by Stop Mike Lupica on January 15 at 9:54PM
The Wizards came out even flatter than than the Pistons did the other night. I wonder what excuse the local media will apply to them... were they playing their four game in five nights? A rough flight, perhaps? Uncomfortable beds?
After the Wizards stole the tip for two quick points, the Knicks went to work. Good passing was the catalyst offensively; even on the first shot, which was a Crawford shot-clock beating three, the ball went inside down low twice (once to Randolph, who kicked it back out, and later to Curry, who again kicked it outside). I think four Knicks touched it on that first possession, always a good sign.
Defense was tight, too. Randolph manned up on Jamison, forcing him to short his shot; Randolph of course also grabbed the rebound.
On the offensive side, it was Randolph to Jones to Curry to Jones. It missed, but it was an open three. It would be the only three the Knicks would miss for a while.
A poor lead pass inside to Curry resulted in a brick on what should have been an easy alley-oop.
The Wizards settled for a lot of perimeter shots, as they couldn't get inside on the Knicks. After the Wizards cut it to 5-4, Richardson hit a jumper (his second), gets a steal and takes it all the way for a dunk, Curry boxes out on a Jamison missed jumper (whoa!), then more ball movement:
Richardson to Randolph on the post, to Crawford on the arc, to Richardson on the arc, to Fred Jones in the corner for three. Nice movement.
Next possession: Crawford to Richardon to Jones in the other corner, for an open three. 15-4 Knicks.
The rebounding was there, too. Every missed Wizard shot was rebounded by the Knicks.
Another example of ball movement. Richardson to Curry to Richardson to Curry to Richardson, who fakes the three, makes a quick move, and pulls up for a 14 footer. 17-5 Knicks.
Crawford to Richardson to Crawford to Randolph (inside) to Crawford for the open three. Knicks are 4-5 from 3PT line. 20-10 Knicks.
Even the misses were great plays for the Knicks. Fred Jones missed a great drive, Curry missed that earlier alley oop that was poorly thrown, and Jones missed an open jumper.
Richardson was the biggest factor. He hit his first five field goals of the game.
After Lee draws a hustle foul (going for an offensive rebound), and hits both free throws, it's 28-12 Knicks. First time all year the Knicks have had double figure leads in back to back games. Wow, we might get some Wilson Chandler action tonight.
Wow, a great hustle play from Lee, who saves a rebound going out of bounds on the Knicks side, throws it in to Crawford, to Randolph for the layup. 30-14 after the first. What the f*ck is going on here?!
2nd quarter:
Even Jared Jeffries is getting up on people. This is bizarro ball.
Renaldo Balkman misses a shot, so he jumps over three Wizards to tip in his miss. 34-18.
Jeffries twice blocks Dominic McGuire (who is actually not Irish) under the hoops, and the Knicks fast break the other way. 36-18. Wow. The Wizards just aren't jumping or hustling for anything. It's like karma for all those games the Knicks didn't hustling in.
It's just... weird... to see the Knicks out hustling another team. It's 41-19, and Lee... just got blocked. Next possession... Lee gets block again. We'll have a post on Lee later today.
Clyde Frazier is not calling the game today, but he's getting lots of mentions on the air. Apparently he came into the Garden thinking he was working today! Wow, he must have wasted an outfit...
Also, Clyde never got a technical foul called on him in his career. That's always interesting.
A 22 point lead is down to 10 at the half, thanks mostly to Pecherov, who hit three threes in his first extensive action of the season.
The Knicks have balance again: Crawford (10 pts), Jones (10 points), Randolph (8) and Richardson (10).
The Knicks had 11 assists, including 4 for Richardson (2 for Robinson and Randolph).
3rd Quarter:
The Wizards open up with four points (Richardson's ) then Randolph makes a strong move to put the Knicks up 8 again.
Crawford hits a big three after the Wizarsds had again cut it to 6. Then ball movement on the next play (inside, back outside, around the arc) leads to a Richardson three. 59-47. Breathing room again. Wilson Chandler might still get some burn.
The Knicks miss a few shots next trip down, but get like four offensive rebounds, and eventually the Knicks convert. 61-47.
Later on, when the Wizards cut it to seven points, Randolph made another strong move for a layup to make it a 9-point game. He also got a big rebound on the defensive end. He's a good go-to guy.
Mason's shot makes it 67-60, and so... Crawford hits a three. 70-60 Knicks. Crawford and Randolph have both hit big shots to keep the Wizards from getting too close.
The Knicks again end the quarter poorly, and the Wizards cut into the lead... it's 77-72 now.
Crawford had 11 points in the 3rd, and now has 21 for the game. Richardson had another three assists, and now has seven for the game (17 total for the Knicks).
4th Quarter:
The Wizards hit a free throw to cut it to 77-73.
Knicks miss their first shot of the quarter, but grab the offensive board. Curry gets hacked, hits both. Clutch free throws. 79-73.
Curry also comes up with a steal on the other end. Then he takes advantage of a Blatche slip up, and gets open for an easy dunk. 81-73. Breathing room!
Crawford gets another wide open look from behind the arc, and it is good. 84-73.
Butler hits a jumper, and Crawford is once again open for three (this time in the corner), and... he nails it. 87-75. Jamal has 27, and is 6-7 from 3PT line. Nate now has six assists.
Ah, here's the clincher... David Lee with the rebound, throws a quick outlet to the speeding Robinson who is heading upcourt, who throws the phat alley oop to Balkman for the slam, and one! 91-77. Here's that play on YouTube:
Balkman, Robinson, Lee... how appropriate that Isiah's kids are putting on the show.
It's now 102-89 with under three minutes to go. There are six Knicks in double figures: Jones (10), Crawford (29), Randolph (14), Richardson (13), Curry (10), and Robinson (14). And Balkman has 8.
The Knicks have 25 assists (Robinson 8, Richardson 7, Crawford 4). Good game all around. Too bad the Knicks are still 15 games under .500, and that it is too late in the season to really get excited about these kinds of games.
Super Bonus: Randolph Morris is about to enter the game for 1:02 of action. He fouls Nick Young. Damn near takes his right eye out! Looks like those weeks of training with Jerome James is paying off. Mardy Collins bounce pass inside to Lee, who finishes with the reverse jam and one. Nice. That will do it... the Knicks have won two games in a row, for the first time this year.
Leave a comment
After the Wizards stole the tip for two quick points, the Knicks went to work. Good passing was the catalyst offensively; even on the first shot, which was a Crawford shot-clock beating three, the ball went inside down low twice (once to Randolph, who kicked it back out, and later to Curry, who again kicked it outside). I think four Knicks touched it on that first possession, always a good sign.
Defense was tight, too. Randolph manned up on Jamison, forcing him to short his shot; Randolph of course also grabbed the rebound.
On the offensive side, it was Randolph to Jones to Curry to Jones. It missed, but it was an open three. It would be the only three the Knicks would miss for a while.
A poor lead pass inside to Curry resulted in a brick on what should have been an easy alley-oop.
The Wizards settled for a lot of perimeter shots, as they couldn't get inside on the Knicks. After the Wizards cut it to 5-4, Richardson hit a jumper (his second), gets a steal and takes it all the way for a dunk, Curry boxes out on a Jamison missed jumper (whoa!), then more ball movement:
Richardson to Randolph on the post, to Crawford on the arc, to Richardson on the arc, to Fred Jones in the corner for three. Nice movement.
Next possession: Crawford to Richardon to Jones in the other corner, for an open three. 15-4 Knicks.
The rebounding was there, too. Every missed Wizard shot was rebounded by the Knicks.
Another example of ball movement. Richardson to Curry to Richardson to Curry to Richardson, who fakes the three, makes a quick move, and pulls up for a 14 footer. 17-5 Knicks.
Crawford to Richardson to Crawford to Randolph (inside) to Crawford for the open three. Knicks are 4-5 from 3PT line. 20-10 Knicks.
Even the misses were great plays for the Knicks. Fred Jones missed a great drive, Curry missed that earlier alley oop that was poorly thrown, and Jones missed an open jumper.
Richardson was the biggest factor. He hit his first five field goals of the game.
After Lee draws a hustle foul (going for an offensive rebound), and hits both free throws, it's 28-12 Knicks. First time all year the Knicks have had double figure leads in back to back games. Wow, we might get some Wilson Chandler action tonight.
Wow, a great hustle play from Lee, who saves a rebound going out of bounds on the Knicks side, throws it in to Crawford, to Randolph for the layup. 30-14 after the first. What the f*ck is going on here?!
2nd quarter:
Even Jared Jeffries is getting up on people. This is bizarro ball.
Renaldo Balkman misses a shot, so he jumps over three Wizards to tip in his miss. 34-18.
Jeffries twice blocks Dominic McGuire (who is actually not Irish) under the hoops, and the Knicks fast break the other way. 36-18. Wow. The Wizards just aren't jumping or hustling for anything. It's like karma for all those games the Knicks didn't hustling in.
It's just... weird... to see the Knicks out hustling another team. It's 41-19, and Lee... just got blocked. Next possession... Lee gets block again. We'll have a post on Lee later today.
Clyde Frazier is not calling the game today, but he's getting lots of mentions on the air. Apparently he came into the Garden thinking he was working today! Wow, he must have wasted an outfit...
Also, Clyde never got a technical foul called on him in his career. That's always interesting.
A 22 point lead is down to 10 at the half, thanks mostly to Pecherov, who hit three threes in his first extensive action of the season.
The Knicks have balance again: Crawford (10 pts), Jones (10 points), Randolph (8) and Richardson (10).
The Knicks had 11 assists, including 4 for Richardson (2 for Robinson and Randolph).
3rd Quarter:
The Wizards open up with four points (Richardson's ) then Randolph makes a strong move to put the Knicks up 8 again.
Crawford hits a big three after the Wizarsds had again cut it to 6. Then ball movement on the next play (inside, back outside, around the arc) leads to a Richardson three. 59-47. Breathing room again. Wilson Chandler might still get some burn.
The Knicks miss a few shots next trip down, but get like four offensive rebounds, and eventually the Knicks convert. 61-47.
Later on, when the Wizards cut it to seven points, Randolph made another strong move for a layup to make it a 9-point game. He also got a big rebound on the defensive end. He's a good go-to guy.
Mason's shot makes it 67-60, and so... Crawford hits a three. 70-60 Knicks. Crawford and Randolph have both hit big shots to keep the Wizards from getting too close.
The Knicks again end the quarter poorly, and the Wizards cut into the lead... it's 77-72 now.
Crawford had 11 points in the 3rd, and now has 21 for the game. Richardson had another three assists, and now has seven for the game (17 total for the Knicks).
4th Quarter:
The Wizards hit a free throw to cut it to 77-73.
Knicks miss their first shot of the quarter, but grab the offensive board. Curry gets hacked, hits both. Clutch free throws. 79-73.
Curry also comes up with a steal on the other end. Then he takes advantage of a Blatche slip up, and gets open for an easy dunk. 81-73. Breathing room!
Crawford gets another wide open look from behind the arc, and it is good. 84-73.
Butler hits a jumper, and Crawford is once again open for three (this time in the corner), and... he nails it. 87-75. Jamal has 27, and is 6-7 from 3PT line. Nate now has six assists.
Ah, here's the clincher... David Lee with the rebound, throws a quick outlet to the speeding Robinson who is heading upcourt, who throws the phat alley oop to Balkman for the slam, and one! 91-77. Here's that play on YouTube:
Balkman, Robinson, Lee... how appropriate that Isiah's kids are putting on the show.
It's now 102-89 with under three minutes to go. There are six Knicks in double figures: Jones (10), Crawford (29), Randolph (14), Richardson (13), Curry (10), and Robinson (14). And Balkman has 8.
The Knicks have 25 assists (Robinson 8, Richardson 7, Crawford 4). Good game all around. Too bad the Knicks are still 15 games under .500, and that it is too late in the season to really get excited about these kinds of games.
Super Bonus: Randolph Morris is about to enter the game for 1:02 of action. He fouls Nick Young. Damn near takes his right eye out! Looks like those weeks of training with Jerome James is paying off. Mardy Collins bounce pass inside to Lee, who finishes with the reverse jam and one. Nice. That will do it... the Knicks have won two games in a row, for the first time this year.
Leave a comment
|
