Gallinari Continues to Shine, But Knicks Fall on the Road

Danilo Gallinari is becoming the player the Knicks envisioned him to be in only his sophomore season. 

  Less than 24 hours after playing the best overall game of his career, Gallinari continued to show his versatility as he recorded 20 points, seven rebounds and a career-high four steals in the Knicks’ 118-104 road loss to the Magic on Wednesday night.  

“My focus is on being a complete player,” Gallinari said. “That’s what it takes to play at a high level. That’s what I’m trying to do, so I try to focus on every part of the game.”  

Following the first 20-point, 10-rebound performance of his career in the Knicks’ 126-99 win over the then league-leading Suns on Tuesday, the 6-foot-10 forward hit the first of his two 3-pointers seconds into the game and the Knicks shot 56.3 percent in the opening period.  

But the Knicks, who arrived at their Orlando hotel around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, slowed down offensively in the beginning of the second quarter – eventually scoring just 16 points in the quarter - and were unable to get things going again. They finished the night shooting 46.4 percent from the field.  

“I thought we lost the game in the first half when we didn’t make our shots,” D’Antoni said. “We should have stayed closer and that would give you more energy.”  

After falling behind by as many as 23 in the third quarter, D’Antoni went deep into his bench and played the group of youngsters who are expected to be a big part of the Knicks’ future. Rookies Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas and Marcus Landry were on the floor for most of the fourth quarter alongside third-year player Wilson Chandler and Gallinari.  

The Knicks outscored the Magic 34-26 in the fourth as they trimmed the deficit to 12 with under a minute to play. Chandler, who started at forward, finished the night with a season-high 24 points and five rebounds and Douglas scored 17 in 21 minutes.  

“We got down about 20 and I just felt the energy was zapped out and I was looking for the rookies to come in and give us a spark, which they did OK,” D’Antoni said.  

Gallinari, who is relatively inexperienced fter playing just 28 games last season due to a nagging back injury, is working his way towards becoming a franchise player. He is reaching his potential much sooner than many expected in more than just three-point shooting.  

Gallinari, the No. 8 pick in the 2008 draft, is leading the league with 56 threes, but he continues to become a better defender and rebounder. The Knicks are hoping Douglas can adjust to the NBA game as quickly as Gallinari has.  

Douglas, who played garbage time against the Suns following two straight DNP-CD’s, is being asked to get more involved, as he was the first guard off the bench for the Knicks.  

“I thought the first half he played well and gave us energy,” D’Antoni said of Douglas, the No. 29 pick in last June’s draft. “His defense especially is something we need and he can make shots. He’ll have to learn how to be a point guard. That’s going to be a process for a while."

Game Notes: Eddy Curry missed his fifth straight game with a sore left knee. He could practice tomorrow in Atlanta, according to D’Antoni.