The Knicks’ hopes for revenge against the top team in the Western Conference were swiftly dashed on Friday night, as they lost in blowout fashion to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 126-101, at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— While there was no shortage of first-quarter offense in their first season meeting last week, the Knicks and Thunder struggled mightily to score early in the rematch. Both teams started the game a combined 1-for-13 on shot attempts, and New York’s first field goal didn’t come until the 7:19 mark. Suffocating defense on both ends of the floor contributed to the peculiar inefficiency.
— It didn’t take long for the Thunder to settle down and find their groove, however. With the score knotted 11-11 with four minutes left in the first quarter, a three-pointer from Isaiah Joe ignited a a powerful 15-2 run for Oklahoma City that silenced The Garden crowd. New York trailed 31-17 after one, and committed five turnovers.
— The Knicks were simply overwhelmed by the Thunder’s surge in the second quarter. They allowed a sudden 10-2 run that forced head coach Tom Thibodeau to call a timeout, and the wakeup call didn’t light any sort of spark. New York watched its deficit reach a whopping 28 points, as they failed to match Oklahoma City’s physicality and speed in transition. Blame it on a blatant lack of energy and focus.
— Feel free to call the Knicks’ first half a nightmare. Not only did they shoot a meager 32-percent (14-of-44) from the floor, but they also made just two threes on 15 attempts. As for the Thunder, they posted polar opposite numbers, finishing the half with a stout 10-made threes, a crisp 60-percent field goal percentage, and a commanding 27-17 rebound advantage.
— The first half was quite a showcase for Joe, who stunningly scored a season-high 23 points off the bench with six-made threes. Both of the Knicks’ wingers were also ghosts — OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges shot a combined 0-for-11 for zero points through two quarters. Jalen Brunson (15) and Karl-Anthony Towns (10) were the only Knicks in double-digits, and the boos rained down as they left the court, trailing 70-43.
— New York chipped away early in the third quarter, but the effort was far too little, too late. It took no time for Oklahoma City to respond and continue scoring with ease. While the Knicks posted 31 points in the third, their poor ball movement and teamwork was evident.
— The Knicks entered Friday ranked top-five in the NBA in both threes made and three-point percentage, but they didn’t come close to resembling a productive unit from beyond the arc. Against the Thunder, they finished a ghastly 4-for-31 (13 percent) from three.
— Duece McBride, who missed the past five games nursing a hamstring injury, returned to action on Friday. He scored seven points with five assists and five rebounds in 20 minutes. With the game well out of reach, the Knicks received 31 points from their bench — technically an upgrade when compared to the meager five bench points scored in their first loss to the Thunder.
— In his return to The Garden, Thunder big Isaiah Hartenstein received a warm welcome from the crowd during lineup announcements. He added nine rebounds, six assists, and six points in 30 minutes. He saluted the fans following a tribute video.
Game MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored a game-high 33 points against the Knicks last week, took his first three-point attempt midway through the third. But this wasn’t due to tough Knicks defense beyond the arc. The league MVP contender had no issue scoring inside, as he logged a laudable 39 points on 15-of-21 shooting in just 29 minutes of work.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks (25-14) will need to quickly wipe the beatdown from their memory, as they’re slated to face the Milwaukee Bucks in a Sunday matinee at The Garden (3 p.m. tipoff).