Both teams have energy to spare, and the duel between Ivica Zubac (and his little hook shot) and Mitchell Robinson is already sparking. Tom Thibodeau’s men are playing at a very good level, and are shooting from afar, with a lot of success so far (7 out of 8 from 3-pointers to start). Cam Reddish receives an ovation for his first with the Knicks and the “second unit” of New York is very interesting. But the Clippers regain confidence, especially because the Knicks leave a lot of space in defense. Despite an 11-0 Clippers, Evan Fournier’s teammates keep their hand, and join the locker room with two possessions in advance (66-61).
The band of Julius Randle tightens the screw in defense, and the Angelinos struggle to find the circle during the first minutes of the second period. Reggie Jackson starts planting his mid-range shots, and Nicolas Batum’s defense curbs the influence of Julius Randle, in the oven and in the mill.
The Knicks are in control, but are wary of the Clippers who don’t let go that easily. Julius Randle sticks a few precious shots from mid-range to give his team a little more air. The New Yorkers remain focused and finish the job, winning at home (110-102). The Clippers may regret their clumsiness at 3-pointers and the free throws left en route.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Cam Reddish premiere. Greeted by an ovation from the Garden, Cam Reddish made a very discreet debut. Remember that he had not played for two weeks. And it was against the Clippers for three short minutes for his last game with the Hawks.
– A perfect start. A superb 8/11 from 3-pointers to start, and that’s how to warm up the crowd. Randle (2/3), Barrett (2/2) and Quickley (2/2) ignited the Garden. With 39 points scored in the first twelve minutes, the Knicks have shown great offensive efficiency, as rarely this season.
–20 + 20 = almost guaranteed victory. When Julius Randle (24 points) and RJ Barrett (28 points) each reached the 20-point mark in the same game, the Knicks’ record was six wins and one loss. Both have been very interesting in attack, patient and collective.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Julius Randle. After some disappointing attitudes and performances in recent matches, the Bockers buffalo has finally raised the bar (24 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists). Solid in defense, and diligent in attack, he took out his franchise player costume on this Sunday afternoon at the Garden. When he’s in that frame of mind and focused, he’s one of the best interiors in the league.
✅ RJ Barrett. After a first period of fire (17 points), the Canadian continued its momentum during the second period by having an impact on the game on both sides of the floor. RJ Barrett is gaining momentum and is more and more precise away from the circle, while his size is also interesting for the local defense. With 14 catches, he equaled his career rebound record at Madison Square Garden.
⛔ Marcus Morris. Holder, the winger has brought nothing to his team. Always so grumpy after the referees and never responsible for his mistakes, he was a weight for his training. Author of a horrible 0/9 on shots, he missed his reunion with his former audience.
THE FOLLOWING
New York (23-24) : complicated week with a first trip to Cleveland on Monday.
LA Clippers (23-25) : continuation of the “road trip” with a trip to Washington
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