I am so glad that the first game is in the bag. And I am not going to be too hard on my team. I have to admit, I was a little afraid that we would not be able to withstand that tornado that is Ja Morant. But we did
Tonight the Knicks open in the world’s most famous arena…Madison Square Garden. The Garden has to be considered the team’s sacred place…home. And tonight they must take care of home.
The Knicks have a point guard…
The New York Knicks have a point guard who, even though he was in foul trouble early on, was able to lead his team back from a 19-point deficit and force overtime. That no-look pass to Cam Reddish in the fourth quarter sent the game into overtime…can you imagine a pass like that…in the Garden?
Brunson had 15 points in the first game of the season. But the nine assists…those assists are what mattered. Brunson is a floor general. He led his team through a very difficult game fighting against a Memphis team that got all the calls. Never mind, I’m not talking about the refs, or their calls. But did you see that Steven Adams had one foul! No. No excuses. Although it seems strange that Brunson, who played almost 33 minutes, was never fouled.
Brunson fought and ended up on the floor a lot. He will take a charge for his team every time.
Thibs coached a good game…
I have to say that Thibs coached a good game. He trusted his players, his floor general Brunson in particular. He trusted him to make his teammates better, and he made his team better. He trusted Cam Reddish.
· Julius Randle – Randle got on the redemption train, and I hope he rides it through the next 81 games. Randle’s new role is the perfect fit. His team needed him on Wednesday because Barrett couldn’t hit the side of a barn, and Mitch was called for a foul every time he raised his arms. Randle was great on both ends of the floor, on and off the ball. He never seemed rattled, even when his team was down by 19. This is the Randle the Knicks need. Unfortunately, Randle fouled out in overtime. A couple of silly fouls could have been the difference between an L and a W.
· Isaiah Hartenstein – In his first Knicks game, Hartenstein played 40 minutes, the most of any other Knick. He spent 40 minutes on the court because Mitch was in foul trouble. Hartenstein was pushed around, beaten down, and turned around by Adams. As a stretch five, he will prove such an asset to this team as the season goes on. And the man has a sweet floater.
· Cam Reddish – I don’t want to say I told you so, but I told you so. (https://sportsnaut.com/cam-reddish-tom-thibodeau-rotation-new-york-knicks). Reddish is the secret weapon everyone knew the Knicks had…except the Knicks. There is no reason for him to go back to the end of the bench, even when Quentin Grimes returns. Reddish can take over for the shooting guard or the small forward. (He can start at either position also). Second leading scorer after Randle, Reddish had 22 points on nine of 15 shooting. He pulled down five rebounds, confused the Grizzlies with three steals and one block. This young man was explosive.
It helps to know…
Okay, so RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin didn’t have great games. And yet the Knicks came from 19 behind in the second quarter, to overtime and a loss by only three without them. If they can do this amidst this adversity, imagine when they’re cooking with all engines. And they’ll be cooking with those engines on tonight…Friday night.
I’m looking for bounce-back games from them all tonight, but it helps to know that Brunson is guiding the ship, that Randle is on board with his general, and that Reddish and Hartenstein are on deck.
Wednesday’s loss has to be the last, for now. There’s a three-game homestand, and it must be 3-1 when the team takes off for the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers away games. I hope the Knicks have not taken the Pistons for granted, which I believe Ja Morant and the Grizzlies did with them. Let’s not make their mistake.
Friday night Knicks on MSG…
Last season we did a trash job of taking care of home court. With a total of 37 wins, only 17 of them were at home. Seventeen wins out of 41 home games. That is not acceptable, and it’s totally on this team to win. There are no excuses. This Knicks team has shown they can win, even when most of them are having a bad night.
So let’s sit back, get our munchies, get together with our watch parties and buckle down. The Knicks open at home tonight, and it’s Friday night Knicks…let’s gooo!