After he dropped 31 points on New Year’s Day, Utah coach Will Hardy explained why the Knicks center’s long-distance shooting was more reputation than reality.
The Knicks were sluggish, the offense inexplicably disappeared for most of the fourth quarter and they were one Brooklyn shot away from their worst loss of the season.
Behind Jalen Brunson’s 34 points, New York left the MLK Day matinee at MSG with a 119-110 win that was ugly, physical and filled with complaining to the referees but nonetheless satisfactory after the final buzzer.
Two of the top players Tom Thibodeau ever coached – and the two players probably most responsible for his NBA championship – believe he’s being “stubborn” with his minutes distribution and it’s going to cost the Knicks in the playoffs.
It’ll represent the durable DiVincenzo’s first DNP of the season for the T’wolves and puts a damper on an anticipated matchup between offseason trade partners.