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Pel No! Knicks' Respectable Effort Falls Short in NOLA

The New York Knicks rested some of their regulars but nonetheless put forth a respectable effort in defeat against the antsy New Orleans Pelicans.

Geoff Magliocchetti

USA TODAY SPORTS
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Had a casual basketball observer taken in the New York Knicks' Friday night showdown against the New Orleans Pelicans with no knowledge of the NBA standings, they'd perhaps be shocked to learn that one of the teams competing had absolutely nothing to play for. 

Once again voluntarily holding out some of their most prominent names, New York substitutes put up a respectable effort in the penultimate game of their regular season forcing the Pelicans to the brink in a game they needed. The bayou-based hosts, fighting for postseason positioning, eventually staved off the subs for a 113-105 victory at Smoothie King Center.

With the win, the Pelicans (42-39) broke a tie for seventh place and the top spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament with the Los Angeles Lakers, who face a resting Phoenix group later on Friday night. New Orleans is also a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors (who are in Sacramento) for the last two automatic Western spots. Led by 31 points from Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans also clinched their first winning season in five years. 

Simply biding their time before partaking in their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the fifth-place Knicks (47-34) sat both Jalen Brunson (hand maintenance) and Mitchell Robinson (rest) though they did welcome back RJ Barrett to the starting fold after two games off with an illness. New York went blow-for-blow with the antsy Pelicans, Barrett leading the way with 28 points in defeat despite an 0-of-9 mark from three-point range (though he accompanied it with seven rebounds and six assists).

New York fell behind by eight in the early going and found themselves in the penalty within the first half of the opening frame but muscled its way back in thanks primarily to the efforts of Immanuel Quickley, who tallied half of the Knicks' 30-point output to build a three-point lead after the first. New Orleans tied the game by halftime and took the game's largest lead at 11 in the middle stages of the third quarter. An eight-point burst from Quickley, who capped off the night with 24, forced another tie to set up a back-and-forth fourth quarter.

It took far longer than a juiced-up crowd anticipated, but the Pelicans finally restored relative sanity to the affair with a 14-5 run over the final five minutes to pull away. A two-possession lead was officially earned on a Herb Jones triple while the Knicks certainly missed having Robinson in the lineup after losing a dozen key rebounds to Jonas Valančiūnas. Robinson's departure was also showcased in the battle of points in the paint, where New Orleans prevailed 60-46.

Friday proved to be an eventful homecoming for Josh Hart, as the former Pelican engaged in a physical war of wits with ex-compatriots like Brandon Ingram. Hart, who finished the night with eight points and six rebounds, played three seasons with the Pelicans before he was traded to Portland during the 2022 trade deadline before the Knicks came calling. 

Despite the loss, the Knicks capped off one of the most successful road slates in team history: with a 24-17 mark, it was their best victorious posting away from Madison Square Garden since 2012-13 and the .585 winning percentage is the best since 1994-95.

The Knicks will play their final game of the regular season on Sunday afternoon when the Indiana Pacers visit Madison Square Garden (1 p.m. ET, MSG). 

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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