Knicks Edge Warriors With Strong Fourth Quarter

After easily dismissing their first three opponents in Summer League, the Knicks fought and clawed their way back with a thrilling fourth quarter comeback to prevail over the Golden State Warriors 91-87. With the victory, New York stretched their record to 4-0, and are now one win away from finishing the week undefeated.

Although he plays with a quiet demeanor, Randolph Morris provided the impetus for the Knicks comeback with a monster performance in the fourth quarter. The young center recorded nine of his 16 points in the final ten minutes of play, and finished the night shooting 5-for-7 from the field to go along with nine rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. Morris also performed admirably on the defensive end, limiting young Golden State star Patrick O’Bryant to just eight points in 24 minutes of play.

While the Knicks were struggling early in the game, it was Wilson Chandler's sharp-shooting that almost single handedly kept New York in the match. The 23rd overall pick could not be stopped from anywhere on the floor, confusing the Warriors with an arsenal of mid-range jumps, threes and strong drives to the basket. He finished the night with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting while also recording three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot.

Nate Robinson led all scorers with 23 points, but his continued development into a complete, all-around player keyed the Knicks’ success. Robinson is clearly the leader of this Summer League squad, and it is a role he is thriving in. The third-year point guard finished the night with seven assists, four rebounds, two steals and two resounding blocks.

Celebrating his 23rd birthday, Renaldo Balkman displayed his newfound offensive flair, dropping 19 points on Golden State. The bullish forward grabbed 12 boards, including five on the offensive end, to record the double-double. Balkman also showed his defensive prowess that will make him a staple of the Knicks rotation come the fall with four steals and three blocked shots.

Demetris Nichols, perhaps the star of Summer League for New York, showed he has more than just a sweet stroke as he drove to the basket with authority and applied pressure on the defensive end. He finished the night with 11 points, along with one steal and one rejection.

What was most impressive about Saturday’s victory was how the team came together to push through adversity and come out on top. They endured a sluggish first half, staying within striking distance before digging deep to breeze past the Warriors in the closing minutes of the game.

New York refused to lose, and now stand one win short of finishing Summer League with a perfect 5-0 record.