SALT LAKE CITY — Knicks Rally from Poor First Half
The Knicks had a rough first half, but some tough talk in the locker room turned things around, leading to a 134-117 win over the Jazz. Clarkson mentioned, “In terms of how we were at odds and trying to hold each other accountable in our halftime speeches. I wanted to come here and win.”
What kind of message was shared? “Let’s figure it out together,” Clarkson stated, noting that the coaches initiated discussions before the players took over.
The team reacted by tightening up their defense and focusing more on offense. Coach Mike Brown laid out the issues for both teams as well.
“We had eight turnovers and only scored 14 points in the first half,” he explained. “Many of those turnovers translated into easy fast-break points for Utah.” The Jazz capitalized, racking up 27 fast-break points before halftime.
“We improved on both fronts by halftime. We had just four turnovers in the second half, yielding only four points off those. We limited them to five fast-break points after halftime. That was the game-changer for us—we created chances to shoot, and when we shot, we made them,” Brown said.
The Knicks dominated the second half, outscoring the Jazz 78-52, fueled by the halftime spark. “That helped us win,” Brunson noted.
In other news, barring an unexpected NBA Finals matchup, Stephen Curry is unlikely to play at Madison Square Garden this season. The Golden State guard, who has sat out the last 15 games due to a bone bruise in his right knee, is set for a re-evaluation in 10 days, according to the team’s announcement.
This development means he won’t be available for the March 15 game at MSG. Curry, 37, has enjoyed success at the Garden, including a 28-point game last year and a 54-point performance in 2013.
In terms of player updates, Josh Hart missed Wednesday’s game due to knee pain. Meanwhile, Landry Shamet stepped in for Utah’s starting lineup, which faced challenges overall.
Mikal Bridges found himself benched in the fourth quarter for the second straight game as Clarkson led the Knicks to a comeback victory. Bridges struggled, scoring only five points in 27 minutes.
