Kevin Knox, Knicks Earn Narrow Victory over Nets in Preseason Battle
The New York Knicks won the battle of New York with a 107-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Wednesday's preseason contest at the Barclays Center.
Allonzo Trier led the way for New York with 25 points and four rebounds, with Enes Kanter (22 points and 20 rebounds) having a big night as well. After posting a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) in his preseason debut on Monday night, ninth overall pick Kevin Knox went for seven points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.
Caris LeVert led Brooklyn with 15 points, four steals and two assists.
Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier Leading Knicks' Youth Movement
The future appears to be bright in the Big Apple—and it's not just because of All-Star Kristaps Porzingis.
The class of 2018 could shape the organization for years to come, as first-round pick Kevin Knox, second-round pick Mitchell Robinson and undrafted free agent Allonzo Trier have all shown plenty of potential early on this preseason.
On this night, it was the undrafted Trier who stole the show.
The former Arizona Wildcat turned some heads at the summer league, averaging 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He has continued to put on a show as the preseason has gotten underway, dropping 20 in the first half:
He added five points in the second half to give him 25 for the game
Meanwhile, Knox had another solid night. While he may not have filled up the stat sheet like he did on Monday night, he still managed seven points on 3-of-6 shooting. His night also included a nice drive to the hoop in the first half:
Don't forget about Robinson, either.
The 36th overall pick had a relatively quiet game, recording just two points (1-of-1 shooting) and two rebounds in 10 minutes before having to leave with a sprained right ankle. This is the same player who averaged 13.0 points and 10.2 rebounds during the summer league, though.
With the trio of Knox, Trier and Robinson, New York has some young talent to put around Porzingis as it looks to return to contention in the coming years.
D'Angelo Russell, Caris LeVert Flash Potential for Nets
If Brooklyn is going to win games this season, D'Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert are likely going to have to play big roles.
They each showed some flashes as they got off to strong starts on Wednesday night.
LeVert put up a quick nine in the first quarter, with the help of Russell:
He did cool off in terms of scoring, finishing with 15, but he did come up with four steals in 21 minutes.
Just last month, Nets forward DeMarre Carroll hyped up the third-year guard.
"Caris, I think this is his year," Carroll told Nets Daily's Bryan Fonseca. "I think this is a breakout year. Not to put pressure on him, but I’ve seen it every day. I’ve seen him work tirelessly in here."
Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson has not committed to starting LeVert, according to Newsday's Greg Logan, but the former Michigan Wolverine may be forcing the issue with his play. LeVert averaged 12.1 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game last season.
For Russell, he is starting to have to play for his next contract. The former No. 2 overall pick is eligible for a qualifying offer and restricted free agency next summer. As of July, though, Russell and the Nets were not involved in extension talks, according to The Athletic's Michael Scotto.
Ultimately, his play will be the deciding factor.
Russell followed LeVert's lead and put up seven points in the first quarter. That helped him finish with a line of 11 points, three assists and three rebounds against the Knicks. While Russell cooled off after the opening period and finished just 4-of-12 from the field, it's important to remember the point guard is still just 22 years old.
The first quarter showed how solid the Nets offense can be when LeVert and Russell are clicking together. Of course, there's no guarantee that the two can play like that on a nightly basis and for every quarter of the game—but there's potential with those two in the backcourt together.
What's Next
New York will be back in action on Friday night as it hosts the New Orleans Pelicans. Brooklyn does not play again until Monday, when it heads to the Motor City for a game against the Detroit Pistons.
