N.Y. Knicks: Team Thibs Throttle Up Rockets at The Garden

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

Seventh in Eastern Conference

SATURDAY

Rockets     99

Knicks     121

FINAL

Extreme Team was at it again.  On Saturday, the stingiest team in the league limited the Rockets to under 100 points, marking the ninth time in 28 games they've held their opponents to the century mark or less.  

With a 22 point victory over visiting Houston, the NBA's most scoring challenged team is also back to being just two games under par.  The Knicks last touched .500 back on Jan. 21 with a win over Golden State to even out with an 8-8 record.

The Knicks had the Midas touch on this night, shooting 45/86 (52.3%) from the field, including 12/28 (42.9%) from behind the arc.  Despite getting slightly outrebounded, they outscored Houston 60-44 in the paint.

Ten other Hoston Rockets could not match the production put forth by John Wall and Eric Gordon.  Both joined to lead the floor in points with 26 points and 24 points, respectively.  Three other starters and seven players off the bench capped out 49 total points.

With Mitchell Robinson out with a hand fracture, Nerlens Noel was a serviceable 5/6 from the floor for ten points with six rebounds and two blocks in 32 minutes.  Julius Randle once again led the Knicks with 22 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes, and Elfrid Payton was 7/11 for 15 points in 22 minutes.   

Rookie Emmanuel Quickley exceeds twenty points for the fifth time this season and the first time in February.  He matches Julius Randle with 22 points on 7/9 from the floor and 4/4 from the line in just 21 minutes off the bench.  Fellow rookie Obi Toppin scored in double-digits for only the second time this season, posting eleven points in fifteen minutes.  Meanwhile, Coach Thibs has the reinforcement he's needed.  In his third game with the Knicks, Derrick Rose scores 16 points by drawing fouls and shooting 5/11 from the field in 23 minutes also off the bench.