DENVER — This was the bottom second of this western journey.
First, there was Nuggets’ guard Bones Hyland’s forearm to Kemba Walker that went uncalled and resulted in a celebratory 3-pointer. The Knicks’ getting older level guard watched whereas on the deck and the embarrassing play highlighted an 83-point first half for the hosts.
However getting routed by the Nuggets, 132-115, to fall to 24-31 wasn’t sufficient of an indignity. There was extra.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, following his curious sample, nonetheless had RJ Barrett on the court docket with 18 seconds left, and their budding star took a foul step and sprained his ankle.
Barrett limped badly off the court docket and acquired therapy within the again for greater than an hour, nonetheless limping round. He didn't meet with reporters and his standing for the remainder of the journey is unknown.
Thibodeau stated he put Barrett again into the competition with 3:50 left as a result of the Knicks had minimize a 27-point deficit to 13. He was flawed. The Knicks have been down 15 when Barrett got here again and down 15 when he departed, when newcomer Cam Reddish ought to’ve been in.
“The nice factor he put some weight on his ankle so he was limping however he was strolling,’’ Evan Fournier stated. “Unhealthy ankles you'll be able to’t put any weight on it. That’s not the case. It’s a day-to-day factor with ankles.’’
Thibodeau was extra curt on the matter. He stated he spoke to Barrett briefly after the sport and stated the 21-year-old appeared OK.
“Trainers are him,’’ Thibodeau stated. “I don’t wish to say something till they take a look at him. He sat a lot of the fourth. We acquired it right down to 13 and wished to see if we might make a run.’’
There was no miracle within the Mile Excessive Metropolis. Fournier admitted the Utah-Denver back-to-back — due to the punishing altitude — is the hardest within the NBA.
Julius Randle, who didn’t get taken out till there have been 53 seconds to go, stood by his coach’s garbage-time selections.
“Thibs is our chief and I belief Thibs with every little thing and I’m only a soldier for him,’’ Randle stated. “If he needs me enjoying 48 minutes, I’ll play 48 minutes. If he needs me enjoying 20 minutes, I’ll play 20 minutes. I don’t care what it's. He’s who’s in cost and I’m going to do no matter coach asks me, no matter what anyone thinks.’’
Probably the most humiliating second got here late within the second quarter when Hyland (20 factors) gave a forearm to Walker because the Nugget stepped again for a 3-pointer.
Walker hit the deck, flat on his rump, wanting on the referee, laughing in disbelief when a whistle didn’t blow.
Hyland held the ball, peered at Walker, then on the rim and fired in a 3-pointer after which the Nuggets sharpshooter pointed his index finger proper at Walker.
The Knicks have been knocked out of their senses by the powerhouse Nuggets, knocked to the ground and fell to 0-3 on the journey. The Nuggets shot 31 free throws to 12 for the Knicks.
Hyland’s bucket gave the Nuggets a 66-34 lead. Bystander Randle, away from the play, threw his arms up in disbelief.
Walker, who scored two factors in 22 minutes, was not made accessible for remark. Walker could also be dealt at Thursday’s commerce deadline.
After the Walker incident, Randle, who completed with 28 factors, was in referee James Capers’ face for calling a non-shooting foul when he thought he was hit within the act of capturing. He appeared to Thibodeau, signaling for him to ask for a replay assessment and the coach ignored the request.
It was an evening of disrespect and never surprising with their two facilities — Mitchell Robinson and backup Nerlens Noel — injured.
Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had a simple evening with 21 factors, 11 rebounds and 7 assists in half-hour.
It figured to be ugly and it was because the Knicks fell seven video games beneath .500 (24-31), falling behind by as many as 27 factors.
They misplaced 31 video games all final season in a 72-game schedule.
It was 83-60 at halftime — the very best level whole in a half the Knicks have given up this season and second-highest they've allowed because the franchise was shaped 75 years in the past.
“We couldn’t cease something,’’ Randle stated.
The Knicks really had a six-point lead within the first quarter with Randle popping out on fireplace. However the Nuggets quickly acquired previous them. Randle ended the half by blowing a fast-break layup that led to an Aaron Gordon 3 in transition.
Jokic acquired smoking inside and the Nuggets began drilling 3-point pictures off Knicks turnovers — one hideous interception by slumping Immanuel Quickley. Reddish, enjoying in Quentin Grimes’ injured absence, was a minus-15 in 5 minutes.
“Expectations have been actually excessive with the season that they had final yr,’’ Denver coach Mike Malone, a former Knicks assistant, stated earlier than the sport. “And expectations are all the time laborious, for any workforce. I do know it’s been a bizarre yr for the Knicks, guys out and in of the lineup. All that stuff. I can’t communicate to that. Julius continues to be a extremely robust cowl [and] RJ Barrett.’’
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