The Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 137-115 win over the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
Here are the takeaways…
1. Prior to Monday’s game, the Knicks held a moment of silence Willis Reed, who died last week at the age of 80. During his 10-year career, Reed was a seven-time All-Star and a two-time NBA champion with two Finals MVP awards. New York players wore black strips with Reed’s number 19 on their jerseys for the game.
2. Julius Randle once again started fast in the opening quarter, scoring 15 points on six-of-11 from the field.
With Jalen Brunson out for a second straight game with a sprained right hand, Immanuel Quickley stepped up to fill the void offensively with 13 first-quarter points. Houston kept pace throughout the quarter with 33 points as both teams shot over 50 percent from the field in the opening 12 minutes.
3. RJ Barrett added a spark in the second quarter with 15 first-half points as the Knicks led by double digits. Even in New York’s scoring success, Houston stayed on track with Jaylen Green and Kenyon Martin Jr. posting double-digit first halves as the Rockets ignited a 10-to-nothing run to tie the game.
New York responded to take a 66-61 halftime lead behind 22 points from Quickley.
4. After a close end to the second quarter, the Knicks found a particular rhythm from beyond the arc in the third quarter to stretch their largest lead of the night to 12 entering the fourth quarter. Quickley continued his efficient night with 15 more points in the third quarter and Quentin Grimes knocked down multiple three-pointers.
5. New York carried that momentum into the final quarter Obi Toppin knocked down a long three-pointer to boost the lead to 20 points. Sharing the basketball proved vital for New York as the Knicks tallied a season-best 35 assists.
In a career-best scoring performance, Quickley led the Knicks with 40 points. Among four other players in double figures for New York, Randle finished with 26 points.
With six games remaining in the regular season, the Knicks hold a 2.5-game lead over the Nets and Miami Heat for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Highlights
What’s Next
The Knicks close out the two-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Heat. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm