PHILADELPHIA — Tom Thibodeau received some reinforcements and made an adjustment.
After enjoying with a good rotation in shut video games, the coach opened it up from eight to 9 gamers Tuesday with the addition of Matt Ryan.
Cam Payne additionally returned from a four-game absence due to a hamstring pressure and scored three factors in 9 minutes.
Ryan was scoreless in 9 minutes however Thibodeau indicated he’s shifting ahead with the 27-year-old wing, who was a late addition to the roster after signing final week.
“I almost [played him] last game,” Thibodeau mentioned. “But he just got here and because we had six of seven on the road, there hasn’t been a lot of practice time. It’s going to take him a little bit of time for him to get up to speed. But he’s smart and he’ll pick it up quickly. It’s good to have that.”
If a part of the purpose of increasing the rotation was to protect the starters’ power within the fourth quarter, it appeared to work.
The Knicks began the ultimate interval Tuesday on an 11-0 run and beat the Sixers, 111-99.
It’s protected to say the second annual NBA Cup wasn’t an enormous speaking level for the Knicks forward of Tuesday’s tipoff.
Following the morning shootaround, Karl-Anthony Cities was unaware it was even a match date.
“Next game is the In-Season tournament?” Cities requested earlier than shortly recovering. “I treat every game just like it’s the most important game of the year. So it’s not really about if it’s In-Season Tournament or not. You know, the approach is the same, go out there and try to get a win.”
Josh Hart, in the meantime, is a fan of most features of the NBA Cup.
With one exception.
“It’s fun. It gives these games a little bit of a different energy. For the crowd, players have a little bit of a different energy. There’s some extra money on the line. So it’s fun. It’s something that’s a really good idea,” Hart mentioned. “The only thing I hate about it is the point-differential element.”
The Knicks benefitted by level differential final season by securing the only real wild-card spot after ending second of their group.
They beat the Hornets by 24 factors within the group play finale to advance, then misplaced within the quarterfinals to the Bucks.
“I think our last game against Charlotte you had some of your main guys in there when you’re up 25 with four minutes left. So that’s the only thing I hate about it,” Hart mentioned. “But it’s fun. It brings a good energy to the start of the season.”
The Knicks’ group this season consists of the Sixers, Nets (sport on Nov. 15), Hornets (Nov. 29) and Magic (Dec. 3).
The Knicks have been deprived by the scheduling quirks of the primary NBA Cup since they needed to play the Celtics and Bucks 5 occasions every within the common season.
The Sixers debuted their blue court docket for the NBA Cup and coach Nick Nurse considered it because the lesser of two uglies in comparison with final season’s purple model.
“I like the blue court a lot better,” Nurse mentioned. “But that’s not saying much, in my opinion.”
