Knicks vs Kings: Attrition & Revenge – NBA Recap

Two weeks ago, the Kings imposed their law on the Knicks at home. This time, they are the Knicks who took their revenge on the Kings at Madison Square Garden (103-87). Thanks to a completely controlled fourth quarter, in the wake of the inevitable Jalen Brunson (28 points, including 11 in the last four minutes).

Because, at the end of the third quarter, there was still a tie between the two teams: 72-72. A rather logical score, when we know that New York et Sacramento did not stop holding on in two or three possessions from the second quarter, when the visitors began to make up for their deficit accumulated in the first (36-26).

In great shape, but lonely, DeMar DeRozan (34 points) then made his defenders miserable and it was in particular because they had no solution against him – in addition to losing too many balls (21) – that the Knicks failed to break away from the score. However, we cannot say that the Kings had a great night, as proven by their… 5/30 from 3-point range.

It is precisely this difference in external success which proved decisive over time, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson not failing to plant the important baskets to make the “break” in the last act. Ended with a 13-2 in favor of New York.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

New York waited for the last act. Jostled, the Knicks ended up finding the solution, two weeks after losing in Sacramento against these same Kings. The defense was already satisfactory, but it went up a notch in the fourth quarter, while the attack also reached a milestone, with a newfound external skill. At -5 four minutes from the end, Jalen Brunson put on his “Captain Clutch” costume despite DeMar DeRozan, quite a client in the field, and his 11 points (out of the team’s last 13) led Mike Brown’s men to a third consecutive success, quite logical.

Sacramento s’incline encore. That makes it six straight losses for the Kings, who will have three more trips to the East Coast before returning home. If DeMar DeRozan, author of a great match, kept his team alive for a long time, the Californians will have ended up taking a shine in the last twelve minutes. As in the first quarter, they were unable to slow down the New York attack, which ignited from afar, without also succeeding in stopping Jalen Brunson when he launched into his isolations. Offensively, it wasn’t any better, with plenty of misses and no solutions outside of DeRozan.

How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.