Evan Fournier entered his Knicks debut on Wednesday night having averaged just 9.8 points per game during the preseason, shooting just 35.5 percent from the field and 30 percent from downtown.
It took one night to show why those stats mean absolutely nothing.
Playing in his first meaningful game since signing a four-year, $78 million deal with New York, Fournier poured in 32 points, tying his career best, and caught fire from downtown when the Knicks needed it most in a thrilling double overtime win over the Celtics at The Garden.
Fournier scored a dozen points in the two overtime periods, all coming on 3-pointers, including a huge one with 56 seconds left in the second overtime to give the New York the lead for good.
"We've seen him do that," head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "That's who he is. I never worried about him making shots. He's proven throughout his career that that's what he is."
Fournier's defense was put under the microscope at the end of regulation, when he decided to run over for a double team as Boston tried to push the ball over midcourt with the final seconds ticking down. His gaffe led to a wide open 3-pointer by Marcus Smart, who knocked it down as time expired to force overtime.
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Fournier wasted no time redeeming himself, sinking three triples in a span of one minute during the first overtime to help the Knicks weather a storm of Boston 3-pointers, keeping the team in position to grab the win.
Fournier's offensive outburst was overshadowed only by Julius Randle, who scored a team-high 35 points, as the two showed their combined potency on the offensive end in their first game sharing the floor.
"The more they played together, it was nice to see him and Julius build some chemistry together," Thibodeau said.
It was nearly a disastrous debut for Fournier after his defensive miscue, but instead, it turned into a heroic one. It may not have been necessary in the first place, but it offered an opportunity to show his 3-point prowess, and the impact he can have on the offensive end in late and close games, which the Knicks have a tendency to be a part of on a consistent basis since Thibodeau took over.
"It was crazy," Fournier said. "The atmosphere, the fans, the game itself. It was fun to go to two OTs, but I wish we could've had the game in the first 48 minutes. It was a dogfight."
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