New York Knicks: Sloppy return ends win streak at one

The first game after the All-Star break was not positive for the New York Knicks, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 115-104.

After 18 consecutive losses, the New York Knicks broke through before the All-Star break, defeating the Atlanta Hawks to earn the illustrious 11th win to 47 losses; it’s been that kind of season for head coach David Fizidale’s group.

There were eight days to sit with this momentum. The Knicks could have stayed fresh and entered Friday’s game with something to play for against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That lasted as long as Damyean Dotson‘s red-hot 18 points in the first quarter. He finished the game with just two more points to total 20 in 33 minutes.

Dotson was this game’s only moment of hope. A player like Allonzo Trier still dropped 20, but not as loud as his backcourt teammate. There were quiet performances from the likes of Kevin Knox, Emmanuel Mudiay and Dennis Smith Jr., as well, adding to the Houston product’s stunted night.

Meanwhile, defense left something to be desired from tip-off to the game’s finish. That’s with Karl-Anthony Towns sitting for the first time ever due to injury. The Knicks allowed Minnesota to shoot 46.6 percent and 45.8 percent on three-pointers.

It was never close, and New York let six players score in double-digits, making this a complicated game to handle which the blue and orange played sluggishly.

The Knicks have another day off, but must prepare for the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, Feb. 24. It’s a home game, and the Silver and Black struggle mightily on the road, at 11-20. However, this team just took the Toronto Raptors to the wire on national television.

• Mudiay returned to play 26 minutes, accumulating 16 points, six rebounds and four turnovers off the bench. The point guard job is still Smith’s, who had seven points, seven assists and five turnovers, but providing opportunities to all candidates before the season ends makes sense.

• Mitchell Robinson‘s star was dim Friday night, not scoring and grabbing just two rebounds in 13 minutes. He added three blocks.
• The newly minted John Jenkins played just eight minutes.
• DeAndre Jordan was a smooth operator, at 16 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks.
• Slowing down his NBA time as a two-way player, Kadeem Allen was with the G League’s Westchester Knicks. He had 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists on 53.2 percent shooting and 55.6 percent on three-pointers.

Saturday’s rest day allows the Knicks to recover and enter Sunday’s tilt fresher and potentially prepared to take on the Spurs. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET.