2. First Half Performance
After playing two excellent quarters against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks fell apart in the second half. It was a disappointing turn of events, but there’s reason to be optimistic about the manner in which the game transpired.
The second half deserves to be picked apart and criticized, but the Knicks stepped up with an encouraging two quarters to begin the game.
The Knicks entered halftime with just a three-point deficit at 48-45. New York was down by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, but fought back with a strong showing on both ends of the floor to get the game back to the point of competitiveness.
With every player seeming to take their turn at chipping away at the deficit, the Knicks went on a 21-12 run to end the first half.
Clearly, collapsing in the second half created more than enough reasons to believe that the season could be long and unrewarding. The promising start shouldn’t be ignored, however, especially for a team that has three new starters, a new head coach, and a new sixth man.
The Knicks still have work to do, but the Knicks had a full half of intriguing play. That’s an encouraging start to the season.