The Knicks brought the effort, and Tim Hardaway Jr. brought his shooting stroke, as the orange and blue move to two and one on their road trip.
- New York Knicks 117 (21-25)
- Utah Jazz 112 (18-27)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
After an abysmal Wednesday night loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, where the defensive effort was nowhere to be found for most of the game, the Knicks came ready to play against the Jazz.
Early on, Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. were aggressive and hitting their shots. Hardaway Jr. finished the first half with 12 points, and Porzingis was not far behind with nine points and two blocks.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2018
The Knicks were fairly fluid on offense dishing out 12 first half assists, but on defense, they had no answer for Rudy Gobert and Rodney Hood.
Gobert, after missing 15 games with a knee injury, was a force in the paint, scoring 11 points and adding eight rebounds and two blocks. He finished the game with 23 points and 14 rebounds. His teammate Hood, was a marksman early in the game, finishing the first half shooting over 50% from the field. Hood, along with Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell scored in double figures for the Jazz.
Down six at the half, Courtney Lee and Hardaway Jr. shot the Knicks back into the game and took the lead in the third quarter.
Big buckets down the stretch.
We lead 98-93 | 6:16 | Q4
Watch on https://t.co/kwkwhs6lzy pic.twitter.com/0aC5DBs1bX
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2018
Heading into the fourth quarter Trey Burke found himself getting important minutes and he did not disappoint. Burke scored most of his seven points in the fourth, and showed no fear, taking some big shots down the stretch.
That's a W! #FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/Md0Z8kNBP8
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 20, 2018
But in the end, Hardaway Jr. was the answer the Knicks needed. “Shimmy” was a human torch shooting 6-for-7 from three-point range, finishing with a game-high 31 points. The Knicks grabbed their second win on their seven-game road trip as they now head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers this Sunday.
Despite the win, rookie Frank Ntilikina struggled to find his rhythm. Ntilikina went scoreless with two turnovers in just four minutes of action.
ESPN Sources: Charlotte making All-Star guard Kemba Walker available in trade talks. Story: https://t.co/4u3mLpmHcH
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 19, 2018
Earlier today, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported that New York native Kemba Walker is on the trading block.
As the trade deadline looms and rumors circulate, fans will wonder whether patience with the “French Prince” will win out, or whether the lure of Kemba Walker playing at Madison Square Garden be too much to resist. Stay tuned.
