PHOENIX — A street journey that was imagined to be an absolute gauntlet for the Knicks out of the blue had an opportunity to be a boon.
However back-to-back wins over the Jazz and the Nuggets have been adopted by consecutive double-digit losses to the Warriors and the Suns, with the latter a messy 116-95 defeat Sunday at Footprint Middle wherein the Knicks had been dominated on the boards by a whopping 60-39 depend.
“The rebounding was an enormous downside. I believed we performed nicely within the first half, however in opposition to a workforce like this it's a must to play nicely for all 4 quarters, 48 minutes,” Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “So we had that lull, you give a workforce like that a second and third crack at issues, they’ll make you pay for it they usually did.
Cameron Payne scored 21 factors with 9 assists and Devin Booker had 20 factors amid a 17-for-39 capturing efficiency (43.6 %) from 3-point vary by a Suns workforce taking part in with out Chris Paul (heel) and Cam Johnson (knee).
Jalen Brunson netted a team-high 27 factors, however skidding RJ Barrett and main scorer Julius Randle mixed for simply 21 on 7-for-22 from the ground for the Knicks, who will look to salvage a profitable document on the five-city journey Monday evening in Oklahoma Metropolis.
After all, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder pasted the Knicks for a season-worst 145 factors in a Backyard blowout barely one week in the past.
“Win [Monday, and] it’s nonetheless an important journey. Going over .500 on the street, on this loopy journey, that’s good. In order that’s what we’re specializing in,” mentioned Barrett, who's 2-for-25 from 3-point vary and 26.3 % general (20-for-76) over his previous 5 video games. “Attempting to finish up the street journey with a win, for positive. It’s good we get to see them once more, this quick.”
Mitchell Robinson performed for the primary time since struggling a sprained proper knee Nov. 4 in Philadelphia, scoring two factors with 4 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench. Miles McBride contributed 9 factors in a season-high 14 minutes with veteran guard Derrick Rose sitting out the second half as a result of a sore proper toe.
With current beginning capturing guard Cam Reddish additionally out of the lineup with a sore groin suffered Friday evening in opposition to the Warriors, Quentin Grimes at the very least loved a robust sport in his first prolonged taking part in time of the season. The second-year guard completed with 10 factors, eight assists and 5 boards in a season-high 32 minutes. He’d logged 43 minutes over six earlier appearances this season as a result of a foot damage suffered in coaching camp.
Isaiah Hartenstein began at middle for the Knicks (8-9), however he picked up two fast fouls, and Robinson got here off the bench with 8:24 left within the first quarter.
The Knicks trailed, 28-22, via one, with Payne netting 10 and Booker scoring seven — together with a four-point play. The Suns prolonged their cushion to 11 within the second quarter, however Brunson keyed a 9-0 run and transformed a three-point play to forge a tie within the closing minute earlier than the Suns carried a 55-53 benefit into intermission.
Lengthy-distance makes by Torrey Craig (14 factors) and Booker, nevertheless, sparked an 11-2 Phoenix spurt to spice up the rating to 75-64 halfway via the third. Further 3-pointers by Booker and Duane Washington Jr. within the closing minute of the quarter widened the hole to 17 earlier than the Suns prolonged their result in as many as 26 within the closing interval.
“Actually, the entire sport, the rebounding was crucial. They established their bodily presence from the beginning, plus-20 or no matter it was on the glass, plus-30 from 3,” mentioned Randle, who didn’t play within the fourth quarter and completed with a season-low 9 factors. “We gotta attempt to end out the journey and make it a superb journey. Take it a day at a time, sport at a time, and hopefully are available in [Monday] and deal with enterprise.”
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