Knicks Win First Game of Season
The Knicks scored their first win of the season on Monday night as they edged past a ridiculous night from Hornets PG Chris Paul in a 117-111 victory over New Orleans.
Knicks forward David Lee scored a season-high 28 points in the win, which featured four Knicks players in double digits. Forward Al Harrington, fresh off a career-high 42 off the bench against the Philadelphia 76ers, scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth-quarter on Monday night against the Hornets.
With G Nate Robinson sidelined by a sprained ankle he suffered against the 76ers, Larry Hughes came into the starting lineup after not playing in the Knicks’ last two games and scored 20 points. And point guard Chris Duhon finished with 18 points and nine assists for the defensively-challenged Knicks, whose version of the Seven Seconds or Less offense hasn’t looked sharp yet.
“I thought they showed character. They battled back,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “To get that first win, it gets a little hairy. I’m just encouraged as a whole, the whole game.”
The Hornets moved within two points – at 92-90 – on the heels of a three-pointer by PG Chris Paul, who had an absolutely absurd night of 32 points and 13 assists. But Harrington and Lee sparked a 10-2 run that put the game out of reach for the Hornets, and the Knicks were on their way to their first win in four tries.
The Knicks, who were outscored 72-38 in their past two first quarters, came out firing in this one, jumping to a 16-6 lead before settling at 31-24 by the end of the quarter.
“Our only plan was to come out and get out to a good start, whether that was doing it on the offensive end or defensive end,” Hughes said. “We had no real game plan as far as doing it on the offensive or doing it on the defense. We just wanted to get off to a good start.”
