New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) looks to drive past New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
On the night the Knicks honored the 1972-1973 championship team, New York throttled the New Orleans Pelicans, 128-106.
Here are the takeaways…
– New York wasted no time in this one, getting out to a quick 10-2 lead after Julius Randle hit his second three in the early going. Randle had it all working for him to start, shooting 6-for-9 from the field in the first quarter and 4-for-6 from deep to lead all scorers with 16 points.
– As a team, the Knicks were scorching from downtown in the first quarter, shooting 8-of-15 from three-point range. Coming off the bench, Immanuel Quickley drained two three-pointers before Obi Toppin made his first shot of the night, a corner three that capped a 21-7 Knicks run that put them up by 20.
– Jalen Brunson added eight points in the quarter and New York led 42-26 after the first quarter. It was the second most points the Knicks have scored in the first quarter this season.
– The scoring cooled off a bit in the second quarter but not by much. After the Pelicans’ Naji Marshall made both of his free throws to start the quarter, New York went on a 9-0 run, spearheaded by RJ Barrett who joined the three-point party by splashing one of his own.
– Mitchell Robinson provided the Knicks with some interior scoring, slamming down two alley-oop dunks that got the crowd on their feet. He finished the half with nine points and eight rebounds.
– The onslaught of threes kept coming in the second quarter, and from every which way. To close out the half, Brunson, Randle, Barrett and Quentin Grimes each hit a three-point shot to improve the team’s three-point shooting to 13-for-26.
– Meanwhile, New Orleans couldn’t buy a basket from deep as they finished the half 2-of-19 from three-point range. Not a single Pelican ended the half in double digits whereas New York had three in Randle (19), Barrett (13) and Brunson (12) to help the Knicks lead 73-52 at halftime on the same night the franchise honored the 50th…
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