The New York Knicks opened the Mike Brown era with a dominant victory to begin the preseason. They defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, 99-84.
Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson stood out for the Knicks
Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson were the top performers for New York to open the preseason. Both players are making a case to become a starter this season as the rotation is yet to be finalized, and they both put on very strong performances.
McBride led the Knicks in scoring with 12 points off the bench. He shot 5-for-7 from the field and 2-for-4 from three, making an impact all over the floor.
He also added three steals and grabbed five rebounds while finishing with a plus-minus of +11. The guard has been in some interesting trade conversations lately as the Knicks look to complete their final roster, but he put on an impressive showing in this one.
Robinson dominated in his action, playing all 18 of his minutes in the first half. He finished with seven points and a blistering 16 rebounds, demonstrating his interior dominance as he competes for a starting job.
Injuries bite the Knicks early
The last thing the Knicks need this season is injuries, and they have already dealt with some to two very important players.
OG Anunoby sat this game out with a sprained right hand, with Pacome Dadiet taking his place in the starting lineup. Anunoby reportedly injured his hand during practice on Wednesday, and he is day-to-day as of now, according to MSG Network’s Bill Pidto.
Josh Hart came off the bench in this game but exited early after appearing to tweak his lower back. Hart was unable to return to the game because he was ejected for throwing the ball across the court after he fell to the ground following the injury.
Brown said after the game that Hart has lower back soreness and is day-to-day. The hope is that neither Hart nor Anunoby’s injuries are long-term and they can get some much-needed reps in before the start of the regular season.
Overview
The Knicks featured a lot of the new things this coaching staff emphasized, especially ball movement and quick pace. The Brown era is off to a strong start, and they will look to continue that on Saturday when they face the 76ers again to conclude the trip to Abu Dhabi.