The New York Knicks captured a 118-85 win against the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans, who were without their leading scorers, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
This was the first game back at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks since Nov. 18, before they embarked on an 11-day road trip. The Knicks took an early lead in this game, which grew to 41 points at one point. The team was able to maintain a steady lead throughout the game, allowing for a relaxing Sunday night for the team and fans. Here are a few takeaways from the win:
Mikal Bridges put on a masterclass
Knicks guard Mikal Bridges was the leading scorer for New York last night, putting up a season-high 31 points, including seven 3-pointers. The forward found a rhythm early on in the game, scoring 13 points in just the first quarter.
Bridges shot with extreme confidence, a sight Knicks fans have rarely seen from him before. Five of Bridges’ seven threes came from the corner, which is one area he had especially been feasting from. He leads the NBA in right-corner three-pointer percentage at 57.1%, and he ranks second in percentage for left-corner threes as well.
It’s evident that Bridges’ shooting strengths rely mostly on the corner, and that’s where his teammates found him the most last night. This was a much-needed performance by Bridges, who had been severely struggling lately, specifically in the Knick’s most recent game, where he only scored eight points in 37 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets.
Sparks off the bench
The Knicks were able to maintain a comfortable lead throughout this game, never allowing the Pelicans to come back from their large deficit. Due to this, many players were able to play off the bench and get some minutes, extending head coach Tom Thibodeau’s usual rotation of eight players to 12 last night.
The team saw an immediate spark from backup guard Miles McBride, who scored 13 points and added three assists off the bench. Eight of McBrides 13 points came in the first quarter when he scored three consecutive baskets in the last two minutes of the first.
McBride has been proving himself to be a quality bench scorer, as this is his second consecutive game of scoring in double-digits. Guard Cameron Payne also provided emphasis off the bench, putting up eight points and five assists. The veteran has been one of the most consistent Knicks so far, averaging the third most assists on the team with 3.4 per game.
The rookies also got some shine, but guard Matt Ryan excited fans in the last few minutes of the game when he scored eight points. Ryan initially signed with the Knicks on Nov. 5 through a non-guaranteed deal, and he has previously been proven to be a valuable shooter but hasn’t seen much time off the bench for the Knicks.
Defensive effort emerged
So far this season, the Knicks have been a bottom-tier defensive team and are currently ranked No. 22 in defensive rating at 114.6. It’s been evident in multiple losses that there are clear defensive weaknesses between rim and perimeter protection.
However, last night was a different story. From the get-go, New York showed its defensive presence, forcing the Pelicans to miss 15 consecutive shots in the first quarter. This is where the Knicks were able to build their lead, which remained for the rest of the game. New York also out-rebounded the Pelicans 60-42, which was led by center Karl-Anthony Towns, who grabbed 19 rebounds, tying his season-high in boards.
Next, the Knicks will play the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET in a big NBA Cup matchup.
