Undefeated at residence — and with an opportunity to maintain working up the tab.
The Knicks are defending Madison Sq. Backyard underneath new head coach Mike Brown, turning residence video games into assertion nights to open the season.
They’ve rebounded from a three-game highway skid to stack 4 straight residence wins coming into Tuesday’s matchup towards the Memphis Grizzlies, the primary leg of a back-to-back that continues Wednesday towards the Orlando Magic.
The Knicks entered the back-to-back an ideal 6-0 at residence, tied with the Denver Nuggets for essentially the most residence victories among the many six remaining groups nonetheless unbeaten in entrance of their very own followers.
“We had lost three in a row, and a lot of people thought the sky was falling. We hadn’t been together long. I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t know when to put Josh [Hart] in, when to take him out. I didn’t know when to put Mitch [Robinson] in, when to take him out. I was still figuring out our rotations and how we’re going to play and all that other stuff. So we just needed time. Again, I was bad, and we were bad as a team,” Brown mentioned after Sunday’s victory over the Nets. “Again, it’s not going to happen in one night. We may go on another three-game losing streak. We may mess up in the third quarter. Who knows? If you want to be great in life you’ve got to find a way to be consistent. Be consistent. That’s the biggest thing.”
The Knicks are successful at residence by a median of 17.6 factors per sport, a run highlighted by Sunday’s 36-point demolition of the Nets, a 23-point victory over the Timberwolves, and a 12-point win that handed the Bulls their first lack of the season.
Karl-Anthony Cities has lengthy emphasised the significance of proudly owning residence court docket — the sort of benefit that carries weight deep into the postseason.
“All of us got pride. We want to have the fans going home smiling,” Cities mentioned after Sunday’s win. “And we want to protect home court and continue to give our fans something to cheer for.”
If the recent begin is any indication, the Knicks are positioned to construct some early separation. Eleven of their subsequent 22 video games are at residence, which means 17 of their first 25 contests will happen at Madison Sq. Backyard. Coming into Tuesday’s assembly with Memphis, the Knicks (6-3) sat second within the Jap Convention behind Detroit, with Miami, Cleveland, and Milwaukee tied at 7-4 and each Chicago and Philadelphia at 6-4.
Nonetheless, Cities insists the main target stays squarely on the second.
“I worry about the present. Today is Brooklyn,” he mentioned Sunday. “Tuesday is someone else — Memphis. And then Wednesday? I only know about Wednesday because it’s my birthday the next day. For me, I just always stay focused on the present. The future will take care of itself. Get this win. Find a way to win tonight. Tomorrow we’ll regroup and worry about the next one.”
The schedule tilts within the Knicks’ favor early — no group within the NBA has had an extended residence stretch this quickly into the season.
“We want to take advantage of being at home absolutely,” mentioned Miles McBride. “Just make sure we go out there and handle business every night.”
JC FOR 3
Sixth man Jordan Clarkson says he’s rising extra snug inside Brown’s offense and alongside his new teammates — and that consolation is starting to translate to manufacturing.
Clarkson tallied 11 factors, three assists, two rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes towards the Nets on Sunday, marking his third double-figure outing in his final 4 video games. Over that span, he’s capturing 57.6% from the sphere and 41.2% from three, rating among the many league leaders in efficient subject aim share for gamers averaging at the least quarter-hour off the bench.
“I still think I’ve got a long way to go in terms of all the calls and all the movement we have offensively,” Clarkson mentioned after the victory over the Nets. “It’s taken some time to get used to everybody and the system and coach as well, so I’m just trying to stay locked in on that offensively and then defensively for me it’s being in the right spots and trying to bring anything I can on that end.”
WORK IN PROGRESS
Cities continues to fine-tune his slot in Brown’s up-tempo system — and the method stays ongoing.
Cities’ scoring common has dipped from 24.4 factors per sport final season to twenty.7 thus far this yr, and his effectivity has fallen 9 share factors from each the sphere and past the arc.
“I think everything we’re doing is still a work in progress and we’re trying to — all of us are trying to figure out how we can impact in the system most efficiently,” Cities mentioned. “I’m glad we’re learning through wins.”
