The Knicks’ hopes for revenge against the top team in the Western Conference were quickly dashed Friday night as they lost 126-101 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
While there was no shortage of fouls in the first quarter in their first meeting last week, the Knicks and Thunder struggled to score early in the rematch. Both teams started the game a combined 1-for-13 on shot attempts, with New York’s first field goal not coming until the 7:19 mark. Stifling defense on both ends of the floor contributed to the curious inefficiency.
— However, it didn’t take long for the Thunder to settle down and find their groove. With four minutes left in the first quarter, the score was 11-11, a three-pointer out Isaiah Joe sparked a powerful 15-2 run for Oklahoma City, silencing the Garden’s crowd. New York trailed 31-17 after one and committed five turnovers.
— The Knicks were simply overwhelmed by the Thunder’s surge in the second quarter. They allowed a sudden 10-2 run that forced the head coach’s hand Tom Thibodeau to call a timeout, and the wake-up call didn’t produce any spark. New York saw the deficit grow to as many as 28 points as they failed to match Oklahoma City’s physicality and speed in transition. Blame it on a glaring lack of energy and focus.
— Feel free to call the Knicks’ first half a nightmare. Not only did they shoot a paltry 32 percent (14 of 44) from the floor, but they also made just two threes on fifteen attempts. As for the Thunder, they posted opposing numbers, finishing the half with solid ten-threes, a sharp 60 percent field goal percentage and an impressive 27-17 rebounding advantage.
— The first half was quite a showcase for Joe, who scored a stunning 23 points off the bench, a season-high, with six threes. Both of the Knicks’ wingers were ghosts, too — OG Anunoby And Mikal Bridges shot a combined 0-for-11 for zero points through two quarters. Jalen Brunson (15) and Karl-Anthony Cities (10) were the only Knicks in double digits, and boos rained down as they left the court, trailing 70-43.
— New York went backwards early in the third quarter, but the effort was far too little, too late. It took no time for Oklahoma City to respond and continue to score with ease. While the Knicks scored 31 points in the third, their poor ball movement and teamwork were evident.
— The Knicks entered Friday in the NBA’s top five in both three-point and three-point percentage, but they were nowhere near a productive unit from beyond the arc. Against the Thunder, they finished an abysmal 4-for-31 (13 percent) from three.
— Deuce McBridewho missed the past five games due to a hamstring injury, returned to action on Friday. He scored seven points with five assists and five rebounds in twenty minutes. With the game well out of reach, the Knicks received 31 points from their bench – technically an upgrade from the paltry five bench points scored in their first loss to the Thunder.
— The Knicks’ leading scorer was Brunson, who contributed 27 points with five assists in 33 minutes. Cities also added 25 points and 10 boards Jos Hart recorded a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Anunoby managed to score four points on two buckets, but Bridges was a pathetic 0-for-9 from the floor in 32 minutes.
— In his return to The Garden, Thunder big Isaiah Hartenstein received a warm welcome from the audience during the lineup announcement. He added nine rebounds, six assists and six points in 30 minutes. He greeted fans after a tribute video.
Game MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 33 points against the Knicks last week, made his first three-point attempt midway through the third. But this wasn’t due to the Knicks’ tough defense beyond the arc. The league MVP candidate had no problem scoring inside as he scored a whopping 39 points on 15-of-21 shooting in just 29 minutes of work.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks (25-14) will have to quickly erase the defeat from their memories as they are set to meet the Milwaukee Bucks in a Sunday matinee at The Garden (3 p.m. tip-off).
