By Tennie Sumague
EBC New York Bureau
NEW YORK (Eagle News) – After a tough road loss last Friday against the Toronto Raptors, the New York Knicks regained their winning form with an easy 107-85 victory over the struggling Los Angeles Clippers Monday night.
Kristaps Porzingis led the way for the Knicks with 25 points in 29 minutes and dominated defensively alongside Enes Kanter, frustrating Clippers’ big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan throughout the game.
“We knew Blake and DeAndre were going to be physical,” said Porzingis. “They are two big physical guys playing at the 4 and 5 spots. Enes and I were ready for it. It was a good match up. Any time Blake was attacking or I was attacking Blake the crowd was making a lot of noise.”
The Knicks gained control of the game from the second quarter leading 56-44 at the half. The Clippers then went on a 15-0 run to get within two in the third quarter. The Knicks responded with a 15-2 run led by a pair of 3-pointers from Doug McDermott, expanding their lead to double digits and never fell behind.
McDermott shot 5-7 from downtown finishing the night with 16 points off the bench.
“I’m just having more fun than I’ve ever done with this team,” McDermott said, who was acquired from the Thunder in the Carmelo Anthony trade. “[Our team] is a very unselfish group. A great young team. I haven’t been part of a team like this since I’ve been in the NBA.”
Without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who was dealt to the Houston Rockets during the off-season, the Clippers seem to have lost their way from being a contending Western Conference team. They have lost nine consecutive games, the worst losing streak of coach Doc Rivers’ tenure with the team.
“They were awful. It really was,” said Rivers about his five starters. “I thought the starters in the third quarter cut the lead, [then] we had a turnover that led to a three. From that point it was a 12-0, that was disheartening, it took the spirit away.”
“When you lose nine games in a row and are on a losing streak, you feel sorry for yourself, when things don’t go right and you can’t do that,” Rivers continued. “I have to do a better job; the players have to do a better job. We have to keep working on it. Fortunately, [Patrick Beverly] looked pretty good today, that was a good sign for us. We have to get more guys to play better and part of that is on me.”
The Knicks are 8-3 at home this season, the most in the NBA and their best start at home since going 10-1 during the 2012-13 season. Their next opponent will be the Raptors at the Garden on Wednesday night.
(Eagle News Service)
