When it was announced that the Boston Celtics would be fielding their stars for tonight’s preseason game, the Knicks’ victory seemed certain. Thanks to that parasite Payton Pritchard, the knowledgeable Svi Mykhailiuk and the rust, New York’s best struggled to fend off the visitors for much of the game, eventually winning 114-107.
Boston was playing their second straight game, so Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White were all left out of tonight’s tilt.
Boston fielded a bunch of reserves and a towel rack on a 10-day contract, yet they still led at the end of the first quarter. The subs were neck and neck with the Knicks throughout the game, but hey, it’s preseason.
There have been encouraging signs. Brunson played only six minutes: he has played basketball all summer and doesn’t need repetitions. A sturdier-looking Immanuel Quickley (21 points, 23 minutes, 8-of-14 FGs, three steals) ran the offense for much of the game and played his usual, sticky defense. RJ Barrett entered the game as a career 71% free throw shooter, but tonight he was 9-of-9 from the charity stripe. Robinson may be in the best form of his career and was a blocking beast among mere mortals.