this KnicksThe season doesn’t start for another six weeks or so. But die-hard fans can catch several Nicks in action this weekend.
Jalen Branson, Josh Hart And the USA team will face RJ Barrett and Team Canada in Sunday’s FIBA World Cup bronze medal game. It kicks off at 4:40am ET, so watching the game live will require a strong commitment.
Of course, none of the aforementioned Knicks wanted to play in Sunday’s opener: Team USA and Team Canada both hoped to make it to the gold medal game (for Team USA, that was an expectation). .
But Team USA didn’t defend against a tough German national team in Friday’s semifinals. A few hours earlier, Barrett and Team Canada lost to Team Serbia.
It was a particularly disappointing loss for Team USA. The Americans couldn’t handle Germany’s size and gave up 12 offensive rebounds, leading to 25 second-chance points. Team USA relied on small formations for most of the match (Hart started at winger Brandon Ingram And Jaren Jackson Jr starting from the center). This strategy hurt them against Germany.
Team Canada struggled defensively on Friday. They allowed Serbia to shoot 62 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc.
Poor defense by the North American teams set up a bronze medal game centered on the Knicks.
With Barrett facing off against Brunson and Hart, we spoke with one scout about what he’s seen from each player and how their play could impact the Knicks’ season.
scouting
About Bronson: He had a hard time in the third sequence today and they got away from him to close. I think the starting unit, in general, doesn’t look great, but that doesn’t come down to Branson. This is mostly a list product. As much as it might affect the season, guys who play in these tournaments traditionally start fast but feel tired by the middle of the season. “I’m following up on this with Branson.”
ON HART: He was part of the third rough sequence that got hurt (Team USA). But outside of that, I thought he gave you one Josh Hart His game rebounded, was disruptive in defense. I didn’t see anything that stood out (positive or negative). For the NBA season, it’s like (Branson). The guys started well after that (playing in FIBA), but they hit a wall in the middle of the season. “(The Knicks) are going to play big minutes with Hart, so it’s going to be interesting to watch.”
About Bart: He’s been up and down during their games, but he looks like he can play through (any struggles). I see that from him (with the Knicks) a lot, too. He continues to grind (through shooting games) and that’s a good feature for me. I really liked his second half (against Serbia). Nothing really stood out as much as the NBA season. His shooting mechanics seemed a little different in terms of where he put his feet, so that’s something. But that’s what it is (mentioned in Hart and Branson). … These guys have played a lot of games since (the start of last season).”
Youth empowerment
Big event in Westbury on Friday night as the exclusive International Sports Management Company hosts the annual Long Island College Scholarship Gala. The event honors the work of Turrell and Lisa Harris, who, along with a group of sponsors and donors, support the Joseph Toles Foundation and the Terresita L. Johnson Memorial Scholarships. The fundraiser supports underprivileged youth in Wyandanch, Uniondale and Hempstead along with students from the You Have To Believe Adoption Agency.
Brown Jr. signs
Knicks withdrew Obadiah Noel on Friday and signed Charlie Brown Jr Noel had a 10-year contract in the Expos and will likely end up with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s J-League team. Brown averaged 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in four summer league games with the Knicks. New York currently has 21 players under contract.