Steve Carey on Thursday hailed Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks as “a typical Thebes team”, defending “like crazy” while “building the foundation” as it finally emerges as a winning club.
Such strong words from the three-time NBA Championship coach meant so much when the Knicks opened the four-game Western swing with a convincing 119-2004 win over Kerr’s War Riders in San Francisco. Following a five-losing skid – it reached their record 8-8 – it was their third straight defensive victory.
“It simply came to our notice then. We don’t feel good, we keep working, “Thibode said after the game. “It’s been a long season. You have to proceed step by step. Some things we have done well. We’ve got some good wins. But we have also had some games in which we can play better.
“So we have to be honest with ourselves and know that a lot of work remains to be done and we are able to improve and do a lot better. That is our challenge. “
Ryan Barrett scored 28 points in the first half of his career-high 18 points, while Julius Randle continued to build his All-Star resume with almost the second triple-double of his season (16 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists).
“We only worry about ourselves … and we come to the realization of every game that we have to win the game or give ourselves a chance to win the game,” Randall said, after the Knicks improved to 5–4 on the road. “I think we have a good team and we are playing good team basketball.”
Backup center, Norlens Noel recorded four of Nix’s nine blocked shots, Mitchell Robbins scored all 18 of his points after halftime and Alec Burks has suffered a sprained ankle on December 27 since he contributed 11 points in 31 minutes on the bench in his first game.
Stephen Curry finished the game-high with 30 points, but the two-time MVP committed four turnovers and missed 9 of 14 attempts in the 3-point range. Golden State (8-7) played the final two quarters without Dremond Green after receiving his second technical foul before mediation.
“It’s impossible to defend a person like Curry with one person. I thought Alfred [Payton] Worked as well as possible, ”Thibodeau said. “What you are trying to do is work as hard as you can for everything. He missed some of the shots he normally made, and I think being shortened, we loaded up a lot more than we threw Dremond out on it. “
Reggie Bullock (12 points) thrashed three 3-pointers in the first four minutes and scored 23 points with Barrett in the first quarter, as the Knicks rose 54.5 percent off the floor and took a 40-31 lead – its highest scoring output. Was. Any quarter this season.
Entering the game, the NBA’s third-leading scorer (3.1.1 ppg) remained scoreless for the first eight minutes until the final three-point conversion.
Randall responded with a three-point game for the Knicks, and after hacking it with a pen (15 points), Curry missed his free throw while draining a 26-footer from outside the arc. But Peto nailed a pair of quar 63–55 to nail the quar 63–57 to take the Knicks beyond two quarters.
Robinson was duke twice and scored the first nine of his 18-second half-points in the third as the Knicks extended their lead to 89-76 as they entered the final quarter.
Emanuel Quickley, the first and fellow first-round pick of two baseline dunnings by Rookie Obi Toppin, put the Nix ahead 16 minutes into the choke.
“I have said from the beginning, I love our young people especially their attitude and their approach,” Thibode said. “Every day they come with a lot of energy. Some days we make mistakes. But the next day is a decision to correct mistakes and get better. If we do that every day, we will grow. ‘
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