Kings arrive at Garden without dangerous De'Aaron Fox
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, in Milwaukee. Credit: AP/Morry Gash
The Knicks had their entire roster available Monday other than Derrick Rose, who is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break later this month.
But the Kings arrived at Madison Square Garden missing many pieces.
De’Aaron Fox was sidelined for the fifth game in a row with a sore ankle. The fifth-year guard, who is averaging 21.0 points and 5.2 assists per game, has been in the center of trade talks for the struggling franchise, even as reports surfaced that management insisted the Kings want to build around Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.
Knicks fans might have liked to see Fox to scout the high-scoring guard. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had high praise for the backcourt duo of Fox and Haliburton.
"The speed. They’re interchangeable," Thibodeau said. "Add in [Davion] Mitchell to that group, they’re very fast and aggressive and put a lot of pressure on your defense. They get the ball up the court really fast. A guy like [Harrison] Barnes gets overlooked. He’s a terrific player. [Center Richaun] Holmes plays very effectively for them."
Thibs wants consistency
Not that the Knicks are hinting he’s available, but they have kept Evan Fournier in the starting lineup through all of his struggles this season. Thibodeau said the concern is just consistency.
"Be aggressive," he said. "Look for your shot. Read the game, make plays. If you’re open, shoot. If you’re guarded, move it. Attack the paint.
"Consistency has been the big thing for our whole team. You want to be able to count on certain things — our defense, rebounding, keeping our turnovers down. We can control that.
Some nights we’ll shoot it better than others. Just play an all-around game. Read the game. The game will tell you what to do."
Fournier hit his first six shots, four from three-point range, and scored 16 points in the first quarter against the Kings.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
