new york knicks
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The New York Knicks got a much-needed good week out of Evan Fournier.

Last week, Evan Fournier finally got it.

No, seriously. After a lengthy scoring dip where he looked lost in Madison Square Garden’s lights, Fournier remembered how to play basketball.

Okay, okay. Fine. The lingering tryptophan high and/or leftover pumpkin pie has made your favorite New York Knicks enthusiast melodramatic. Let’s try this again.

Evan Fournier remembered why the Knicks signed him; his borderline deadly three-point shooting. No, New York didn’t need a primary scoring option who holds the ball. Fournier came to the greatest city in the world to pace the offense and let the threes fly.

In return, the banged-up Knicks got off to a good start among a string of tough opponents. They knocked out the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers, ran head-first into the Phoenix Suns, and then got a much-needed revenge win over Trae Young at the Atlanta Hawks.

Oh, and let’s not forget they pulled this off without Derrick Rose’s on-court leadership, nor Taj Gibson’s. Nerlens Noel was also banged up and missed the game in Atlanta.

Thankfully, Evan Fournier was a factor in all of them and if his shooting stroke is back for good, it could mean only good things for the New York Knicks.

 

Fournier freezes the Lake

Let’s start with the Lakers game, in which the Knicks were in charge from start to finish. The Lakers came back to tie the game in the third, but New York owned the night and Fournier played a key role.

The Frenchman finished with 26 points on 14 shots, including six threes. All throughout the game, he knew exactly what he needed to do. His job was to shoot threes and get himself open so he could. Watch the video above, and you’ll see he does not hesitate at all.

Fournier added a floater simply because the opportunity was there, and then a clutch tip-in. But above all else, he remembered he was the shooter. This helped keep the Knicks’ offense going and staved off a bigger Lakers comeback.

 

Evan Fournier adjusted his game

Evan Fournier was also a key factor in the Knicks’ Saturday night win over the Hawks in Hotlanta. This time, he added 20 points on 13 shots and sunk four threes. For much of the game, he understood he was most needed behind the arc.

And yet, with Julius Randle proving a non-factor, Fournier adjusted and became a go-to scorer. A couple of tough layups featuring his smooth touch. A bank shot most can’t even pull off in NBA 2K.

Fournier didn’t even play that well in Friday’s blowout against the Suns, but still started strong. Nine of his 11 points came in the first quarter. Win or lose, he showed up to work ready to play and be the best shooter the New York Knicks needed him to be.

 

Looking forward

Things only get tougher for the Knicks this week. They visit the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets, and then host the Chicago Bulls before reigning MVP Nikola Jokic brings his Denver Nuggets to town.

If there was ever a week where Evan Fournier and his best were needed, it’s this one.

Josh Benjamin has been a staff writer at ESNY since 2018. He has had opinions about everything, especially the Yankees and Knicks. He co-hosts the “Bleacher Creatures” podcast and is always looking for new pieces of sports history to uncover, usually with a Yankee Tavern chicken parm sub in hand.