The “We Want Quickley” song began late in the first quarter, when Sacramento was preparing a rare race.
With 2:44 left in the quarter, debutant Immanuel Quickley was introduced in the game and did not disappoint the second full garden match of the season.
In Knicks’ 18-point challenge in the first half, Quickley led the offensive blast in a 140-121 triumph over Sacramento, while the popular novice goalie came out of his recent recession.
Quickley finished with 25 points, hitting all 12 free throws. Along with Julius Randle, Quickley even heard “MV-P” chants on another cheerful evening in front of 2,000 fans who seemed to be singing something all evening.
“It’s a long season,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “No player does well in all 82 games. There are ups and downs. He did extremely well. He is a great shooter, he has the ability to attract fouls. Everyone has a ton of confidence in him. We know he has a lot of self-confidence. Start with training. He is a gymnastic rat and a student at the game. ”
The Knicks’ 140 points were at a peak season and faced the worst defensive team in the NBA. The Knicks were the least productive NBA team to enter the game offensively.
Randle, listening to the MVP play a second game in a row, put together another bull-in-a-goal performance with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Alec Burks, accumulating it most of the garbage time of the fourth quarter, accumulated 24 points in the season.
Derrick Rose made his first start of the season as a goalkeeper due to a hamstring injury to Elfrid Payton and added 18 points as the Knicks moved to a .500 game at 16-17. The kings (12-20) lost their ninth in a row.
The Knicks amassed a 77-point first half, shooting 65.9 percent, and ruled out any charges against Kings thereafter.
The Knicks nearly reached 80 in that opening half, but a desperate 3-pointer to the buzzer by Reggie Bullock was fluttered as he stepped on the edge. However, the Knicks had enough – a 77-63 lead.
Inserted in the starting line, Rose started the spree by snatching the basket in the first possession of the game for a left layer.
Rose started the game with a flair, going 5 to 5 in the first quarter and finished with 13 points in the first half. But angry, busy fans, along with Kings in an 11-0 run, started playing Quickley.
When he entered the first quarter late, the Kentucky rookie got to work, immediately draining a 3-pointer. He made mistakes, emptied a float and collected 18 points in 9:36. He made 4 baskets out of 6 and all eight free throws.
Quickley’s 3-for-22 drop in the last three games has been a long way off. As first reported by The Post, the NBA will not support the Rising Stars Challenge for the best beginners and students, but will announce an honorary team. Quickley almost sealed his place.
In another slap in the face at Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina was put back in rotation, with Payton out. Ntilikina, due to a knee sprain, COVID-19 protocols and being removed from rotation, had not played in a game since December 29.
He seemed OK too. He stole a ball from De’Aaron Fox to start a quick break and fed Quickley for a 3-pointer. Playing at 8:58 in the first half, he also drained a 3-pointer.
The lights in the line of socially distant stars included CC Sabathia and rappers Jadakiss and Action Bronson.