YES THEY CAN! The New York Knicks win Game 1 with historic run in 4th!
Yes the Knicks can turn it up when they have to! Adjustments can be made as Knicks do startling 21-0 run defeating the Detroit Pistons 123-112 in the fourth!
Miss Tee was so happy to see her postseason Knicks featuring Karl Anthony Towns. Now that’s how the New York Knicks play basketball! That’s how I remember the New York offseason!
The New York Knicks went on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter, had the Detroit Pistons looking punch drunk, and best of all, “Jalen Brunson” Bickerstaff was back in the building!
A healthy New York Knick
Ariel Hukporti was listed as questionable, but seeing him in full gear, making the Knicks' squad 100% healthy, was a positive from the jump. And the crowd! The crowd was definitely a part of that squad Saturday night.
The Knicks were together, united, unlike anything seen lately. Could they have been waiting to reveal this team? Brunson and Towns played defense! Towns was a beast and when both he and Mitchell Robinson were on the court, the Pistons couldn’t find their way through the 7’0 “towers.
A unified effort
Everyone worked together. It seems that, down eight coming into the fourth quarter, the Knicks and their coach made the necessary adjustments and began a 21-0 run, which was the most talked-about topic for the first playoff weekend. There were some ISO incidents, but that’s just the captain. There was so much brawn and beauty in this game…
Jalen Brunson - of course, the captain led the way with 34 points to end the game. Officially now a finalist for Clutch player of the 2024-25 season, it was good to see Brunson playing some defense. Along with the 34 points, JB had eight assists and only one turnover.
Karl Anthony Towns - No Karlmelo, no cry over every call. Towns played some defense!!! No, real defense! Towns scored 23 points, with 11 rebounds, five assists, four steals, two blocks, and no turnovers. Ten of 14 from the field, the big guy shot 71.4% from the field. I WAS WRONG. KAT CAN PLAY CENTER!
OG Anunoby - Mr. Anunoby is no longer the shy guy. Anunoby uses his body to get into the paint, BUT HIS DEFENSE! OG in addition to 23 points, seven rebounds, had five steals, and two blocks!
Cameron Payne - “Doing it for us, not against us” - had three points in the first half. You must remember the Cameron Payne who in seasons past have come out of nowhere and kicked our butt. Last season, he came out and beat on us during the first round of the playoffs as a member of the Sixers. But as a New York Knick, Payne lit the 21-point run on Saturday night. Brunson with 12 points and Payne with 11, Cam shooting 80% from the floor.
During this fourth quarter, the Knicks shot 70.8% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, scoring 40 points to Detroit’s 21. Josh Hart, OG, and Towns were plus-19 for that quarter, Brunson was plus-16, and Payne was plus-17.
Because I pointed out the games of these players does not mean this was not a team win. THIS WAS A HUGE TEAM WIN, LED BY THEIR COACH TOM THIBODEAU! (Hey if Thibs can adjust I can say I wasn't right.)
Until Monday night…
789