Good morning! Before we get to today’s newsletter, a bit of unfortunate news: I’m sick as a dog. Hopefully nothing serious, but I barely made it through the postgame show without keeling over, so this newsletter is going to be on the shorter side. My intention is to make up for it at some point over the next 24-48 hours, because boy oh boy did that offensive performance deserve it.
Game 15: Knicks 138, Suns 122
The Knicks opened the game with their best offensive quarter of the season, scoring 44, shooting 78 percent overall, nailing 8-of-11 from deep, dishing 14 assists on 18 made shots, and earning 16 fast break points. It was awe inspiring.
New York could never fully put Phoenix away until the last five minutes of the fourth quarter thanks to some inconsistent defense and hot Suns shooting, but there were a number of positive possessions on that end of the court as well.
For just the second time this season and the first time in a victory, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns each topped 30. The Suns couldn’t stop either player.
Going back to last season’s game, Brunson extended his streak of made baskets in Phoenix to 17 and his streak of made threes to 14 before each was broken last night.
Mikal Bridges was 2-for-4 on above the break threes.
Devin Booker went for 33 but on 23 shots as OG gave him fits.
Thobodeau’s pre-garbage time 8-man rotation included Tyler Kolek but not Pacome Dadiet.
In the Greek myth of Sisyphus, we find an unfortunate soul who has been punished by the gods and forced to continually roll a boulder up a hill, only for it roll back down to the bottom every time. He must engage in this task for all of eternity.
Thankfully for the Phoenix Suns, their Sisyphean plight only lasted 48 minutes.
Even without Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the Suns do not have an incapable offense. We saw that last night, as they put up 50 threes - second most by a Knick opponent this season after Boston on opening night - and converted a respectable 19. Thanks to their shotmaking, they hung around in this game despite New York taking a 19-point lead less than 10 minutes into the game.
Sadly for them, their boulder was not destined to make it all the way up that hill.
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