Knicks' starting five show rust, unfamiliarity in first preseason game against Hornets
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns pulls down a rebound as guard Josh Hart looks on during the first half of an NBA preseason game against the Hornets on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Carlson
CHARLOTTE — The Knicks opened the preseason Sunday night with all the projected five starters in the lineup and in the opening minutes, some of the rust and unfamiliarity was on display.
Karl-Anthony Towns missed a stepback three on his first shot attempt. Mikal Bridges misfired on a corner three and then Bridges missed a floater along the baseline. And it seemed a good time to remember this is preseason and the first minutes this group has played together.
That starting five played two stretches together, basically intact as a unit for their entire performance. It was a kind of get to know you against competition, even if it was an exhibition game against the Charlotte Hornets in a near-empty Spectrum Center.
“First game, some good, some bad,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Obviously a lot of work to do. I figured it would be a little choppy. There’s a lot of areas that we need to clean up but there was some good as well.
“They need time obviously. We just wanted them to get their feet wet. That being said, the opener is right around the corner. We’ve got work to do and we’ve got to get to it.”
The Knicks managed to pull out a 111-109 victory thanks to the play of the bench. In particular it was the second unit combo of Deuce McBride (game-high 22 points), Cam Payne and Landry Shamet and then rookie Tyler Kolek. Kolek came on in the final minutes of the third quarter and played the rest of the way, scoring 11 points in 14 minutes.
But for the Knicks the big picture will remain getting that starting five all on the same page, developing a feel for each other. Towns shot 1-5 from three and 2-for-7 overall and the group shot 10-for-28 among all five. But there were moments, even without familiarity, where there was a pretty pass from Towns or an easy drop-off from Jalen Brunson that provided a hint of what the group can be.
“For sure, it’s definitely going to take time,” Brunson said. “But when people are willing to do whatever it takes to try to win, it’s going to flow at some point. We talk consistently. And we’re on the same page. And we’re excited that we’re teammates now.”
“We know it’s going to be a process,” Josh Hart said after attempting just two shots. “The thing that’s going to make this team good and can make it special, we don’t care who scores and who gets the assist, who gets the statistical numbers. We all want to win. We’re all willing to sacrifice to make that happen. I think that’s something that the character of the team will be good.”
Towns said he’s been reading up on Knicks history and found himself a vintage T-shirt with Latrell Sprewell and Tim Duncan on the front, promoting the 1999 NBA Finals, the last time the Knicks were there. Wearing that may have just been another step in the process.
“I was four years old,” Towns said. “But it looked dope. I’m learning more about the Knicks history as well so I know a little bit more about the shirt now.
“I’ve never had to do that [learn about a new team] before. So for me everyday, brick by brick, [it's] building something special, learning each other. Learning each other’s tendencies. And just continuing to improve as a team is really what’s key for us.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
