After leading the huge Knick comeback to win the prior preseason game against Cleveland 2 nights earlier, Immanuel Quickley got his first start in the NBA — and propelled the Knicks to CRUSH Cleveland, 119-83.
Attack, Attack, Attack…
Quickley attacks, attacks, and attacks. He can score from anywhere and if he isn’t scoring he’s passing. This opens things up and makes things easy for his teammates. It puts the other team on the defensive. It makes the Knicks a different, much better team than they’ve been in a long time.
The Knicks were up 29-15 over Cleveland in the 1st quarter. By the end of the quarter it was 41-18.
Scroll to see who's QUICKLEY heating up (had to) pic.twitter.com/MxhlQZnY8c
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 19, 2020
… Pass, Pass, Pass, Score, Score, Score
When Quickley came out, he was subbed by super-quick Jared Harper, the 5-9″ point out of Auburn who played 3 games for Phoenix last year. Harper was also very good — attacking. The Knicks as a team were penetrating and passing, passing, passing, scoring, scoring, scoring all night.
The Knicks led 72-35 at the half.
The Knicks led 103-57 after 3 quarters.
The entire 4th quarter was garbage time. The Knicks put their G Leaguers in and maintained a lead in the 40s until the final minute when Cleveland pulled to within 36 for the final score.
Make no mistake, as much as Quickley was the enzyme and energizer — coach Tom Thibodeau’s footprint was all over this game — the Knicks played like a well-oiled machine on offense — attack, pass, pass, pass, pass, open-man score — and went after it all night on defense.
Robinson Was Everywhere
Mitchell Robinson was a BEAST again on both ends of the floor — as well as on the floor — he dove for loose balls twice during the night — rare to see a 7’1″ shot blocker scrambling on the floor with guards for a loose ball! Robinson finished with 8 pts (3-4 shooting), 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and a team-high +46.
Defense leads to buckets on the other end pic.twitter.com/eaLF04BkeQ
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 19, 2020
Knox Lights Out
Kevin Knox was the Knick who most benefitted from the attack-and-pass-pass-pass offense — hanging out in the corners to pop uncontested 3’s — he hit his first 4 and was 6-7 from the night from 3 for 20 points. He took it to the basket as well for a slam on one possession.
What a find by Obi, Kev knocks down the bucket 👀 pic.twitter.com/5yHSZDbiuD
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 19, 2020
Barrett = Star
RJ Barrett played like a star — his game seemingly stepped up a level and refined from last year; he is hitting his free throws and being efficient on his scoring attempts; passing well too. He had 15 pts (5-10), 2 rebounds, 3 steals and a +42.
High off the glass with the touch pic.twitter.com/jKlsK8WoO7
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 19, 2020
Randle Played Within Team Flow
Julius Randle played within the flow of the offense — attacking at times then passing out. He had 11 pts on 3-6 shooting in 24 minutes but an amazing 8 assists and a +43. Reggie Bullock started and was popping 3’s in the Knicks easy offense — 17 points on 6-7 shooting (3-4 from 3) and Obi Toppin had 6 pts (2-5 shooting), 6 rebounds, 4 steals in 27 minutes.
Knicks Got Quickley with #1 Pick from Morris Deal
But it was Immanuel Quickley who was the enzyme and energizer and star — 22 pts on 7-12 shooting (3-5 from 3), 5 assists, 5 steals, and a +41. The 6’2 Quickley from Havre de Grace, Maryland (a quaint coastal town you can see from Amtrak) was the 25th overall pick in the 1st round by the Knicks — the draft pick the Knicks essentially got when they traded Marcus Morris to the LA Clippers in February last season.
- The Knicks got the LA Clippers’ first-round pick — #27 overall.
- Just before the draft, the Knicks traded the 27th and 38th picks for the 23rd pick.
- On draft night, the Knicks used the 23rd pick to draft Leandro Bolmaro before trading him to Minnesota for the #25 & #33 picks.
- Oklahoma drafted Quickley at #25 then dealt to Minnesota who then dealt him to NY.
The 21-yr-old Quickley was a star at Kentucky, where he averaged 16.1 points in his sophomore season and was named SEC Player of the Year before electing to join the draft.
For Cleveland
Cedi Osman and Dean Wade were the only Cavs doing anything well against the Knicks onslaught — Osman had 19 points on 7-8 shooting, 5-6 from 3, and Wade had 14 pts on 6-9 shooting. Cleveland’s trio of quick but small guards — Colin Sexton, Darius Garland, and #5 pick Isaac Okoro, scored a combined 16 points amongst the 3 of them, and were a combined 1-9 from 3.
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