Hot Start Cold Finish For Randle In Loss To Sixers
By Derrel Jazz Johnson
The New York Knicks got off to a hot start on Christmas afternoon,
leading the Philadelphia 76ers by as many as 14 points in the first
quarter. But the Knicks let the talented team hang around and
Philadelphia left Madison Square Garden with a 119-112 win.
Of biggest concern to the team is Jalen Brunson leaving the game with
an undisclosed injury in the fourth quarter. Julius Randle led the
Knicks with 35 points and 8 rebounds, while Brunson finished with
23 points and 11 assists.
Said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau of the three-game losing streak
after the game. “We’re just not doing enough to win right now, and that’s what we have
to fix. Every game, like I said, you’ve got 30 assists in a
ball game, you’re sharing the ball that well, that part is good. We
were low turnover, but again the fouls, those are things we have to
take a look at – how can we clean that up. And then look at the ball
pressure. We need easy baskets too, we know that. If we get stops, and
we can get it into the open floor, that’s usually when we’re at our
best.”
RJ Barrett (17 points, 10 Rebounds) discussed the Christmas loss. “Today was a tough one
because we really controlled the game for most of the game,” he
started. “It was couple minute spurts that really just got us. We’ve
been playing pretty good basketball over this stretch. I think tonight
we did have a good game overall…like I said those couple-minute
spurts kind of slipped away from us but it wasn’t good enough tonight.
Hasn’t been good enough the past three games so we have to get out of
that.”
Said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau of the three-game losing streak
after the game. “We’re just not doing enough to win right now, and that’s what we have
to fix. Every game, like I said, you’ve got 30 assists in a
ball game, you’re sharing the ball that well, that part is good. We
were low turnover, but again the fouls, those are things we have to
take a look at – how can we clean that up. And then look at the ball
pressure. We need easy baskets too, we know that. If we get stops, and
we can get it into the open floor, that’s usually when we’re at our
best.”
RJ Barrett (17 points, 10 Rebounds) discussed the Christmas loss. “Today was a tough one
because we really controlled the game for most of the game,” he
started. “It was couple minute spurts that really just got us. We’ve
been playing pretty good basketball over this stretch. I think tonight
we did have a good game overall…like I said those couple-minute
spurts kind of slipped away from us but it wasn’t good enough tonight.
Hasn’t been good enough the past three games so we have to get out of
that.”
Sixers center Joel Embiid finished with 35 points, 8 rebounds
while James Harden chipped In 29 points.
The Knicks next 3 games are on the road. They play the Dallas Maverick tonight.
Then they visit San Antonio to take on the Spurs Thursday night before ending the
Trip in Houston to face the Rockets. They return home Monday, January 2nd to host
The Phoenix Suns.
Sports Editor Andrew Rosario contributed to this article.
