Grant Scores A Career High 44 Points
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Derrel Jazz Johnson
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
The New York Knicks were up 51-37 almost midway through the second quarter last night against the Portland Trail Blazers and it appeared that the team would cruise to victory over a team without their injured superstar Damian Lillard, who was missing his third-straight game.
But then Portland started being more aggressive, the referees started calling more fouls, and the shorthanded road team took it to the Knicks and earned a gutsy 132-129 overtime road victory at Madison Square Garden.
A visibly disturbed Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau discussed the loss after the game. “We have to adjust to how the game is being called,” he said. “Sometimes it’s going to be tight, sometimes not as tight, but we can’t keep repeating the same [mistakes]. If they’re calling it that way, then we have to adjust.”
Among the frustrating statistics from the game were Jerami Grant scoring a career-high 44 points, 6”5’ shooting guard Josh Hart grabbing 19 rebounds, including 6 on the offensive end. Anfernee Simons added 38 points. But Thibodeau said the most frustrating statistic was the team giving up an eye-popping 51 free throw attempts.
The Knicks were led by guard Jalen Brunson with 32 points while Julius Randle chipped in 23.
The Knicks have now lost three of their last four games and they host Minnesota Sunday night.
