Knicks overwhelm Young, Hawks in Fizdale’s debut
NEW YORK >> The nervous Knicks had missed their first nine shots and just needed somebody to make one to get them started. Turned out to be a fan.
And once he made a halfcourt shot, the basket really opened up for Tim Hardaway Jr. and the Knicks.
“I think that might have been the reason we turned the game around,” coach David Fizdale said.
Hardaway scored 31 points, sparking the Knicks during their franchise-record, 49-point second quarter, and New York beat the Atlanta Hawks 126-107 on Wednesday night in their first game under Fizdale.
Hardaway had 16 points in the period, when the Knicks matched the Hawks’ point total for the entire first half. New York led 72-49 at the break.
Trae Young finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, shooting 5 for 14 in his NBA debut. Taurean Prince scored 21 points for the Hawks, who were overwhelmed in their first game under Lloyd Pierce.
Hardaway and the Knicks started slowly, as he had missed his first four shots and the Knicks took a timeout trailing 10-2.
During that break, George
Holmes of Northport, New York, nailed a halfcourt shot to win $10,000, and suddenly the New Yorkers couldn’t miss.
“He made that basket a little bit more bigger for us going out of that timeout and I thank him,” Hardaway said.
PELICANS 131, ROCKETS 112 >> Anthony Davis had 32 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, and Nikola Mirotic scored 30 points to lead New Orleans past Houston.
Davis added three blocks and three steals, Mirotic was 6 of 8 from
3-point range, and Julius Randle had 25 points off the bench. BUCKS 113, HORNETS 112 >> Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists, and Milwaukee spoiled Charlotte’s celebration of 30 years of basketball.
Antetokounmpo made two free throws with 23.7 seconds remaining to put the Bucks ahead after the Hornets battled back from a
20-point deficit behind 41 points from Kemba Walker.
PACERS 111, GRIZZLIES 83 >> Bojan Bogdanovic scored 19 points and Victor Oladipo added 16 to help Indiana rout Memphis in the largest-opening night victory margin in the franchise’s NBA era. RAPTORS 116, CAVALIERS 104>> Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 13 rebounds in his Toronto debut, Kyle Lowry scored 27 points and the Raptors beat Cleveland.
Kevin Love scored 21 points, and Cedi Osman had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers. PISTONS 103, NETS 100 >> Andre Drummond had 24 points and 20 rebounds, and Detroit won its opener under new coach Dwane Casey.
MAGIC 104, HEAT 101 >> Rookie Mohamed Bamba dunked twice and blocked a shot during Orlando’s 9-0 run in the fourth quarter and the Magic held off Miami.