Representative defense is often a staple of success in the NBA and a different quality that should translate to whether games are played at home or on the road.
Since the Knicks have learned more than once this season, it’s almost impossible to cover up for a bad night of shooting at the other end.
Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks had closed in on the defensive end by posting three straight wins to deny the losing streak of five previous games, but fell below .500 again for the season with a frustrating 103-94 defeat on Friday. to the Kings in Sacramento, California.
Julius Randle added 26 points with 15 rebounds despite constant double teams, but the Knicks (8-9) were unable to overcome a 5-on-22 shooting night from 3 points or a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter, without get Thursday’s defensive victory at Golden State with a second straight win to open a four-game Western tour.
“From the middle of the first quarter and the second quarter I thought we were playing well. The third quarter started well, but then we got stuck and obviously we didn’t finish well, “said Thibodeau. “They were swarming and obviously we weren’t shooting. And when you don’t shoot, sometimes it gets hard. I liked the fight, but obviously we would like to close it better than us ”.
De’Aaron Fox scored 22 points, Harrison Barnes had 21 and the impressive rookie goalie Tyrese Haliburton, the 12th overall pick in the 2020 draft, four picks after the Knicks caught Obi Toppin, contributed 16 points, four blocks and two robberies in 31 minutes. off the bench when the Kings stopped their four-game slip.
The Knicks were just 3-on-18 from the long run through three quarters and dragged 76-72 entering the final 12 minutes. A 3 from Glenn Robinson III and a jumper from Cory Joseph just four minutes into the fourth increased Sacramento’s lead to a 12, 86-74 high.
A triple by Alec Burks and a three-point play converted by Randle marked a 13-3 run and brought the Knicks back within two with 4:30 left. But Haliburton’s 3 with 2:35 to finish highlighted a 7-0 Sacramento run to replenish the lead to 96-87.
“It simply came to our notice then. We will always try to fight to the end, no matter what happens, “said RJ Barrett. “It simply came to our notice then. I think we are still trying to learn and find out how to win and as a team we wear it every night ”.
Barrett finished with 21 points in the 8-on-17 throw one night after recording a career-high 28 against the Warriors, while Mitchell Robinson contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks. Toppin had six in 12 minutes for the Knicks, whose trip continues Sunday night in Portland before concluding Tuesday in Utah.
The Knicks came in first in the NBA with fewer points allowed (102.8 per game), while keeping opponents with the lowest percentage of field goals (43.0%) and the 3-point percentage (30.7 %).
Luke Walton’s kings, meanwhile, went on to score the most points in the league (123.0 per game) during their first 15 games. But they recorded a maximum of 14 blocked shots, including six from center Richaun Holmes.
The intensity of the Knicks seemed to calm down, however, after taking a 54-49 lead in the third quarter. Barnes ’placement and Buddy Hield’s triple in the middle of the period helped the Kings regain the lead, 68-67, and bring a four-point cushion to the fourth.
“It simply came to our notice then [in the third quarter]Thibodeau said. “Sometimes when you’re chained, you have to fight for these things. I liked the fight in the fourth quarter, but we didn’t close it.”