So, very close.
The Knicks rallied from a 15-point deficit to make it a two-point game in their Las Vegas Summer League opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, and with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter, they had the chance to send the game to overtime. or hit three to win.
Knicks Summer League head coach Dice Yoshimoto designed the best play under the Knick basket, with two players bending toward the rim as a trick before senior Jacob Toppin created a breakaway Hornets star Brandon Miller under the basket.
Damian Baugh caught a pass, Toppin caught it in the air, then left the short field, as the Hornets got the ball, then went to the foul court to put the Knicks in a 94-90 loss at the Center of Thomas & Mack. on Saturday.
Here are some takeaways from the Knicks’ Summer League opener:
Tyler Kolek is an instant NBA point guard
The Knicks selected Kolek with the 34th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, and the Marquette product clearly fills a need for the team in the backcourt.
Kolek is a prototypical floor manager who has shown excellent ball control and poise while running the offense as he started to guard the Knicks’ points for the Summer League playoff game against the Hornets.
He nearly had a double-double with nine points, seven rebounds and a team-high seven assists, and knocked down a crucial corner three at the 6:43 mark of the fourth quarter to bring the Knicks back within four.
Kolek excelled outside of the pick-and-roll and would often hit his man in the paint before an open shot or layup.
It’s easy to see him slotting into the rotation as a backup point guard behind Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride. In fact, Kolek can take on more ball-handling responsibilities and allow McBride to serve as a floor space and point guard for the second team.
Kolek again forced his way to the line and made two free throws to make it a two-point game with less than 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
He could make a case for minutes with the Knicks come training camp in September.
Ariel Hukporti has the tools to be a working big man
The Knicks took the German-Togo big man with the 58th and final pick of the June draft, and Hukporti looks like a player who could develop into a viable big man in the coming years.
The 7-foot center showed great touch around the rim and the ability to make quick play decisions when the defense fell on him in the paint.
He finished with six points, five rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes and 36 seconds, tied for five with Westchester Knicks big man Dmytro Skapintsev who finished with nine points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block, but hit an uncontested bunny hop with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter. A made bucket would have brought the Knicks within four, but instead, the Hornets took a big layup to make it an eight-point game.
The Knicks ejected Skapintsev after the foul and elected to play small ball to end the game.
Pacome Dadiet may need time
The Knicks selected 18-year-old Frenchman Dadiet with the 25th pick in June’s NBA Draft. He struggled from the field in Saturday’s loss to the Hornets, shooting two of eight from the field and missing all three of his attempts from downtown to finish with five points, five rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes on the floor.
Dadiet is a 6-foot-8 jumper who said Kevin Durant was his biggest basketball influence. The Knicks are hoping they can develop him into a favorite of the current Phoenix Suns star.
Duane Washington Jr. he should be on the NBA roster
Washington Jr. finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field. He shot four of eight from downtown and made six of eight attempts at the foul line.
Julius Randle praised Washington’s leadership after the Knicks’ training camp in Charleston, SC last season. The Knicks cut Washington, but he will likely stick with another team’s roster this coming season.
Originally published:
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