Knicks’ mega trade recruit sparks upset in debut; 16-year first by benched star stuns: NBA Wrap
British ahead O.G. Anunoby sparkled in his first NBA sport for the New York Knicks, serving to his new membership upset Western Conference chief Minnesota 112-106 on Monday (all dates US).
New York’s Julius Randle scored a game-high 39 factors whereas Anunoby added 17 factors and 6 rebounds solely hours after arriving from Toronto in a Saturday commerce.
The 26-year-old London-born defensive standout, who gained an NBA crown with the Raptors in 2019 and led the league in steals final season, was studying about his new workforce on the fly after greater than six seasons in Toronto.
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“Even during the game, they were telling me, ‘Go here. Do this’,” Anunoby stated. “They were helping me out for sure, a lot of them, and I’m thankful for it.
“Everything really. New terminology. Just trying to figure everything out best I can, so a lot of read-and-react today.
“Each day I’m going to get better at everything, learning the plays, learning the terminology, learning the steps. I’ll learn every day.”
Anunoby’s robust displaying after arriving at a lodge and getting his bodily Sunday evening impressed Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
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“I thought, first game, impressive, just to be ready and kind of figure it out on the fly,” Thibodeau stated.
“Played smart, played off people well, played great defence, hustled, moved without the ball, shot good shots, made good plays, so very good start.”
Thibodeau tried his greatest to maintain issues easy on the veteran playmaker, who has profession averages of 11.8 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals a sport.
“You don’t want him overthinking things,” Thibodeau stated. “Just give him a basic framework and we can add day by day. If you get lost just play.”
Anthony Edwards scored 35 factors to tempo the Timberwolves, who fell to 24-8.
Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton simply missed a triple double in main Indiana to a 122-113 victory at Milwaukee, the place Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double in defeat.
Haliburton had 26 factors, 11 assists and 9 rebounds for the Pacers (18-14), who additionally had 25 factors and 13 rebounds from Canadian reserve guard Bennedict Mathurin.
Antetokounmpo delivered 30 factors, 18 rebounds and 11 assists for the Bucks, who fell to 24-9 and a pair of.5 video games behind Eastern Conference chief Boston.
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Defending champion Denver, led by Jamal Murray’s 25 factors, routed visiting Charlotte 111-93 to tug inside two video games of Minnesota within the West.
The Nuggets additionally had 22 factors from Michael Porter Jr. plus 13 factors and 11 rebounds from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic of Serbia.
Italian ahead Simone Fontecchio scored a game-high 24 factors to guide host Utah over Dallas 127-90.
Jazz reserve Jordan Clarkson had a triple double off the bench with 20 factors, 10 rebounds and 11 assists – the primary triple double for the workforce in 16 years – whereas Slovenian guard Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 19 factors.
The Phoenix Suns, taking part in with out Kevin Durant on account of a sore proper hamstring, acquired 21 factors from Bradley Beal and 18 from Bosnian middle Jusuf Nurkic in defeating visiting Portland 109-88.
Cameroonian ahead Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 36 factors to guide six double-figure scorers for Toronto in a 124-121 victory over visiting Cleveland.
After snapping an NBA record-tying 28-game shedding streak by beating Toronto, the Detroit Pistons went again to their irritating kind with a 136-113 loss at Houston.
Turkish middle Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 26 factors and 9 assists. Kawhi Leonard scored 24 factors, Paul George added 23 and reserve Norman Powell added 22 to energy the Los Angeles Clippers over visiting Miami 121-104.
James Harden added 15 factors and 10 assists for the hosts whereas Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 21 factors and 15 rebounds.
NBA SCORES
Timberwolves 106 – Knicks 112
Cavaliers 121 – Raptors 124
Pistons 113 – Rockets 136
Pacers 122 – Bucks 113
Hornets 93 – Nuggets 111
Trail Blazers 88 – Suns 109
Mavericks 90 – Jazz 127
Heat 104 – Clippers 121
