In their first game without starry leader Jalen Brunson Friday evening, the Knicks fought offensively and Fallen at the Clippers of Los Angeles, 105-95For their third consecutive loss.
Brunson should Miss at least two weeks with an ankle sprain, As a chief coach Tom Thibodeau It is clear during the post-match that New York will have to “adapt quickly” to play without their leader. The Knicks started their road trip of five West Coast 0-2 games and now have 40-23 in the season, just three games on the Milwaukee Bucks (36-25) for the head of the Eastern Conference N ° 3.
“It’s a quick turnaround,” Thibodeau told journalists after loss. “So you enter, you have a visit to a ballroom. And then we have to adjust ourselves and we have to adapt quickly. We have more than enough. And we have to find a way to do it.”
Thibodeau credited the Clippers (34-29) to be “a very good defensive team”, but recognized that his team needed to clean up the reversals (15 Friday evening) and bounce back if they hope to win BRUSON-free games on the field.
“I thought that overall, they drew 42%. We exceeded them by five. Our turnover probably injured some of us and we abandoned two offensive rebounds in a timely time in a crucial sequence in the fourth,” said Thibodeau. “So these are things that we have to clean.
“And we went by saying that if the defense and the rebound and the maintenance of the reversals were broken down, we would have a chance to win, and I thought we were in a position and that we were going to the end. So we failed tonight but there were good things that happened in the game.”
Although he did not have Brunson, the Knicks had always Cities of Karl-Anthonywho returned to action Thursday after missing Tuesday’s match Due to the death of a family friend. Thibodeau added that Towns “always finds his rhythm” after missing time and adapting to play without Brunson. The All-Star finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes of action.
“He always finds his rhythm,” said Thibodeau. “Free time and we were able to put them in rhythm. We have to work there.”
Towns reiterated Thibodeau’s point according to which the Knicks need to “understand it quickly” in the middle of their thrust in the playoffs without Bronnson playing, noting that it will take some time.
“Yeah, of course. A large part of our team is missing,” said Towns. “Next Man Up, we must be better. We must understand it quickly.”
He added: “We have to do a better job to make it more difficult for them to shoot Three Ball … We have to be better, but you know, we will all make it go up a level.”
On the performance of Miles McBride
With Brunson sidelined, McBride started and finished the match with seven points, six assists and two rebounds in 34 minutes. He had a hard time shooting, going to only 2 for 13 on the field, including seven three -point missed.
Despite difficult performances, Thibodeau expressed his confidence in the fact that McBride intensifies and is more a ball of the ball with Brunson.
“First match. He will get his pace,” said Thibodeau. When he starts, he has the ball more in his hands. When he plays with the second unit, he was out of the ball and Cam (Pay) managed the ball more but Deuce can do it.
“I saw him have huge games there. I have a lot of confidence in his abilities.”
