The Knicks are operating out of level guards.
Cam Payne, who was beginning his third straight sport with Jalen Brunson (ankle) and Miles McBride (groin) each sidelined, exited the 126-113 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday night time at Madison Sq. Backyard with a proper ankle sprain.
Payne had sparked a scorching Knicks begin offensively, scoring 15 factors earlier than his harm.
It left rookie Tyler Kolek as the one wholesome true level guard accessible.
He performed 19 minutes — tied for a season excessive — and recorded seven assists, although he didn’t rating.
“You simply gotta be able to go when your quantity is known as,” Kolek mentioned. “You don’t want for these circumstances, for guys to get harm. You at all times want for alternative, however you don’t need to see it come on the expense of different guys. Simply gotta be an expert and be able to go it doesn’t matter what my position is, whether or not I’m on the market beginning or on the market cheering my guys from the bench.”
Little-used Delon Wright additionally noticed extra motion because of the accidents, taking part in 12 minutes — his most because the Knicks acquired him from the Bucks forward of the commerce deadline.
He didn’t rating and had three assists within the loss.
“Simply subsequent man get in there,” coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “I believed Tyler performed effectively within the first half. After which Delon, who’s the following man, get in and get the job accomplished. That’s a giant a part of your strategy, your staff’s strategy. I feel there’s going to be adversity. It’s a must to be mentally powerful. You’ve to have the ability to get by that. It’s a must to keep disciplined.
“I knew it might be a problem. [The Clippers are] taking part in very well. They’re contemporary, two days of relaxation. I knew we must be at our greatest. We’re greater than able to getting that accomplished.”
Mitchell Robinson returned Wednesday after lacking Tuesday’s win over the Mavericks, as he’s not but taking part in back-to-backs since getting back from his foot harm.
He performed simply 13 minutes, although, and didn’t rating. He had two rebounds and an help.
“I don’t get wrapped up in his minutes, it’s how the staff is functioning,” Thibodeau mentioned. “And that’s the large factor. It’s not a ‘he’s gonna play this quantity of minutes.’ … It’s who have they got on the ground? And so they had been taking part in [Ben] Simmons on the 5 when he was in there, so it was a little bit completely different matchup-wise. And so they had [Nic] Batum. You’re trying on the matchups, you’re what’s occurring within the sport.”
