Kyle Korver had 15 points and Paul Millsap added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta.
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New York’s reserves went scoreless during a first quarter that ended with a 13-2 Atlanta run and a 30-20 Hawks lead.
For one game, everything looked a world apart from New York’s franchise-worst 17-65 season past year. He might have had a poor shooting performance against Atlanta, but he found other ways to contribute and ended up hitting two huge 3-pointers late in the game.
“We’ve got to play with a objective”, Clifford said.
“We played better tonight”, coach Mike Budenholzer said. Lopez topped New York with 12 first-half points. Anthony is returning from a major knee procedure, and both Jose Calderon and Robin Lopez have long injury histories themselves.
“We saw the difference between the level that they are at right now and where we are right now”, Fisher said in comparing the Knicks and Hawks. We can’t go up and down with the sun and moon one day at a time.
Certain players-Anthony and Porzingis in particular-would probably have an easier time getting open shots if they were playing off a floor general who provides a true penetration threat in pick-and-pop scenarios. Dennis Schroder led in scoring with 20 points while Paul Millsap added 19 points and eight rebounds. Porzingis received the loudest ovation of any Knick during player introductions, a stark contrast to draft night when fans booed the team’s selection with the fourth overall pick. They made 41.7% of their shots from beyond the arc and while the Knicks looked good offensively on opening night, defense is going to be a problem for this team throughout the season.
Porzingis isn’t being brought in to be a star and he can’t concern himself with the Knicks win/loss record.
However, they were handed a tough dose of reality when they lost their first match against the Detroit Pistons. Coming off a 17-win season, competence is a step in the right direction as the Knicks try to build a foundation for the future.
“You couldn’t ask for more than that”, Anthony said, via ESPN.com in regards to Porzingis’ debut.
That’s not a play that you see a lot of rookies, especially guys with the draft profile of Porzingis, making this early into their rookie season.
But we knew this going in.
And with rebuilding comes losses like this-the kind where mistakes are made, silver linings found and lessons learned, but where, in the end, the Knicks fall to an opponent they’re not yet good enough to beat.
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The Atlanta Hawks won a thrilling regulation contest 97-94 over the visiting Charlotte Hornets Friday night.
