The “We Want Quickley” song began late in the first quarter when Sacramento put together a rare run.
With a time of 2:44 in the quarterfinals, rookie Immanuel Quickley was included in the match and he did not disappoint the second obscure garden meeting of the season.
Quickley supplemented the Knicks with 18 points in the first half, leading the offensive blast to a 140-121 victory over the sagging Sacramento when the popular rookie point guard emerged from his recent slump.
Quickley finishes with 25 points and hits all 12 of his free throws. Along with Julius Randle, Quickley even heard “MV-P” songs on another joyous evening in front of 2,000 fans who seemed to be singing something all night.
“It’s a long season,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. ‘No player shoots well in all 82 games. There are ups and downs. He managed it very well. He is an excellent shooter, has the ability to make mistakes. Everyone has a lot of confidence in him. We know he has a lot of confidence in himself. It starts with preparation. He’s a gym rat and student of the game. ”
The Knicks’ 140 points were a highlight of the season and came against the NBA’s weakest defensive team. The Knicks were the NBA’s least productive team to enter the game offensively.
Randle, who hears MVP sing a second consecutive game, once again put together a bull-in-a-china-shop performance with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Alec Burks, who mostly piled it up in the fourth quarter garbage time, scored a season-high 24 points.
Derrick Rose made his first start of the season at the points guard due to Elfrid Payton’s hamstring injury and added 18 points as the Knicks moved below 0.500 at 16-17 after one game. The Kings (12-20) lost their ninth consecutive game.
The Knicks put up a first-half 77 points, shot 65.9 percent and then fended off a knockout from Kings.
The Knicks reached nearly 80 in that first half, but a desperate 3-pointer at the buzzer by Reggie Bullock was blown off because he stepped on the sidelines. However, the Knicks had enough – a 77-63 lead.
Included in the starting lineup, Rose started the storm by jerking to the basket in the first possession of the game for a left lineup.
Rose started the game with a flair and went 5-for-5 in the first quarter, finishing with 13 points in the first half. But the nasty, laden fans, with the Kings on an 11-0 run, started the Quickley song.
When he entered late in the first quarter, the Kentucky rookie went to work and immediately had a three-pointer tapped. He made mistakes, drained a driver and piled up 18 points in 9:36. He made from 4 out of 6 baskets and threw all eight of his free.
Quickley’s 3-for-22 slump in the previous three games has been put in the distance. As the first report by The Post reported, the NBA will not hold the Rising Stars challenge for top rookies and sophomores, but will announce an honorary team. Quickley sealed his place except.
In another slap at Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina is put back in the rotation with Payton out. Ntilikina, due to a sprained knee, COVID-19 protocols and taken out of the rotation, has not played in a match since December 29.
He also looked good. He stole a ball from De’Aaron Fox to start a quick break and fed Quickley for a three-pointer. By playing 8:58 in the first half, he also drained a three-pointer.
CC Sabathia and rappers Jadakiss and Action Bronson were part of the celebrities at the social distance.