The Knicks weren’t able to complete a dramatic comeback against the Grizzlies in Wednesday’s season opener, but believers in Cam Reddish were rewarded with a breakout game that included a thrilling game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation.
Reddish, who saw sparing playing time after being acquired from the Hawks last season, played 28 minutes and shot 9-for-15 from the field, hit three of his six 3-pointers, and scored 22 points. He still looked erratic at times on the offensive end, but showcased an impressive eurostep while coming up clutch on his corner three in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Jalen Brunson also showed plenty of encouraging signs in his Knicks debut, scoring 15 points but shot just 7-for-18 from the floor. But the most impressive team debut came from Isaiah Hartenstein, who shot 60 percent in 40 minutes of work off the bench while Mitchell Robinson was in foul trouble, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
Wrapping up the positives from the overtime loss is potentially the biggest storyline of the night which could change the outlook of New York’s season: Julius Randle played with a heightened sense of energy from last season, was a more willing passer, and led the charge in the second half while shooting 9-for-16 from the field and finishing with a team-high 24 points. If Randle can return to a level of production that earned him the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2021, the Knicks will be in good shape.
Now, on to the negatives of opening night. In his first game since signing a $100 million contract extension, RJ Barrett struggled mightily, shooting just 3-for-18 from the floor, looking so disjointed on the offensive end and even at times in transition to the point where the case could have been made to sit him while the Knicks were trying to finish their comeback late in the fourth quarter. Barrett, who showed such a smooth 3-point stroke in the preseason, missed all six of his attempts from downtown, and logged just 11 points.
He wasn’t the only Knick to struggle from the floor. Immanuel Quickley, who many hope will take a step forward this season, missed all nine shot attempts on the night, while Mitchell Robinson took a step back from his strong preseason showing by playing just under 13 minutes due to foul trouble that plagued him early in his career.
Many of these narratives will likely even out or be turned on their head in the next 81 games, but overall, the Knicks fought back hard and nearly stole a road game from a top-tier team in the first game of the season.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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