No Jalen Brunson and no protection down the stretch equaled a disheartening Knicks defeat.
After permitting 18 factors within the remaining 4 minutes — together with a number of broad open treys — the Knicks completed their two-game Florida journey winless with a 111-106 loss Thursday evening to the Magic.
It was a 3rd straight defeat general for the Knicks (42-33), whose protection is turning into more and more problematic because the season winds down. Still sitting fifth within the East, they’ve dropped six of their final 9 video games and at the moment are 5 video games behind the Cavs for fourth seed and simply 1 ½ video games forward of No. 6 Miami.
”Right now, our crew is out of types,” Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “You have to pull together in rough times. You get into things together, you get out of things together. There are going to be ups and downs we have to navigate. Everyone does.”
New York was with out Brunson, who sat with a sprained proper hand sustained throughout Wednesday’s loss in Miami. Brunson has missed six video games within the final 10, with the Knicks now 3-3 in these contests.
Against the rebuilding Magic, Julius Randle struggled and misplaced his cool but once more on the officiating. He shot simply 7-for-20 with 23 factors. RJ Barrett was worse whereas capturing 3-for-12 with simply 10 factors. The bench was drubbed firstly of the second and fourth quarters.
Quentin Grimes was the intense spot with 25 factors in 38 minutes.
The Knicks, who’ve three days off earlier than their subsequent sport (at house versus the depressing Rockets) trailed Thursday by as many as 19 in each halves.
Most of the primary half was a slop fest from the Knicks. They shot simply 32% general and 21.7% from past the arc earlier than the break. Still, the Knicks ended the second quarter on an 18-7 run and trailed by solely eight.
Orlando pushed to a 19-point result in begin the second half, and the Knicks have been resurrected within the third quarter with a 23-4 run.
Meanwhile, Randle’s mood is clearly activated. He picked up a technical foul for a 3rd straight sport, giving him a team-high eleventh for the season. This time — like most of his earlier techs — he was offended at a referee and pressed the difficulty. Immanuel Quickley tried to calm Randle, who redirected his frustration towards his teammate.
“It’s a long season,” Thibodeau mentioned. “We have to do better. We know that.”
In early December, Randle pledged to be extra affected person and compassionate with the referees. It was an enormous downside final season when his meltdowns grew to become constant. But Randle appeared extra composed till not too long ago.
After Wednesday’s loss to the Heat, Randle grumped in regards to the officiating to reporters.
“Anytime I take that much contact and I take one free throw for the game, it pretty much tells the story,” he mentioned.
The Magic are younger and out of the playoff image, making the Knicks the betting favourite heading into Thursday regardless of taking part in on the second evening of a back-to-back. Also, the group in Orlando was decidedly professional Knicks, theoretically including a bonus for Thibodeau’s crew.
It didn’t assist.
Orlando’s brilliant beam towards the longer term is Paolo Banchero, the 2022 first-overall decide and frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. He completed with 21 factors Thursday evening with six rebounds on 7-for-17 capturing.
The Knicks have been lamenting their protection within the earlier two losses. That wasn’t fastened in Orlando.
“We have to get our defense in order first off,” Randle mentioned. “Get our defense in order and find a way to get stops.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com