An expensive weekend due to the injury of Mitchell Robinson still resulted in two major wins against the subordinate opponents for the Knicks.
Immanuel Quickley linked on four three-pointers and scored 22 points – while substitutes Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson played well in the first game without Robinson – as the depths of the Knicks led them to a convincing 121-99 victory over Saturday night. the Rockets in the garden.
Derrick Rose contributed 16 points off the bench when the Knicks (13-15) took advantage of Victor Oladipo’s absence for Houston due to a foot and ankle injury, just like the night before against the Wizards without NBA leader Bradley Beal .
Julius Randle also scored 22 points and Elfrid Payton added 15 for the Knicks, who host the Hawks on Monday. John Wall led the Rockets (11-15) with 26 points, while Eric Gordon finished with 24.
With Robinson facing the likelihood of an operation after breaking a bone in his right hand during Friday’s win in Washington, Noel made his first start of the season and finished with 10 points and six rebounds in a season highlight of 32 minutes. Gibson replaces Noel in the second unit and contributes four points and five boards within 16 minutes.
“Our starter and our bench, they are the same in many ways,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. ‘The individual strengths differ in each man. But in terms of what they bring to the team, you can make a case that you can start all the guys who are in the second unit. ‘
Noel averaged just 17.5 minutes per game from the bench, but he was fifth in the league with 2.0 strokes per game.
Noel converted an early pitch from Randle and Reggie Bullock buried three three-pointers during a 16-3 run for an eight-point Knicks cushion halfway through the first quarter. Their second unit – with Gibson replacing Noel – ended the period with buckets by rookies Quickley and Obi Toppin (11 points) for a 30-25 lead.
The lead was extended to 14 with a 15-4 lead, with Rose and Quickley trailing by nine points. The duo finished with seven pieces in the half, and the Knicks led by as many as 17, while interrupting a 63-47 lead.
It was the third extremely effective game with the Knicks for Rose since he was acquired from Detroit last weekend. He even studied videos with assistant coach Andy Greer in the team’s Tarrytown training room after the Knicks returned from Washington late Friday night.
“He’s a great student of the game,” Thibodeau said. “He’s always had it. I think that’s what enabled him to adapt, grow and change. I think you see it with a lot of players who are dominant players. They constantly contribute to their game.
“So it does not surprise me. I think he spent a lot of time trying to understand his new teammates and what their strengths are and how he can use them better. ”
Randle finished the half with 13 points and Noel added eight on 4-for-5 shots as the Knicks shot 52.2 percent off the floor, committing just one turnover through the first two quarters.
The Knicks became sloppy in the third stage and committed four early turnovers, which enabled the Rockets to reduce the lead to five, with 3:40 left. Wall pumped in 15 in the quarter, but a dunk by Noel and a two three-pointers by Quickley increased the Knicks’ advantage to 87-75.