Before the PA announcer even finished saying his name, the crowd was on its feet applauding Donte DiVincenzo. The sharpshooter may have played only one season with the New York Knicks (3-0), but he left an indelible mark on the franchise, setting a new team record for three-pointers in a season.
Later, during a timeout at the six-minute mark, the spotlight shifted to Julius Randle with a tribute video on the Jumbotron. Until two weeks ago, both he and DiVincenzo were Knickerbockers. Tonight, they were members of the Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1). Both deserved the adulation.
As for the basketball game: OG Anunoby led the Knicks to a 26-21 first-quarter lead, but Anthony Edwards’ hot shooting gave Minnesota a 57-55 halftime edge. After the break, Edwards and Jalen Brunson traded buckets, with the Knicks taking an 88-83 lead by the end of the third. In the final frame, the bench units battled it out and in the end, New York claimed the win, 115-110.
Tonight, Edwards bombed with aplomb, hitting 8-of-13 from deep and finishing with 31 points. For the Knicks, Brunson scored the most points (24); Karl-Anthony Towns logged a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double (plus three steals); and OG Anunoby was invaluable, with 19 points, six boards, two steals, two assists, and some chef’s kiss defense. They’re still figuring out their offense, but at times tonight, we saw glimpses of how good this team can be.
Here’s Donte.
First Half
DiVincenzo opened the scoring with a familiar three-pointer, while Karl-Anthony Towns struggled early, missing his first three long-range attempts. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby led the Knicks, contributing 14 of their first 26 points.
New York was hustling, but their shots were rimming out yet again. In the first quarter, our heroes made just eight of 21 field goal attempts and only 17% (2-of-12) from deep. Fortunately for them, the visitors shot nearly as poorly. Thanks to a 12-2 run, the Knicks overcame their faults and were ahead 26-21 by the close of Q1.
New York back-up Cameron Payne made some second quarter noise, draining five straight points to briefly stymie a Minny run. Midway through the second frame, however, Timberwolf Anthony Edwards began to percolate, connecting on four straight three-pointers and showing why some consider him to be the league’s best shooting guard. Under his leadership, the Timberwolves reclaimed the lead and went ahead by 11.
The Knicks’ starters, back in the game, tightened their defense and mounted a comeback that included three-pointers from KAT, OG, and Jalen Brunson. By halftime, Minnesota held a slim 57-55 advantage.
For the half, both teams shot about 40% from the field. From deep, the Knicks made just 27% while the Wolves hit 35%. The visitors had won the battles for rebounds (29-23) and fast-break points (19-12), while New York had a slight advantage in the paint.
Second Half
After intermission, we watched more of the Edwards and Brunson show. Ant picked up where he left off, leading his squad on an 8-0 run. After a timeout, the Knicks pressured the paint and mounted their own 11-4 stretch, including nine straight points by Brunson. When he wasn’t scoring, Jalen was dishing. Here he zips a dime to Mikal Bridges for three.
With three minutes remaining, Jalen checked out and briefly visited the locker room. Bridges and KAT poured in the points, and OG flashed some great defense and passing, too.
Deuce hit a three to cap a 14-3 run and give New York an 88-83 lead going into the fourth.
The bench remains a question mark for both teams, and tonight both second-units scored 27 in the final frame. Precious Achiuwa and Deuce McBride put up points to keep the pace, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet combined for 25 points, and when the curtain fell, New York had secured the 115-110 win.
Up Next
For all the love shown to Donte DiVincenzo tonight, one person at MSG had a beef: Jalen’s dad, Rick Brunson. Kinda awkward. The Charlotte Hornets come to town on Tuesday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
