he threw a cup and clipboard during a huddle.

We can only hope coming back to New York will remind this group of their capabilities. They face Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.

https://youtu.be/lf4PorPWdIc

Undermanned Knicks No Match for Warriors, Lose 103-90

No Melo. No Rose. No chance. The Knicks came into this game without two of their best offensive players and were overwhelmed by the dazzling passing of Golden State in 103-90 loss at Oracle Arena.

To be competitive, the Knicks at the very least needed monster games from Kristaps Porzingis and Brandon Jennings. Unfortunately, the tight Warriors defense quickly showed that wasn’t on the cards for anyone wearing New York blue.

GREEN STILL A STEP-AHEAD OF KP: Porzingis had made much of wanting to improve after struggling twice against Draymond Green last year. This first meeting showed KP still has much to learn. Although Green had a bad shooting night (5 points, 2/12), he was a +18 on the night largely due to his assists (7) and rebouning (11). Porzingis airballed several times due to Green’s physical defense, and finished with a meek 8 points (4/15 shooting) and 5 rebounds.

SHARING MEANS DOMINATION: The Warriors destroyed the Knicks with 41 assists. The ball movement allowed Golden State to get repeated open shots on the perimeter and countless uncontested layups. Javale McGee got to camp out at the rim for easy lobs (17 points). If it wasn’t for Kevin Durant (17 points, 7/18) and Steph Curry (8 points, 3/14) having off shooting nights, this would have easily been another 30-point blowout loss. Klay Thompson lead all scorers with 25 points (4/10 from downtown)

YOUNG GUYS PLAYING HARD: The depleted roster meant a few guys got significant playing time. Ron Baker was 6/7 (13 points) in 23 minutes, and got a few compliments from Durant for his play. Justin Holiday had 15 points and Willy Hernangomez nearly notched a double double (8 points, 10 rebounds).

BAD TIMING: The bad game on Tuesday in Phoenix gives us back to back losses and drops our record to 14-12. The Knicks are still #3 in the East, but that position is perilous. Saturday’s game in Denver is now a must-win. We can only hope that Rose or Melo (hopefully both) will be ready to go.

https://youtu.be/NsEARGIaz6k

Knicks Falter in OT, Lose to Suns 113-111

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There was so much optimism coming into this game. We had a real chance to be 3-0 on this road trip headed into a difficult game on Thursday against Golden State. So what did the Knicks do? They played lethargic for most the game, get the lead, then choked away a 6-point cushion that results in a BS overtime loss.

There will be a strong desire to point fingers at the glaring culprits (Melo’s shooting and Jennings’ defense), but this loss goes deeper than that.

WAITING TOO LONG TO CARE: The Suns destroyed us in transition, holding a 33-8 edge in fast break points. Simply put, the Knicks just weren’t getting back on defense. In the second and third quarters, the Knicks went down by as much as 14. It wasn’t until the bench combination of Baker-Holiday-O’Quinn-Thomas-KP that New York got their offense together. You can credit a flagrant 1 committed by Marquese Chriss late in the third on Porzingis for finally getting the Knicks fired up.

BAKER OVERSTAYS HIS WELCOME: With Derrick Rose leaving in the first with back spasms and Jennings (3 points, 1-6) not playing well, Coach Hornacek turned to Ron Baker early in the fourth. The moved paid off immediately as the Suns racked up fouls and went into the penalty at the 9:18 mark.

A 19-4 run powered by Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn got New York a 95-91 lead. Then Baker showed his rookie decision-making. He blew a layup, made a bad pass for a turnover, and made an ill-advised one on one move to the basket. By the time he was pulled at the 1:40 mark, the game was tied.

MELO AND JENNINGS: I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed with these two. Melo was a horrific 3/15 (13 points). We saw the worst of Melo from airballs to getting stuffed at the rim by a guard in Devin Booker. With Jennings, he was a virtual turnstile on defense, allowing Bledsoe (31 points) to get to the rim at will. This resulted in KP fouling out and Bledsoe hitting the go-ahead OT jumper that sealed it.

KP and O’QUINN COULDN’T DO IT ALONE: These two nearly won the game. Porzingis had one of his best games — 34 points, 8 boards, 3 steals and 3 blocks. O’Quinn added 22 points and 14 boards. A key mistake from Hornacek was pulling Kyle in the fourth to get Melo back in during crunch time. That allowed Tyson Chandler (13 points, 23 rebounds) to crash the boards for second chance opportunities.

Let this be the game that’s a sobering reminder that we have a lot of work ahead. A good team has no business going life and death with the Phoenix Suns.

Porzingis and Rose Dominate Lakers, Knicks Win 118-112

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Make that 4 straight on the road. Kristaps Porzingis poured in 26 points while Derrick Rose chipped in 25 to lead New York over the Los Angeles Lakers.

I was worried about this game. Despite L.A. being on a five game losing streak, the three-point shot is their bread n’ butter via gunners Lou Williams and Nick Young. With New York’s sub par perimeter defense, this could have easily been a trap game. But the Knicks got contributions from every player, most notably a huge bench spark from Brandon Jennings to finally pull away in the fourth.

A RESTED AND DEADLY ROSE: Missing two games with back spasms appears to have put Rose back into MVP form. His mid-range floaters were unguardable as he stormed out to a 10 point first quarter. Yes, he only had two assists. But when you’re scorching from the field (12/16), no one will complain. It was fitting that a Rose bucket iced the game.

https://youtu.be/3XX-4Tov5Ts

A MONSTER ON BOTH ENDS: I think it’s safe to say Porzingis’ shooting slump is over. The “unicorn” wreaked havoc on the defensive by altering countless shots and serving 7 blocks. The paint was effectively closed, taking away much of Julius Randle’s effectiveness and forcing the Laker guards into long three pointers during the fourth.

How dominant was Porzingis? He is the first Knick since Patrick Ewing in 1997 to have 26 points, 12 boards and 7 blocks. KP was 8/15 from the field, including 3/4 from downtown. Not to mention, 7/9 from the free throw line.

https://youtu.be/GAScDa6ycRs

JENNINGS’ 1ST WIN AT STAPLES: It’s hard to believe, but before tonight Brandon Jennings (19 points) had never won a game at Staples Center. That might account for his determination when the Knicks gave up a 12-2 run to start the fourth and fell behind 86-87. Melo, who finished 4/16 from the field, couldn’t buy a bucket. The Knicks needed a spark and Jennings obliged with back to back treys and a beautiful fast break with Courtney Lee for a three-point play. Although the Lakers remained competitive, they never regained any momentum.

TEAM EFFORT: 118 points, which equals a season high, is very impressive considering Melo only had 13 points. With Kyle O’Quinn out with a sprained ankle, Willy Hernangomez stepped up huge with 6 points and 12 boards. Courtney Lee added 16 points (3/4 from downtown), and Justin Holiday had 9 points.

Melo’s shot wasn’t there, but he still proved valuable in his 38 minutes. He delivered a season-high 7 assists, grabbed 8 boards, and gave the Knicks some breathing room with a bassline jumper over Luol Deng in crunch time.

The Knicks look to make it 3-0 on this West Coast swing against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

https://youtu.be/xxnSoXJHjqA

Melo’s 33 Points Leads Knicks Past Kings 103-100

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Were you sweating bullets when Melo missed two free throws and Cousins put up that potential game-tying heave from past half-court? In years past, it would’ve been typical Knicks for this game to head into overtime. In 2016, the Knicks have the knack for winning close games as they overcame their inconsistent defense to defeat the Kings 103-100 in Sacramento.

MELO BOUNCES BACK: After a rough two days of deflecting Phil Jackson’s alleged “ball hog” comments and only managing 8 points in a blowout loss to the Cavs, Melo came out firing. He was 6/8 in a 15 point first quarter and had 23 by half-time. With Porzingis struggling, it was again on Melo’s shoulder to carry the scoring load.

Although he cooled off in the second half, he thrived from the free throw line (12/14 including two clutch ones to put New York up 103-100). It’s also important to not overlook Melo’s 7 boards and 4 assists. He made some beautiful passes out of double teams.

JENNINGS GIVES AND TAKETH AWAY: What an up and down game from Brandon Jennings in his second start. Offensively, most of his decision swere sound. He had 13 points on 50% shooting (5/10), and dished out 7 assists. But he also had some highly dubious moments. In the third with the Knicks up seven and trying to pull away, Jennings had back to back bonehead turnovers for easy layups. From there the game turned into a dogfight.

Worst of all was an airball free throw. However, Jennings atoned for his sins with two clutch ones in the fourth. Without him, we lose this game.

O’QUINN AND NOAH: DeMarcus Cousins didn’t have his three-point shooting tonight (0/6), but he ran amuck in the paint to the tune of 28 points and 12 rebounds. But our tandem of O’Quinn and Noah made him work and put their own stamps on the game. O’Quinn was so good last night that Hernangomez didn’t see the floor. Along with 8 points, O’Quinn snatched down 11 boards (5 offensive).

Noah added 9 boards and 2 blocks, but his biggest contribution was at the free throw line. With 2:09 remaining, the Kings held a 98-97 lead and tried the “Hack a Noah” strategy. Noah made them pay by hitting both free throws and New York never trailed again. A moment like that should be a huge confidence boost.

COME BACK SOON, D-ROSE: With Derrick Rose out, our primary backup PG is Sasha Vujacic. I’m sure I don’t need to go into detail why that didn’t work out too well last night (3 turnovers in 9 minutes).

SHOOTING WOES: I don’t know what is going on with Porzingis, but we need him to get it together and fast. Despite being 6/19 from the field (17 points), his 10 rebounds were a huge part of the Knicks’ dominance on the boards. This season has revealed that Melo cannot physically dominate every night anymore. For this five-game road trip to be successful, the Knicks need Porzingis to have a few 20-point games.

Last night’s win makes the Knicks 4-0 this season in games decided by 3 points or less. The Knicks head to L.A. on Sunday to face the Lakers.

https://youtu.be/kD8Nx_QVIcY

[Video] Reality Check – Cavs Hammer Knicks 126-94

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images

The narrative for tonight’s showdown against the Cavaliers was the Knicks finding out where they stood against the NBA’s elite. The result was a brutal reality check as Cleveland toyed with New York before pulling away in the third quarter in a 126-94 rout at Madison Square Garden.

WEAKNESSES EXPLOITED: I’ve been saying it all season and will continue to do so. Until this team learns competent three-point defense, they’ll be exposed against elite competition. Today’s NBA is predicated on the three-point shot. Once again, Porzingis made poor decisions on double teams and close-outs with his stretch four, allowing Kevin Love to drop 16 points in the first quarter with four three-pointers. At halftime, the Cavs held a 63-48 lead largely on the 50% (8/19) shooting from downtown. For the game, they were a ridiculous 22/40.

On offense, the Knicks were passive allowing the Cavs defense to bully them and force 16 turnovers (which the Cavs converted into 17 points).

SCARED TO COMPETE: This is the second time we’ve played like trash against the defending champs. Yes, some will use the built-in excuses of Derrick Rose being out with back spasms and this being the second night of a back to back. Hogwash. The mentality of this team is markedly different when we face Cleveland.

We play scared and let them dictate the pace. On a night where Melo was clearly fatigued and didn’t have it (8 points, 4/9 in 24 minutes), no one could carry the load. Porzingis had a quiet 12 points and continued his shooting slump (5/15). Jennings had 16 points in his first start, but could only manage 3 assists, giving you a clear indicator of how badly Cleveland shut down New York’s offense.

BIG THREE RUNS RAMPANT: Cleveland’s All-Star trio combined for 59% of the team’s scoring load with 74 points. LeBron James chipped in 25 points. Love had 21 and Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 28. Tristan Thompson dominated the glass with 20 rebounds.

The only good thing about this game is that it’s over. The Knicks will lick their wounds and begin a 5-game West Coast road trip on Friday. The next opponent should be a welcome sight in the Sacramento Kings.

https://youtu.be/X5lmi6PKjno

Trap Game Averted: Melo’s 35 Leads Knicks Over Heat 114-103

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With the world champion Cavaliers on deck for Madison Square Garden tomorrow, the Knicks’ challenge was being unfocused for tonight’s game against an injury-hampered Heat.

They were for about 24 minutes. Then talent and focus took over.

Carmelo Anthony poured in a season-high 35 points, and five other Knicks hit double figures to extend the Knicks’ winning streak to four ahead of tomorrow’s big Eastern Conference showdown. The “old Knicks” would have blown this game, but this team is playing with confidence.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Aside from Melo’s 35 points, the other starters came through. Melo started 2/8, but Derrick Rose carried the first quarter scoring load with 8 points. Porzingis had another subpar shooting night (6/15), but once again his defense and 12 rebounds picked up the slack.

Foul trouble aside, Joakim Noah had his best game in a long time (10 points, 10 rebounds). He battled on even terms with Hassan Whiteside and got three tip-ins. If not for picking up his fourth foul by 8:29 in the third, we might have put this game away early.

O’QUINN, THOMAS AND JENNINGS LEAD THE BENCH: Kyle O’Quinn had no fear against Whiteside. He had 2 blocks at the rim on the Miami star and a couple dunks. There was some jawing back and forth, which I loved. O’Quinn had 12 points which 5 of his 7 rebounds coming on the offensive end. O’Quinn nor anyone else could stop Whiteside (23 points, 14 rebounds), but it was in vain with him being a -24 in 38 minutes.

Lance Thomas was superb in his 21 minutes with 11 points. He hit 2 threes, then did damage from mid-range off catch n’ shoots and fakes. His defense isn’t on last year’s level yet, but his offense coming around is a welcome surprise.

Despite getting yelled at by Coach Hornacek for not shooting when open, Jennings still manned the offense well with 9 assists in 24 minutes, including a buzzer beating layup to end the third. With Rose forced to sit with back spasms, Jennings’ play was pivotal in this win.

THREE-POINT DEFENSE STILL A CONCERN: The Knicks went down by 9 in the second behind the open threes given to Miami. The problem wasn’t cleaned up in the second half as the Heat finished 11/25 from downtown. Against a Miami team hampered by injuries with only 9 available players, the Knicks were able to get away with it. But with elite teams, we’d be looking at the wrong end of a blowout.

Tomorrow night, the Cavaliers will show us how much we’ve progressed since opening night. Being this is the third game in four nights, it won’t come easy.

https://youtu.be/-pkiI1bJCXE

Unnecessary Drama: Knicks Blow 20-Point Lead, Hold Off Kings 106-98

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Tell me if you’ve heard this story before. The Knicks play well. The Knicks get a big lead. The Knicks then decide to stop playing defense. Said Knicks play a life and death fourth quarter to either win close or lose a heart-breaker. Thankfully tonight was the former, as the Knicks blew a 20-point third quarter lead but held on for a 106-98 win at Madison Square Garden.

A loss to the Sacramento Kings is unacceptable under any circumstances. And despite a bad shooting night from Kristaps Porzingis, the scoring and play-making slack was picked up by Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony and a season-high 19 points from Brandon Jennings.

SLOW BUILD: Early in the first quarter, the Knicks were going through the motions. KP was 0/4, and lackadaisical defense had the Knicks in the penalty with 7:49 remaining. Then Derrick Rose took over with 10 points and 4 assists in the quarter to push New York to a 26-21 lead. The advantage ballooned to as much as 21 in the second quarter before the Knicks settled on a 55-41 halftime lead.

CONSEQUENCES FOR LAZY PLAY: It looked like the Knicks might finally get an easy night when they went up 70-50 early in the third. But right on cue, the Knicks stopped playing defense, particularly from the three-point line where DeMarcus Cousins burned them repeatedly. At one point, the Kings were on a 16-0 run in just over three minutes. The Knicks spent this stretch complaining about foul calls and turning the ball over.

JENNINGS SAVES THE DAY: Tonight we needed his offense and BJ was up to the challenge. He hit a jumper at the end of the third to stop the Kings momentum and goaded Willie Cauly-Stein into a foul on a three-pointer. Jennings attacked the basket for a few timely layups and remained a fourth quarter threat from long-range. His offense powered a bench that scored 44 points.

Ironically, Jennings’ best shot of the evening didn’t count. Check out this 70-foot heave.

PORZINGIS IMPACTS ON THE DEFENSIVE END: KP never seemed to get going. Cousins was physical with him early and that set the tone for a long night on the offensive end (6/18). However, Porzingis worked hard on the defensive end with 14 rebounds, and closed down the paint with 4 blocks. One of them was a crucial rejection in the fourth that lead to a Jennings layup and a 92-85 lead.

ROSE and MELO: D-Rose had a few too many reckless plays (4 turnovers), but as usual his attacking style paid off with free throws in the fourth. He simmered down from a hot 10-point first quarter, but remained a versatile contributor with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Melo took 20 shots, but the iso plays were limited. Not a single boo was heard and he even ended the Kings comeback chances with a circus shot layup over Cousins to make it 103-96 with less than a minute remaining.

https://youtu.be/VGOQGxDSOp4

BENCH WORK: Lance Thomas hit two open threes off kick-out passes. With this team, it’s looking like his role should be a “3 and D” guy. Willy Hernangomez had a nifty fake-out spin in the post that makes me think he’s been watching Hakeem Olajuwon tapes. Kyle O’Quinn continued his good play as of late — 4 points, 9 rebounds in 14 minutes.

NOAH: In 25 minutes, Joakim Noah managed 2 points and 5 rebounds. It was his first game back so I’ll cut him some slack, but we need him to get it together. If not, it’ll hard to justify his starting spot not matter the contract.

https://youtu.be/Bqxl6Yt-o4I

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