Good things happen when the Knicks play hard.
They’re not the most talented team on most nights, but Julius Randle’s early all-around excellence, efficient 3-point shooting and a commitment to defense has Tom Thibodeau’s squad on a two-game winning streak.
Randle, the once-maligned power forward, finished Tuesday with an exquisite triple-double, pushing the Knicks to a 95-86 victory in Cleveland. Randle finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
The final score made the game seem closer than its reality, courtesy of a late Cavaliers flurry. The Knicks (2-2) led for the entire second half, giving the Cavs (3-1), who were playing without an injured Kevin Love, their first defeat.
Projected as one of the league’s worst, the Knicks now own the same record as Kevin Durant’s mighty Nets.
Just as it was two days prior in New York’s shocking blowout win over the Bucks, the biggest discrepancy was the 3-point shooting. The Knicks hit 56% of their treys (14 of 25), the Cavs hit 21.9% (7 of 32).
Thibodeau’s squad held a 15-point advantage in the first quarter. Randle was the catalyst, finishing the first quarter with 14 points, five assists and six rebounds. The Cavaliers cut the deficit to 7 at the break, with Randle just two rebounds and two assists shy of a triple-double.
The Knicks have been hit early by injuries, and Tuesday’s roster was the result. Obi Toppin (calf strain), Austin Rivers (groin strain), Immanuel Quickley (hip pointer), Dennis Smith Jr. (contused quad) and Alec Burks (sprained ankle) were all inactive. Burks’ absence was probably the most surprising and potentially devastating to the Knicks. Even coming off the bench, Burks represented New York’s second-leading scorer behind Randle.
For the Cavaliers, former All-Star Love was ruled out for 3 to 4 weeks with a calf strain. Asked if the shortened training camp and preseason was contributing to injuries, Thibodeau highlighted the importance of conditioning.
“Usually, the start of the season you look at the entire month as training camp. So it’s shortened. Coming in you don’t know, there’s been such a long layoff. Even if you’re diligent and staying in condition it’s a lot different than playing where you have the contact and that physicality,” the coach said. “So I think you have to go through an adjustment period there. So in some ways it doesn’t surprise me. The guys that stayed in great shape I think do have an advantage. The guys that were in good shape and not great shape they’re at a disadvantage right now.”
It was the first Knicks game with live fans, with 300 people spreading out at the Cleveland arena. Ohio allows for such indoor gatherings, but New York’s government enforces tighter pandemic restrictions. There won’t be fans at Madison Square Garden.
