The New York Knicks, so far, are on their first and only winning streak of 2018-19. What happened the last time they won multiple games in a row?
The New York Knicks enter Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons on a three-game winning streak. With a 7-14 record and 4-14 before this, they had not won consecutive games in the 2018-19 season.
Emmanuel Mudiay, Trey Burke and Enes Kanter are just some of the players leading this campaign-high run. They have the chance to make it four games, which would match the longest mark of 2017-18, when Kristaps Porzingis was healthy.
However, the last Knicks win streak dated back to Mar. 17 and 19, with games against the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls. What happened when they last walked out of consecutive games victoriously?
Mar. 17, 2018 vs. Charlotte Hornets
The Knicks put up 124 points on Charlotte’s 101. It was behind a standout game from the bench, as the starting lineup of Tim Hardaway Jr., Michael Beasley, Lance Thomas, Emmanuel Mudiay and Enes Kanter struggled to make an impact. Only Hardaway, who scored 25 points, topped double-digits.
Isaiah Hicks and Troy Williams, both of whom don’t play on the main roster in 2018-19, had 12 and 13 points each. The former neared a double-double, with eight rebounds.
This was one of Frank Ntilikina‘s better games, as well. His 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting was third on the team.
Overall, New York shot 49.0 percent from the field and 46.2 percent on three-pointers. Charlotte made just 36.7 percent of their shots, including a quiet 10-point night from Kemba Walker, resulting in their demise.
Mar. 19, 2018 vs. Chicago Bulls
Like the previous game, Hardaway led the way with 22 points and hit four three-pointers, though he received help from Beasley’s 17 points and Kanter’s double-double.
It was another productive game for Williams, too, with 11 points and seven rebounds.
28 assists stood out for the Knicks. No one player had more than five, as ball movement — and a down shooting game from the Bulls — helped them win, 110-98.
Chicago went a putrid 3-for-30 on three-pointers, including 0-for-19 from the starting lineup. Their leading scorer was also Cristiano Feliciano, who didn’t attempt an outside shot.
To show how remarkable Mudiay’s 2018-19 turnaround has been, his run in these two games were disappointing. He went just 5-for-18 for 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Times have changed for the Knicks since this winning streak. Youth has consumed this roster and David Fizdale is the head coach. There’s more optimism around this run, given how early into the season it is and the inspiring play of the rookies and veterans revitalizing their careers.
Can the New York Knicks take this one step further? It starts with Detroit and continues with the Philadelphia 76ers one night later.