The Knicks played inspired basketball on both ends of the floor and pulled away in the second half for a 119-104 win over Golden State. >> Box score
Five things to know from Thursday’s game…
1. RJ Barrett was aggressive early on, getting to the free-throw line for the Knicks’ first point of the night, and later confidently hitting a catch-and-shoot three-pointer over Stephen Curry. Then, off a Curry turnover forced by Elfrid Payton, Barrett threw down a monster one-handed dunk in transition.
Barrett was simply outstanding in the first quarter, scoring 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting in a 9:22 run on the floor. And it was only the beginning for Barrett.
Meanwhile, Reggie Bullock came out firing. The veteran wing knocked down his first three three-point attempts, extending the Knicks’ lead to 17-9 just over four minutes into the game. Overall, the Knicks shot 6-of-9 from beyond the three-point line in the first quarter, leading 40-31 after the first 12 minutes.
2. After missing the last 12 games with a sprained left ankle, Alec Burks checked into the game for New York for the first time with just under five minutes to go in the first quarter. Burks scored his first points of the game early in the second with a pair of free throws, and followed that up with an easy layup off a nice pass from Obi Toppin. Burks ended up with 11 points in his return
3. The Knicks’ offense cooled off in the second quarter, scoring just 23 points, but New York was able to maintain a 63-57 lead despite 20 first-half points from Curry. The Knicks also got a boost late in the second quarter, as Draymond Green was ejected for picking up his second technical. Green appeared to be yelling in the direction of James Wiseman, but was still hit with his second technical, ending his night.
4. Mitchell Robinson picked up a couple of early fouls on Thursday night, sending him to the bench earlier than he or the Knicks would have hoped. But when Robinson came back onto the floor, he continued to alter shots and defend the rim. The talented big man converted a three-point play midway through the third to extend the Knicks’ lead to 73-65.
After going scoreless in the first half, Robinson scored nine points in the third quarter alone. Robinson helped the Knicks outscore Golden State 26-19 in the third, giving New York an 89-76 lead going into the fourth.
On the night, Robinson finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Meanwhile, Nerlens Noel finished with six points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks.
5. In the fourth, the Knicks began to pull away, sparked by a couple of rookies. After Toppin threw down an emphatic one-handed slam from the baseline, Immanuel Quickley followed it up with a three, firing up the Knicks’ bench and extending the lead to 97-81.
The Knicks would hold onto the lead to come away with the win, led by Barrett’s career-high 28 points. Meanwhile, Julius Randle quietly nearly recorded another triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks will be right back on the court on Friday night, taking on the Kings in Sacramento at 10:00 p.m..
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