N.Y. Knicks: Julius Randle Rocks a Triple-Double at Cleveland

From the desk: DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP

DEUCES WILD

Knicks      95

Cavaliers  85

FINAL

KNICKERBOCKERS EVEN RECORD (2-2) WITH SECOND STRAIGHT WIN

Don't look now, but Coach Thibodeau has the Knickerbockers at .500 with a 2-2 record.  After a disjointed start to the season against the Pacers and Sixers, the Knicks stormed back with a highly spirited 130-110 victory over the Eastern Conference power Milwaukee Bucks.  On Tuesday night, the Knicks kept their guard up against a step down in competition with a tight 95-85 defensively intensive win over Cleveland.

Julius Randle continues his stellar start, leading the floor with a game-high 28 points while leading all players with 44 minutes.  He was 9/16 (56%) from the field, a perfect 4/4 from the arc, and 6/10 from the line.  Randle secured a team-high dozen rebounds and distributed a game-high eleven assists.  This comes on the heels of his game-high 29 point and 14 rebound effort against the Greek Freak and the Milwaukee Bucks.  Through four games he is averaging 24.7 points in 37.7 minutes. 

Reggie Bullock led the Knicks with five buckets from the arc and finished with seventeen points overall.  R.J. Barrett was a quiet 4/15 from the field and 4/4 from the line for 12 points.  Mitch Robinson fell one point short of a double-double with ten rebounds.

All five Knicks starters exceeded at least 32 minutes each.  Coach Thobideau went with an eight-man rotation, handing Kevin Knox II, Frank Ntilikina, and Nerlens Noel sixteen minutes each off the bench.  The three were collectively 5/11 from the field, 3/5 from the arc, and 2/3 from the line for fifteen points with eleven rebounds.

Collin Sexton led the Cavs with twenty points, and Andre Drummond went double-double with seventeen and a game-high seventeen rebounds.

• NEXT: on to Tampa, Florida, to play the relocated Toronto Raptors on New Year's Eve.

N.Y. Knicks: Hard Knox Loss at Brooklyn

From the desk of:  DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP

New York Knicks: Knox, Knox, I'm Here!?

Long ago my mom once told me you can't be disappointed with what you don't expect.  Two games into the regular season, consider it my opening statement as the New York Knickerbockers embark on the 2018-2019 regular season under new head coach David Fizdale.

Truth be told, the continuing employment of Steve Mills for me remains a major point of contention.  However, in fairness to this dawning of a new culture being championed by Scott Perry and Fizdale, there appears at least to be a more grass-rooted effort towards finally getting this done smartly, effectively, and above all, patiently.

All of which remains to be seen ... of course.

From the desk of: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH 

Caris LeVert Strides and Glides to Game Winning Basket 

Their Opening Night victory is simply a nice opening story - nothing more; nothing less.  If we're being pragmatic about this, then let's understand with haste that scoring 72-points in a first-half against the Hawks does not an impression make.  That has more to do with Atlanta's various deficiencies than what the Knicks bring to the table.  A 19-point margin of victory is a positive way to start the season nonetheless.

The schedule makers waste no time bringing the Knickerbockers and Brooklyn Nets together this season.  The two resumed their still burgeoning intercity rivalry at Barclays Center on Friday night, where Flatbush outlasts the Manhattanites for a 107-105 victory.

Extracting positives from loses are out of the question where legitimate contenders are concerned.  But with rebuilding clubs, they're inherently part of the process.

• My first takeaway:  Rookie Kevin Knox demonstrates instant impact off the bench.  After Friday's effort, fans and media demanding his inclusion into the starting lineup are sure to follow.  I would argue that leaves the Knicks with a very weak bench.  Moreover, it's not who starts, but who finishes.  Against the Nets, Knox shoots 7/14 (50%) for 17-points in 28-minutes, with six rebounds, and a minus-four.  Knox winds up being just one of three Knicks scoring in double-digits.  Ironically starter Lance Thomas finishes with a minus/three, but shoots 0/4 from the floor with a pair of boards.

• Take away number two:  Coach Fitzs throws a fit in the third period, and I like it.  If you're going to preach accountability, you have to follow through.

• Take away number three:  I'm a big fan of Enes Kanter, who ties Tim Hardaway for the team lead with 29-points, and posts a double-double with a team leading ten boards.  If the first two games are any indication, Big Man on Campus will be playing more prominent minutes in crunch time this season, which was not the case last season.

The Knicks did not play with the same overall intensity they put forth against Atlanta, and thus are horribly out-worked on the boards.  Brooklyn controls the glass by a 55-38 margin, as two Nets post double-digit rebounds.  Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina joined to shoot 7/20 (35%) for 17-points and six total assists.