From New York Knicks On SI · · 2m
Knicks' 3 Losers, 2 Winners After Loss
Knicks' season opener loss reveals 3 players struggling, 2 gaining traction.
In brief
Knicks' season opener loss reveals 3 players struggling, 2 gaining traction. New York Knicks lost to 76ers with Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek and Karl-Anthony Towns underperforming while James Wiseman and Mohamed Diawara show potential. Originally reported by New York Knicks On SI.
Knicks Fall to 76ers
New York lost to Philadelphia in season opener due to lackluster performances and early hiccups.
Loser 1: Miles McBride
McBride shot 1-for-5 and struggled with defense as his core muscle surgery issues persist.
McBride Minutes Reduced
Mike Brown scaled McBride's minutes to 14 against Philadelphia but he didn't improve with less time.
McBride Trade Risk
McBride's expiring deal and poor performance may prompt New York to trade him quickly.
Winner 1: James Wiseman
Wiseman benefited from Karl-Anthony Towns' foul issues and Andre Drummond's early exit.
Wiseman's Path to Role
Wiseman could claim main backup role as Towns' foul problems persist and Drummond's role shrinks.
Loser 2: Tyler Kolek
Kolek's small role remains due to Jose Alvarado's better performance with eight points and three assists.
Kolek's Role Status
Kolek's reliability keeps him from real playing time as he's less proven than veteran Alvarado.
Winner 2: Mohamed Diawara
Diawara could gain playing time after Jordan Clarkson's limited minutes and Landry Shamet's poor shooting.
Diawara's Potential
Diawara's flashes could lead to re-signing and main rotation spot despite being an unknown.
Loser 3: Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns faced early foul trouble continuing career pattern that hurts his impact and contract prospects.
Towns' Contract Risk
Towns' foul issues may limit his stats and next contract value as teams avoid paying for flaws.
Towns' Incentive
Towns' last big NBA payday creates incentive to improve his foul trouble issues.
Knicks Bench Performance
Bench showed parts good (Drummond early) and parts bad (Kolek, McBride) in season opener.
Knicks' Next Move
Knicks may trade McBride quickly if his performance continues to decline.
Here's the gist
New York Knicks lost to 76ers with Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek and Karl-Anthony Towns underperforming while James Wiseman and Mohamed Diawara show potential.
