The Knicks were no match for the star-studded Warriors, who put New York away with ease in a 122-95 victory on Tuesday night. >> Box score
Things to know about Tuesday's game
1. The Knicks appeared to be holding their own against the Warriors early, taking a 49-48 lead over Golden State with 3:02 remaining in the first half. However, the Warriors flipped a switch and went on a 13-1 run to close out the half with a 61-49 lead.
2. The Knicks had no answers for Klay Thompson, who had a game-high 43 points and shot 7 of 16 from beyond the arc. The Warriors as a team shot 14 of 45 from three-point range which the Knicks could not compete with, hitting just 6 of 24 three-point attempts.
3. Mario Hezonja was the Knicks' leading scorer on the night, recording 13 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter after the game was already out of hand.
4. Kevin Knox struggled for the second consecutive game, shooting just 4 of 11 from the field, including 0-for-4 from three-point range. He finished with 12 points and just two rebounds while turning the ball over three times.
5. The Knicks continue to struggle in the third quarter, scoring just 19 points in the frame and failing to get back into the game.
Automatic.#SPLASH💦 No. 6 & 7 of the night for Klay
- Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 9, 2019
👉 https://t.co/sab97qqtZm 👈 pic.twitter.com/RJyTIv7HGY
.@ISO_ZO from https://t.co/l8g4nIXfUi. pic.twitter.com/13RzP0mdHI
- NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 9, 2019
Jake Brown | Twitter |
The Knicks made this game interesting for about the first 22 minutes...and then the Warriors just put a beatdown on them as most of us expected. The defending champs just put a clinic on in the third quarter, and the Knicks didn't have an answer for it.
They didn't stand much of a chance coming into this game, especially still without Frank Ntilikina and Mitchell Robinson. There weren't too many bright spots either from the Knicks, besides another double-double from Enes Kanter.
One storyline that continues to be intriguing is Courtney Lee. It makes perfect sense to keep seeing what the Knicks have in their youth. BUT...with the trade deadline a month away and Lee getting zero playing time, he has almost zero value right now. With Ntilikina out, this seems like the perfect time to give Lee some minutes to increase his value.
The Knicks really need to find a way to trade him and get rid of the one year he has on the books after this season.
Getting rid of the $12 million he will be owed would vastly help their chances of trying to land Kevin Durant. You understand why Lee isn't playing, but if there ever was a time for him to play it's at least the next few weeks so the Knicks can find a trade partner. You just can't predict head caoch David Fizdale's rotations these days.
What's next:
The Knicks return back home to Madison Square Garden to face the Indiana Pacers on Friday at 7:30 p.m.