TREY, TREY AGAIN
Knick's can't stop record-setting Steph, Dubs
It sounded like San Francisco.
The Knicks were invited to Stephen Curry’s 3-point record-setting party Tuesday night and watched history made while the Garden serenaded their longtime Golden State rival with a standing ovation.
Curry got his record and an easy win as the Warriors outlasted the depleted Knicks, 105-96, to keep the home team in lottery position at 12-16.
During the long stoppage in the first quarter, the Warriors’ superstar hugged just about everyone as the Garden scoreboard showed Curry’s image and the public address announcer congratulated him after he set the new all-time NBA mark for 3-pointers in a career, vaulting to 2,974.
“Special atmosphere,’’ Curry said. “I knew the Garden would deliver, that’s how this place is. I appreciate so much how much the fans embraced the moment with me and let me get lost in it. Once I took the shot it felt good, looked good, and it felt like we were at home.’’
Curry finished the night with 22 points, splashing a game-sealing 3 with 2:30 left and giving mighty Golden State a 97-85 cushion. He was 5 of 13 from 3-point land, leaving the court with 2,977 for his career.
“I thought it was the right thing to do to acknowledge him,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I had an opportunity to coach him at Team USA. He’s a classy guy. It’s the right thing to do.’’
It was the wrong result, though, for the reeling Knicks. Beset by COVID-19, the Knicks had three players in protocols — Obi Toppin, RJ Barrett and rookie Quentin Grimes, who was the latest to test positive.
Julius Randle finished with 30 points with a big second half but had no help as the Knicks shot 36.1 percent.
“Not playing great basketball right now,’’ Randle said. “It’s tough but this is what we all signed up for. So we’ll see what happens. Not we’ll see what happens; we’re going to get it done. We’re going to figure it out. We just got to get our confidence and our juice going.”
With the Knicks depleted, it was another night of disrespecting veteran point guard Kemba Walker, who is eligible to be traded starting Wednesday. They are 1-7 since his official demotion from the lineup. Derrick Rose started at point guard and rookie Miles McBride, in his first real look, was the backup.
“You just want to put your team in position to win,’’ Thibodeau said. “If you look at the games and you go through the games, there’s some really good stuff and there’s some stuff that, obviously, has to be better.’’
While Walker’s star has fallen, Curry’s is at new heights. Ray Allen, whose record was snapped, came onto the Garden court to embrace Curry as did Curry’s father, Dell, and mother, Sonia. Warriors coach Steve Kerr bear-hugged Curry and gave him the ball as a keepsake.
Though it didn’t appear any Knicks came over to congratulate Curry, the players took no offense to the delay that occurred when Kerr called a timeout. Rose said the moment was “dope.’’ Added Randle: “It was cool. Great player so it was great to witness history. It’s not like offensive or I take offense to it.’’
Entering the game needing to make a pair to set a new 3-point record, Curry’s milestone shot came with 7:33 left in the first quarter from the right wing over Alec Burks. Curry’s first 3 came one minute into the contest, sinking a 29-footer straightaway to tie Allen’s record as the Garden erupted in wild cheers as if Curry were wearing a Knicks jersey.
The Knicks cut the deficit to four points midway through the fourth quarter but couldn’t sustain it with Kevin Knox and McBride part of the group and their defense failed them in the closing minutes.
“You can see who they are,’’ Thibodeau said. “They have great experience. They’re a deep team. You have bad two minutes against them you’re going to pay for it.’’
The usually candid Rose is out of answers for the losing.
“Can’t put a finger on it,’’ he said. “I can’t come up with anything.’’