New York Knicks Open Road Trip on Flat Note, Fall to Utah Jazz

Another sensational start for Julius Randle failed to generate lasting momentum for the New York Knicks, who fell to the lowly Utah Jazz in the opener on Wednesday night.

The New York Knicks are singing the blues after the opener of a grueling Western Conference swing.

Energized by the return of Lauri Markkanen to Salt Lake City hardwood, the Utah Jazz ended a three-game losing streak with a 117-113 victory over the Knicks at the Delta Center on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Knicks fell to an opponent with a losing record for the first time in 11 attempts.

Markkanen, who beat out Jalen Brunson for last season's Most Improved Player Award, missed the prior eight games due to a hamstring strain. Upon his return, Markkanen scored 23 points as Utah (8-16) earned its first win over a 2023 playoff team since Nov. 27 (New Orleans).

Wasted in the inauspicious start to a five-game road trip, the Knicks' longest of the season, was another brilliant scoring effort from Julius Randle: in his first appearance at the Delta Center since he repped New York at least year's All-Star Game, led the Knicks with 32 points, reaching at least 30 for the third time in the last four contests. Randle put up 14 in the opening period alone, guiding the Knicks (13-10) to an early advantage that peaked as high as 10 over the first dozen.

But after the Jazz erased their early deficit, they broke loose for 65 over the latter 24 minutes. A double from Talen Horton-Tucker just before the midway mark of the fourth quarter put the Jazz ahead 106-89.

But a late surge (from the Knicks, primarily fueled by a 14-point outburst from Donte DiVincenzo, made things interesting late to the point where the Knicks narrowed the gap all the way to three with 33 seconds thanks to a 23-9 run. Consecutive would-be equalizers from Josh Hart and Brunson fell short, leading to a Kelly Olynyk rebound that allowed Utah to go to the foul line to shoot their way to the final margin.

Particularly glaring were six missed free throws over the final dozen, as was a brutal 9-of-39 output from three-point range. All Knicks beyond DiVincenzo, Randle, and Immanuel Quickley were fruitless in 20 attempts with an extra point on the line. Randle did manage to make Knicks history with his two successful triples on six tries: now with 601 in his metropolitan career, Randle is just the fifth New Yorker to hit at least 600 and passed Jamal Crawford for fourth all-time on the franchise list.

Collin Sexton had a Salt Laker City-best 26 elsewhere in the Jazz's starting five but every participant off the Utah bench made major contributions: Horton-Tucker and Kris Dunn each earned double-figures 15 and 10 points respectively. Brunson and Hart's American Basketball World Cup teammate Walker Kessler, after missing the Jazz's prior game due to foot soreness, scored nine, rebounded eight, and blocked three. Utah was a plus-25 on the scoreboard over the 20 minutes of Taylor Hendricks (5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals).

The Jazz visit Madison Square Garden for a rematch on Jan. 30. In the meantime, the Knicks' road trip continues on Friday night when they face the Phoenix Suns (10 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN).