Knicks dominate Warriors at MSG, prolong win streak to eight with 132-94 victory

The Nice Eight.

In a single dominant night time at MSG, the Knicks prolonged their NBA-best successful streak to eight and snapped an eight-game house dropping streak to the Warriors.

The defending champs had been no match with out Stephen Curry, who watched in avenue garments as Jalen Brunson dropped 21 factors to beat Golden State in MSG for the primary time since 2014.

The Knicks (18-13) led by as many as 38 and even Tom Thibodeau — who not often acknowledges rubbish time as an actual factor — saved out most of his starters for the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 132-94 victory.

Thibodeau bought so comfy he took a seat on the bench for the ultimate 4 minutes, a sight not often seen from one of many NBA’s most intense coaches.

“I’ve by no means seen that in Thibs’ three seasons right here,” Julius Randle mentioned. “I’ve by no means seen him sit down. In order that’s loopy.”

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Randle had 15 factors with 12 rebounds. Quentin Grimes added 19 factors. Immanuel Quickley broke out of a taking pictures stoop by hitting six of his 10 makes an attempt for a team-high 22 factors.

By sitting the fourth quarter, Randle, Brunson and RJ Barrett saved their minutes down in preparation for Wednesday’s back-to-back recreation towards the Raptors.

“Feeling good. Good win,” Barrett mentioned. “All people performed properly throughout the board, so it’s a enjoyable recreation to be part of, enjoyable win, and simply realizing that we bought one other one tomorrow.”.

Nonetheless, the group was torpid and quiet in comparison with the second. The environment was lacking the same old spectacle of Golden State’s annual journey to the Backyard, and that was principally due to Curry’s absence.

The reigning Finals MVP, who final season set the NBA’s all-time 3-point file at MSG, is out indefinitely with a shoulder harm, leaving the Warriors with out their parachute to melt this early-season fall.

Regardless of their eight-game successful streak at MSG, the Warriors (15-17) entered as 5 ½-point underdogs towards the Knicks, in accordance with DraftKings, which might be chalked as much as three issues:

1. The Warriors are actually 3-15 on the highway and horrible away from the Chase Middle.

2. Curry and Andrew Wiggins didn’t play.

3. Golden State’s as soon as stalwart protection is leaky and uninspiring.

On the protection, Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned a dropoff in depth was “pure” since redemption was now not a motivating issue.

In different phrases, the Warriors misplaced their edge.

“Final yr we got here in and we hadn’t made the playoffs in two years. We couldn’t wait to point out everyone we had been nonetheless right here. We began out 18-2, No. 1 protection within the league. You win the championship and there’s only a pure human nature dropoff,” Kerr mentioned. “You’re simply not on edge. Mix that with different components — accidents and stuff — it’s simply we haven’t gotten there but.”

The Knicks don’t have that drawback. They had been virtually at full power, per common, with solely Obi Toppin on the harm record. They scored 69 factors within the first half. Their Huge 3 of Brunson, Randle and Barrett have performed each recreation this season, an anomaly in Adam Silver’s NBA of harm upkeep and administration.

“Sturdiness is large on this league. You need to have the ability to rely on folks. Dependability is essential,” Thibodeau mentioned. “That’s the way you construct chemistry. The extra time you’re collectively, the higher.”

Nonetheless, not everyone is satisfied the Knicks’ successful streak will translate to larger success. Charles Barkley stays skeptical.

“Whoopty doo,” Barkley mentioned on the TNT pregame present earlier than alluding to the Brooklyn Nets. “They’re not even the perfect crew of their metropolis.”

Barkley was following up on related pessimism from fellow TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal, who predicted an early exit if the Knicks make the playoffs.

“I don’t assume they’ll get out of 1 spherical,” O’Neal mentioned.

Randle agreed to not overstate an early-season successful streak.

“I believe successful naturally provides confidence,” he mentioned. “I’m not going to place a lot right into a successful streak. It’s nonetheless December.”