New York Knicks fans got glimpses into the future of the organization during last night’s National Championship game and the Westchester Knicks playoff game.
Villanova manhandled Michigan Monday night to take home their second title in three years. The Wildcats dominated the tournament and became the first team to win every game by double digits since North Carolina in 2009. A couple potential New York Knicks were on the court for the Wildcats.
Mikal Bridges is a serious option for the Knicks in the lottery and Jalen Brunson is an intriguing possibility in the second round. Michael Dolan of ESNY discusses the possibility of a Villanova-Knicks pipeline.
Westchester Knicks Fall
The Westchester Knicks came into the G League playoffs riding high. They had the best record in the league, secured a first-round bye, and had the G League Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year patrolling the sidelines. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, for Mike Miller’s squad, the 905 Raptors were exactly what could go wrong. After the Knicks jumped out to an early lead, the Raptors settled in on defense and took control of the game. Westchester only managed to score 32 points in the second half and were held to 80 points for the game. The Raptors ended the Westchester’s season with a 92-80 victory.
Isaiah Hicks and Damyean Dotson led the way for Westchester with 23 and 20 points respectively. Luke Kornet struggled mightily and failed to score a single point in 32 minutes of play. He was 0-for-9 from the field and 0-for-6 from deep.
Even though Westchester’s season was cut short, it’s important to keep things in perspective. Westchester was extremely successful in terms of player development. In addition to Hicks and Kornet on two-way contracts, three other Westchester Knicks players saw time at the NBA level. Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Memphis Grizzlies) and Nigel Hayes (Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors) received 10-day contracts.
But the biggest success of Westchester’s season was the development of Trey Burke. The former lottery pick was excellent during his time in Westchester and used his experience to help him get a fresh start in the NBA. He could be a key contributor for the New York Knicks for years to come.
Other Knicks News, Stories
- ESNY’s own Danny Small is reporting on Troy Williams’ fractured jaw and what it means going forward.
- Danny Small of ESNY picks his Knicks golf partners for a round at Augusta in honor of The Masters starting this weekend.
- If you’re looking for possible dark horse candidates for the Knicks come draft time, look no further because ESNY’s Geoffrey Campbell has you covered.
