New York Knicks Hand Nuggets First Home Lost
Julius Randle had a strong game scoring a season-high 34 points as the Knicks won 106-103. It’s their first win in Denver in 16 years. The Nuggets were without the two-time reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic and the Knicks took advantage.
The Knicks previously won against Utah giving them their first home loss of the season and now have done it to the Nuggets in back-to-back games. There is no team remaining that is undefeated in the NBA. This is also the same team that gave up 145 points to the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday afternoon.
Randle hit 1 of 2 free throws to put the Knicks in the lead. Jalen Brunson who had 21 points, hit two free throws to put them up by three with 10.5 remaining in the game.
RJ Barrett had an off-shooting night scoring 11 points on 4-18 shooting and he missed all nine of his three-pointers.
With Jokic out the rest of the Nuggets team had to step up. Jamal Murry who is still getting his legs under him after missing all of last season with an ACL tear had 21 points but went 7-20 shooting. Bones Hyland came back from COVID protocols and also scored 21 points.
The Nuggets led by 10 in the fourth quarter but were outscored on an 8-0 run to close out the game. One of their other stars Michael Porter Jr. had a bag game. He went 1-8 from the field and did not take a shot in the second half. He ended the game with just five points. Denver entered the game with the best shooting percentage from the field at 50.4% and shot 43.9% Wednesday night.
Denver went 2-6 without Jokic last season and missed his 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. Without Jokic there to run the team they seem disorganized. There were times when they had chances to put away the Knicks but they let them hang around.
Evan Fournier is out of the rotation for now. Last season he set a Knicks record of 241 three-pointers. He started opening night, is owed $18 million this season, and is shooting 34.4% from the field. Another guy out of the rotation for right now is Quentin Grimes who also didn’t play for the second straight night. With Grimes, they asked if he was better off going to the G League but coach Thibodeau dismissed that idea.
“I think him being here with us is the best thing,”
He was also asked about the benching before the game and how long it will be response,
“We’ll see how it unfolds,”
The Knicks are headed to take on the Golden State Warriors Friday night as they are on their third game of a five-game road trip.
The New York Knicks GOT 👏 IT 👏 DONE 👏
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 17, 2022
Julius 34 PTS | 11 REB | 4 STL
Jalen 21 PTS | 7 AST | 5 REB pic.twitter.com/iYKr7ZwJzH
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