As he enters his third NBA season, it’s easy to forget that Kevin Knox is younger than the Knicks ’first-round 2020 goal, Obi Toppin.
The 21-year-old striker is still struggling to achieve the consistency that has dodged him during his first two years in New York, but Knox provided lights out for a second straight preseason game with 20 points off the bench at 119 of Friday -83 victory over the Cavaliers in the garden.
Including the Knicks ’previous quarter-final win over Cleveland two nights earlier, Knox has buried nine of his last 10 3-point attempts.
“Looking at his career, when he has made good shots, he has always made them. Or at least he had a good chance to make them, “said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.” And when he eliminates hard shots, he makes him a much better player. He plays with a lot more energy defensively.
“But I want it to start: with its defense first, running on the ground, bouncing and then spacing the ground. And then I thought our guys were doing a great job penetrating him and finding him. I found the edge reading great. Kevin has worked very hard to prepare for the season. “
Knox, the 2018 Knicks lottery selection (ninth overall), enjoyed a promising rookie season, averaging 12.8 points and 28.8 minutes per game in more than 75 appearances. But the former Kentucky star’s playing time (17.9 minutes per game) and score (6.4 points per game) dropped significantly in his second season.
Knox started strong last year, with double-digit points in seven of his first 11 games, but scored 10 or more points in just eight of his last 54 appearances.
After having little impact in the Knicks ’first two preseason games against the Pistons, Knox was 4-4 on the field in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s return leg win over the Cavaliers. He then hit seven of ten shots (including 6-for-7 from distance) in Friday night’s outburst against the Cavaliers in the team’s final tune before the start of the season. Wednesday regular in Indiana.
“Just playing with energy, moving without basketball, and I’m doing a good job just finding the open places on the floor,” Knox said. “My classmates always come to me wondering how I am always open.
“I just keep moving without basketball, cutting, spacing the corners, finding open spaces and, like I said, doing a good job of my teammates finding me open … and being ready to shoot before the ball does not arrive, ready. I’ve been working on all this all summer. “
With a new coaching staff and, most importantly, in a 2019-20 campaign, Knox acknowledged that it was important for him to have a strong preseason presentation, especially on a roster that clearly needs a constant outside threat.
“It’s good, it’s always good to see the ball go through the net,” Knox said. “But with the preseason over, we start the real matches starting on Wednesday, so I want to keep working, watch a lot of movies, take a lot of photos.
“It was great to see the ball go through the net these last two games, and I hope I can continue with that confidence and play it consistently like I’ve been playing.”