Knicks news: Top headlines from the first three games of the NBA season

Finally, the New York Knicks are playing basketball again and it has been a wild start! From comebacks to blowouts, there is plenty of Knicks news to talk about.

Following the first week of Knicks basketball, we wanted to summarize the biggest headlines and news of the week so far. Before the season began, there were so may questions that needed answering. Questions that would directly impact the teams success.

Will the Knicks trade Julius Randle and Evan Fournier? Should the Knicks have traded for Donovan Mitchell? Will Tom Thibodeau play the young guys? These were just a few of the questions we asked before the first tip off. Now, we don’t have answers to every question, but we are already seeing some narratives prove true and others false.

Let’s begin with a quick overview of the week that was and how the Knicks faired.

Game log from the first three games of 2022-23 season

To begin the 2022-23 season, the Knicks have faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. They end their first 3 games at 2-1, with a 2-0 home record.

1. New York Knicks (112) at Memphis Grizzlies (115), October 19, 2022 – Box score
2. Detroit Pistons (106) at New York Knicks (130), October 21, 2022 – Box Score
3. Orlando Magic (102) at New York Knicks (115), October 24, 2022 – Box Score

The season didn’t start the way Knicks fans would have hoped. The Grizzlies came out firing, lead by their All-Star point guard Ja Morant. They took over the game, leading by as many as 19 points before the Knicks fought back. A Cam Reddish buzzer beater sent the game to overtime where Morant was too much for the Knicks.

In the home opener, we saw a complete team performance. An exciting game that was a rout of the Detroit Pistons. Whilst young, they are a team that should not be taken lightly. The Knicks showed a willingness to play as a team, share the ball and play hard defensively.

The final game was up against the Orlando Magic. A team full of young talent, headlined by number 1 pick Paolo Banchero. The Knicks seemed to control the game from start to finish, but the Magic never quit. Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks enough down the stretch to give them the win.

The week gave New York Knick fans a lot to be excited about. From the week, we had the these as the biggest headlines.

The Knicks have their Point Guard

Jalen Brunson is proving he is worth the 4 year $104 million contract he received, per NBA.com. A move that was initially described by Tim Bontemps as “as desperate move, by desperate team.”

Anyone that watches the NBA knew that this was a great signing by the front office. This week has only reaffirmed what we already knew. Brunson adds control, poise and leadership to this New York Knicks team.

In the first three games with the Knicks, he is averaging 16.0 points, 44.8% from the field, 37.5% from 3, 4.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Brunson is the main reason for the fluid offense we have seen so far, as the Knicks are averaging 28.5 assists after 3 games.

Jalen Brunson has been a great fit alongside RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. A true point guard that brings his teammates into the game, never looks frazzled and hits timely buckets when the team needs. After many years of searching, it looks like the Knicks have their point guard.

Quentin Grimes leg injury is raising concerns

What seemed like a minor injury, is becoming increasingly concerning. Quentin Grimes has battled injuries early in his career. The Knicks described the injury as an overuse injury he got after spending too much time in the gym preparing for the upcoming season.

The second year guard was set to make a leap in the NBA this year, but Grimes has now missed the first three games of the season. The New York Knicks front office described the injury as a simple foot injury, although that was the description of the injury we received during preseason. We are now one week into the season.

Here’s hoping we have nothing to worry about and he takes the court in the next game against Hornets on Wednesday night. Only time will tell if this is something we should be concerned about. After all, he was highly valued during the Donovan Mitchell trade saga.

Cam Reddish shows his potential

Cam Reddish haters be gone! Reddish had an incredible first game against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in the game, including a three to send the game into overtime. He showed the potential that the Knicks saw when they gave up a protected first round pick.

Admittedly, this has kind of been the story of Cam’s early career. He shares a glimpse of his talent, but fails to bring it every night. Since his big opening night, he’s averaged 6.5 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist per game. Not terrible production, but not close to what he can bring when he’s on.

His touch around the rim is something to behold. When he’s inside or given an open look, he’s almost automatic. For what ever reason, he can be lost in the shuffle. He’s either on or he’s not.

If Cam can find a way to involve himself consistently and limit his defensive lapses, he gives the Knicks an incredible scorer off the bench and forces the front office to start making some tough decisions about his future.

Depth of the Knicks will lead to wins

In the season opener against the Grizzles, the bench failed to make an impact. It was touted as the biggest strength of this New York Knicks team heading into the season. Although, outside of Reddish and Isaiah Hartenstein, the bench couldn’t get anything going.

In the home opener and against the Magic, it was a different story. We started to see the depth that Knicks fans had been raving about.

Six players reached double figure scoring against Detroit. It was a true team win.

• Immanuel Quickley – 20 points
• RJ Barrett – 18 points
• Jalen Brunson – 17 points
• Obi Toppin – 16 points
• Julius Randle – 15 points

Against Orlando, the scoring depth wasn’t as strong, but the Knicks bench was a major reason they were able to run away with the game. Nearly every player that touched the floor last night left the court with a positive plus/minus.

There is a lot to be excited about with the talent coming off this bench. Obi Toppin, Cam Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Isaiah Hartenstein and Derrick Rose are all able to impact the game. With unique skillsets, they can be a huge part of this teams overall success.

Julius Randle is all in on winning

Many concerns we had heading into this season were surrounding Julius Randle. After the frustrations of last season, could Randle leave that behind him and focus on winning? The answer is a resounding, yes!

Randle has taken his role and run with it. He’s is playing with a joy that we didn’t see last season and this is flowing into the rest of the team. In the first three games of the season, he’s averaged 21.3 points, 51.1% from the field, 33.3% from 3, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1 steal per game.

Randle has been the steady ship to lead this team early this season. He’s taken every piece of criticism and improved his game to silence the haters. With Randle playing this way, a strong point guard at the helm and the depth of the roster, we could see some exciting things happen this season.