New York Knicks: Takeaways from narrow loss to Nets

2. Kevin Knox’s comfort level will remain consistent, but with varying

results

Kevin Knox’s preseason was marred by subpar shooting numbers, despite head coach David Fizdale’s placement of the rookie in the starting lineup. That changed ahead of the season opener when Frank Ntilikina became the starting small forward instead.

Off the bench, Knox went just 4-for-16 from the field. He kept the same aggressiveness from the preseason and summer league, but was off on most of the taken shots.

While the New York Knicks dropped this game to the Nets, Knox had his best game yet, with 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Three of his made shots were from three-point range, which contributed to the second-half comeback attempt. That led to 28 minutes off the bench and helped supplement the offensive struggles part of the starting lineup faced.

Nothing changed for Knox, though, in his approach. The aggressiveness was there and the shot selection seemed questionable at times, but he of course sunk them more frequently than the previous outings.

Look for more of the same from the 19-year-old moving forward, whether or not he struggles from the field. It’s a positive for him to remain confident, and it will continue against his toughest opponent yet, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and other Celtics on the way.