Knicks News: David Fizdale Says Team Was 'Embarrassing' in 2nd Half vs. Celtics
New York Knicks coach David Fizdale was none too pleased after his team saw a five-point halftime lead against the Boston Celtics turn into a 23-point loss on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
"That was an embarrassing second half that we put forth out there," Fizdale said after the 118-95 loss.
It was a tale of two halves for New York. The Knicks scored 51 points in the first half but were held to 44 over the final 24 minutes. Meanwhile, after holding the Celtics to a total of 46 points in the first two periods, the defense surrendered 36 points in each of the third and fourth quarters.
Of note, New York turned the ball over a whopping 25 times, with four of the five starters committing at least four turnovers apiece. Boston turned those turnovers into 36 points.
Unfortunately for Fizdale, his team did not shoot well enough to overcome those mistakes. The Knicks shot 38.8 percent from the floor, including 25.9 percent from three-point range, while recording just 15 assists on the night.
Rookie RJ Barrett was one of the few bright spots on the night, as he dropped 15 points in the first half to help the Knicks take a lead into the locker room. He added 11 more in the second half, but he did not have much help.
Only four New York players reached double figures Saturday, with center Mitchell Robinson (17 points) the only one other than Barrett to score more than 12. Boston, meanwhile, had three players with 15-plus points, including Kemba Walker (game-high 32 points).
The loss drops the Knicks to 0-3 on the season. Their next opportunity to try to crack the win column will come on Monday night, when they will host the Chicago Bulls.
