Defeating a Philadelphia 76ers team without Joel Embiid and Paul George is one challenge, but facing a fully equipped team that reached the Western Conference finals last year is a different story altogether.
The Knicks learned that the hard way Thursday night.
The Knicks’ starting lineup struggled significantly against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the team’s second and third string players rallied, turning the tide to secure a 100-95 overtime win as they began their preseason at Madison Square Garden on a high note.
In the first half, the Knicks managed just 12-of-45 shooting, hitting only 4-of-27 attempts from beyond the arc. A particularly rough patch saw them go 2-of-15 for the entire second quarter. Entering the fourth quarter, they had just 63 points from 69 shots, with starters collectively scoring 15-of-45 and 6-of-22 from long distance. Eventually, coach Mike Brown decided to take his starting players off the court.
Coach Brown felt optimistic about the starting team’s potential, stating, “I think [our starting lineup] has a chance to be pretty good. They’re long, they’re big, they’re versatile and that’s exciting. But, while starting is important, finishing games matters just as much.”
Trailing 71-63 entering the fourth quarter, the Knicks’ bench didn’t take long to change the game’s dynamic. By 8:14 into the fourth, New York had claimed a 76-74 lead.
The fourth quarter saw intense competition with the starters watching from the sidelines. This scenario highlights a concern since, during regular-season games, it’s the starters who need to lead in the closing moments. They’re still acclimating to Brown’s new fast-paced strategy.
The good news: Brown’s offense manufactures catch-and-shoot threes at volume. The bad news: if the Knicks can’t knock them down, they’ll suffer the same fate as every team that lives — and dies — by the three.
Jalen Brunson tallied 11 points and three assists in 27 minutes but shot just 4-of-14 from the field and 1-of-6 from deep. Despite the poor shooting, Brunson showed a clear grasp of how the ball is supposed to move in Brown’s system.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 10 points but shot 2-of-11 and missed all three of his attempts from behind the arc, often looking lost or disconnected from the offensive flow. Mikal Bridges led the starters with 15 points on 50% shooting, adding four rebounds and three steals.
Mitchell Robinson — the lone starter who didn’t play in the second half — logged 13 minutes in the first, finishing with six rebounds, a steal, and a block without attempting a shot.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves got 17 points from All-Star Anthony Edwards in 27 minutes and another 16 points and five boards from Julius Randle in his Garden return. Their bench — led by Naz Reid, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Rob Dillingham — combined for 47 points.
The Knicks’ bench had its own storylines. Josh Hart missed his second straight game due to lower back spasms and illness. Jordan Clarkson’s Garden debut opened with a transition heat check from well beyond the arc — the kind of early shot that evoked memories of Cameron Payne’s wild decision-making last season.
Still, there were bright spots. Second-year forward Pacome Dadiet finally saw a three-pointer fall after missing his first eight preseason attempts, including an 0-of-5 showing as a starter in the opener. Dadiet shot 1-of-3 from deep in 10 minutes Thursday. The Knicks were plus-eight with him on the floor, and plus-10 in the six minutes center Ariel Hukporti played.
Baby steps.
But based on Thursday’s performance, it’s the starters who need to make the biggest leaps before facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the season opener on Oct. 22.
Next up: the Knicks host the Washington Wizards on Monday, then wrap up preseason play against the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 17.
